commonly known as cuckoo wasps or emerald wasps , the hymenopteran family chrysididae is a very large cosmopolitan group ( over 3000 described species ) of parasitoid or kleptoparasitic wasps , often highly sculptured , with brilliant metallic colors created by structural coloration .

they are most diverse in desert regions of the world , as they are typically associated with solitary bee and wasp species , which are also most diverse in such areas .

cuckoo wasp

cuckoo wasp <EOT> the cuckoo wasps are classified in the family chrysididae , order hymenoptera . the pacific cuckoo wasp is chrysis pacifica ; the large blue cuckoo wasp is chrysis coerulans .

detailing the physical features , habits , territorial reach and other identifying qualities of the cuckoo wasp .

by inserting her ovipositor into the pot of a potter wasp and laying an egg , the cuckoo wasp finds food and shelter for her young .

cuckoo wasps are common in brisbane suburban . they are usually seen flying slowly looking for wasp nest .

strohm e , laurien - kehnen c , bordon s . escape from parasitism : spatial and temporal strategies of a sphecid wasp against a specialised cuckoo wasp .

a cuckoo wasp ( primeuchroeus species ) . note the apparently 3 - segmented abdomen . image copyright wa museum

the scientists combined data from the transcriptome - - showing which genes are active and being transcribed from dna into rna - - and genomic ( dna ) data from a number of species of ants , bees and wasps , including bradynobaenid wasps , a cuckoo wasp , a spider wasp , a scoliid wasp , a mud dauber wasp , a tiphiid wasp , a paper wasp and a pollen wasp ; a velvet ant ( wasp ) ; a dracula ant ; and a sweat bee , lasioglossum albipes .

the name " cuckoo wasp " refers to the fact that these wasps lay eggs in the nests of unsuspecting hosts .

the small cuckoo wasp is commonly found on large gum tree trunks , especially those holes on tree trunk . please check this

the cuckoo wasp’s larvae consume the provisions procured by the solitary wasps for their own young . the name cuckoo wasp derives from this form of larceny . other species of cuckoo wasps directly attack and kill the young of other insects . some sneak down the galleries of ground nesting bees like plasterer bees ( link to march 27 , 2006 ) we met a few weeks ago . once inside , the female wasp lays an egg on the bee’s baby and the cuckoo wasp larva devours the unfortunate victim . one wonders why hard - working solitary bees and wasps tolerate this nonsense from cuckoo wasps . it turns out that at least one species of cuckoo wasp produces an odor that closely resembles the smell of its host . this chemical cloak probably helps the cuckoo wasp sneak into the nest of its victim undetected to perform its nefarious deeds .

) while the nest host collect food for larvae . cuckoo wasp larvae hatch and feed on the food or the host larvae .

the pacific cuckoo wasp parasitizes mason bees . the parasite ' s larva feeds on the bee ' s larva after the bee has spun its cocoon . the large blue cuckoo wasp , a cleptoparasite , lays its eggs in the nests of solitary wasps in the hornet family . the cuckoo wasp larva kills the host larva and eats the caterpillars that have been captured by the host for food .

design by oleg ko " cuckoo wasp , " microsoft¨ encarta¨ online encyclopedia 2009 urltoken © 1997 - 2009 microsoft corporation . all rights reserved .

there are many cuckoo wasp species and they look very similar . usually they are metallic blue or green in colour and are coarsely sculptured . most species are external parasites of other wasp larvae . females lay eggs in nest of other wasps (

cuckoo wasps family : chrysidiae commonly called cuckoo wasps , the wasps in the family chrysidiae are often beautiful and metallic blue , green or red . some species are thieving parasites ( cleptoparasites ) who lay their eggs in the nests of solitary bee species . the cuckoo wasp larva kills the solitary bee larva and then feeds on the stored provisions within the bee nest . like hive wasps , spider wasps , sphecid wasps , and bees , female cuckoo wasps have modified egg - laying devices which allow them to sting . common cuckoo wasp species are about 1 / 2 " long .

a cuckoo in wolves ' clothing ? chemical mimicry in a specialized cuckoo wasp of the european beewolf ( hymenoptera , chrysididae and crabronidae ) by dr . strohm and colleagues and microsoft® encarta® online encyclopedia 2007 were used as resources for this bug of the week . to learn more about cuckoo wasps , please visit the following web sites .

jewel wasp stalked by zebra spider on red mason bee nest box ! . mov

females showed fairly large proportions of both . furthermore , cuckoo wasps had similar proportions of the (

the cuckoo wasps are so called because some species lay eggs in the nests of other solitary wasps and bees in a manner analogous to some cuckoos ( bird order cuculiformes ) , which lay eggs in the nests of other birds . the cuckoo wasp female places her egg in the unfinished and untended nest of another wasp or bee . the nest is later sealed by the owner after she has placed her own egg there along with food for her future larva . the cuckoo wasp larva either eats the other larva or starves it to death by devouring all the food .

in both oviposition strategies , detection of the cuckoo wasp female by the beewolf female might decrease the cuckoo wasp ' s success . first , when encountered in the nest , cuckoo wasps might be carried to the nest entrance by beewolf females and thrown out [ 27 ] . mostly , cuckoo wasps are not severely harmed due to the solidity and strong sculpturing of their cuticle and their ability to adopt a rolled - up defensive posture that protects the most vulnerable parts of the body ( legs , mouthparts , antennae [ 22 , 28 ] ) . nevertheless , the wings are rather unprotected and might be injured by a beewolf female . second , if beewolves females detect signs of the presence of cuckoo wasps they might remove bees from the nest that have possibly been parasitized [ 25 ] . thus , a cuckoo wasp should avoid detection to minimize wastage of time and investment . this means that cuckoo wasp females should avoid detection when they are encountered by a host female in the nest . however , it would probably be even more important for the cuckoo wasps not to leave any detectable traces of their presence when they had entered the nest and oviposited on a paralyzed honeybee .

cuckoo wasps get their name thanks to their parenting strategy . similar to the cuckoo bird , cuckoo wasps lay their eggs in the nests of other bees . when a cuckoo wasp larva hatches , it eats the other bee larvae and then consumes the stores of food left in the nest . because of this behavior , the cuckoo wasp is a parasite to a variety of other bee and wasp species . even the eggs of walkingsticks are not off limits . the adult cuckoo wasp may be an emerald , gold , or garnet color , and has black eyes , wings , and legs . it is tiny compared to other bees , but its dimpled , shimmering body is bright enough to attract attention . adults drink flower nectar and have very small stingers . they tend to curl up when threatened if they are unable to escape . they are active during the summer and can be found in a wide variety of habitats and natural areas , but are often seen visiting flowers .

these social wasp species earn themselves the alternate name of a ‘cuckoo wasp’ , due to their reproductive habits : the females sneak inside the nests of other hymenopteran insects such as mason bees , where an egg is laid from which larvae emerge and proceed to devour the contents of the nest .

cuckoo wasp , common name for a group of mostly small , stinging wasps . cuckoo wasps are brilliant metallic blue , green , or reddish in color . they are parasites that lay their eggs in the nests of bees , wasps , and certain other insects , which are called their hosts . there are approximately 3000 species of cuckoo wasps throughout the world , including about 230 species in the united states and canada . cuckoo wasps are also called gold wasps , ruby wasps , and jewel wasps .

we conclude that h . rutilans females closely mimic the composition of cuticular compounds of their host species p . triangulum . the occurrence of isomeric forms of certain compounds on the cuticles of the cuckoo wasps but their absence on beewolf females suggests that cuckoo wasps synthesize the cuticular compounds rather than sequester them from their host . thus , the behavioral data and the chemical analysis provide evidence that a specialized cuckoo wasp exhibits chemical mimicry of the odor of its host . this probably allows the cuckoo wasp to enter the nest with a reduced risk of being detected by olfaction and without leaving traitorous chemical traces .

three cuckoo wasps from siberian and baltic amber ( hymenoptera : chrysididae : amiseginae and elampina . . .

we observed interactions between cuckoo wasps ( h . rutilans ) and beewolf females in the field in a beewolf nest aggregation on the campus of the university of würzburg . over several years there were about 100 – 500 beewolf nests ( easily detectable due to the characteristic nest mounds ) and 50 – 500 h . rutilans females ( determined by capture - mark - recapture methods [ 55 ] , e . strohm , unpubl . data ) . behavioral interactions between beewolf females and cuckoo wasps at 24 focal nests ( located on an area of about 10 × 5 m ) were recorded for a total of 54 hours . we observed whether beewolf females showed any signs of disturbance or agonistic behavior when a cuckoo wasp was present in the vicinity of their nests . we recorded the following behaviors of cuckoo wasps and beewolf females : 1 . landing of h . rutilans on nest mound . 2 . time it stayed on nest mound ( for stays > 4 sec . ) . 3 . whether the nest was open or closed . 4 . whether the cuckoo wasp entered the nest . 5 . the time the cuckoo wasp stayed in the nest and whether the nest owner was at home or not . 6 . behavior of the cuckoo wasp during its stay outside the nest ( running , sitting hiding , no exact durations were recorded ) . 7 . whether the cuckoo wasp tried to oviposit on a bee when a female returned with prey . 8 . whether and how a female responded to the presence of a cuckoo wasp when returning with prey .

california cuckoo wasps in the family chrysididae ( hymenoptera ) lynn s . kimsey . 2006 . uc press .

the bright , metallic shades of cuckoo wasps make these little jewels easy to spot despite their small stature .

the adult cuckoo wasp ' s back is well armored and with abdomen concave beneath . when disturbed , it curl up into a ball . this is a defense behavior against the attack by angry nest host .

this page contains pictures and information about the cuckoo wasps that we found in the brisbane area , queensland , australia .

these are the cuckoo wasps ( family chrysididae ) in the superfamily chrysidoidea , and the tiphiid wasps ( family tiphiidae ) , scoliid wasps ( family scoliidae ) , and velvet ants ( family mutillidae ) in the superfamily vespoidea . cuckoo wasp s are mostly brilliant metallic - green or - blue in colour and have intricate sculpturing on the exoskeleton . they…

learn about the tarantula hawk ( pepsis species ) , a type of large spider wasp that preys on tarantulas .

herzner g , strohm e . fighting fungi with physics : food wrapping by a solitary wasp prevents water condensation .

as the same compound for beewolves , cuckoo wasps and honeybees are most probably identical since their mass spectra and the retention times are identical . thus , the comparison between beewolf females and cuckoo wasps is not confounded by the incompletely identified alkenes .

cuckoo wasps are only seen occasionally due to their small size and secretive habits . however , in open , sunny habitats they are often abundant on flowers and small shrubs , where they feed on nectar . cuckoo wasps often lurk near the burrows of their hosts , waiting for an opportunity to sneak in and lay an egg . they have a thick , hard cuticle ( outer covering ) that is covered with pits . the cuticle provides protection from stings and strong biting mandibles of host insects , which may attack the cuckoo wasp . in addition , the underside of the abdomen is concave and allows the wasp to roll up into a protective ball , another defensive mechanism . although cuckoo wasps sting , their stinger is very small .

all cuckoo wasps are solitary ( nonsocial ) , external parasites , mostly of full - grown bee or wasp larvae . species of the genus cleptes are parasitic on sawfly larvae ; those of mesitiopterus are parasitic on the eggs of the walkingstick .

tsuneki k . , 1957 - ecological problems centering around the microdistribution of the cuckoo wasp populations . appendix : key to the japanese species of the holonychinae . the insect ecology , 6 ( 14 ) : 11 - 23 . [ in japanese ]

in observation cages in the laboratory , h . rutilans females ( n = 7 ) were observed to enter beewolf nests ( n = 6 beewolf nests ) and oviposit on the couched bees ( n = 4 ) . although in five cases the beewolf female entered the nest while a cuckoo wasp was present and came close to ( less than 2 cm , n = 5 ) or even passed ( n = 3 ) the cuckoo wasp in the burrow , the host female did not show any signs of detection of the brood parasitoid or disturbance . notably , the cuckoo wasp either ran to a distant part of the nest when a beewolf female approached or it remained motionless at the periphery of the nest burrow until the female had passed .

parasitoids feed on the larva of the host and cleptoparasites " steal " the host ' s food . the food - stealing behavior of cleptoparasite species resembles that of the cuckoo bird and gave rise to the cuckoo wasp ' s name . hosts of parasitoid species include bees , sphecid wasps , potter wasps , sawflies , silk moths , and the eggs of stick insects . cleptoparasitic species feed on provisions of sphecid wasp nests , which may include dead spiders , true bugs , aphids , or thrips .

cuckoo wasps can be divided into two chief types based on their lifestyles : parasitoids and cleptoparasites . parasitoids feed on the larva of the host and cleptoparasites " steal " the host ' s food . in both cases the host larva dies . the food - stealing behavior of cleptoparasite species resembles that of the cuckoo bird and gave rise to the cuckoo wasp ' s name . hosts of parasitoid species include bees , sphecid wasps , potter wasps , sawflies , silk moths , and the eggs of stick insects . cleptoparasitic species feed on provisions of sphecid wasp nests , which may include dead spiders , true bugs , aphids , or thrips .

trexler j . c . , 1984 - aggregation and homing in a chrysidid wasp . oikos , 43 : 133 - 137 .

tsuneki k . , 1946 - how to collect the cuckoo wasps . seibutsu , 1 ( 3 ) : 189 . [ in japanese ]

tsuneki k . , 1957 - microdistribution of the cuckoo wasps population . annotationes zoologicae japonenses , 30 ( 2 ) : 86 - 90 .

most cuckoo wasps ( chrysididae ) lay their eggs in the nests of solitary wasps or bees . among the exceptions is an african species that is parasitic on the tsetse fly . tiphiidae and scoliidae are mostly parasites of beetle grubs that live in the soil . the female wasp digs into the soil to locate the grub , stings and paralyzes it , and deposits an egg on it . the wasp larva lives on the outside of the grub .

tano t . , 1969 - wasp collecting journey to the yaéyama group , the ryukyus . life study ( fukui ) , 13 : 72 - 79 .

strohm e , herzner g , goettler w . a " social " gland in a solitary wasp ? the postpharyngeal gland of female european beewolves ( hymenoptera , crabronidae )

theunert r . , 1997 - eine goldwespe als brutschmarotzer einer wegwespe ( insecta : hymenoptera ) . [ a chrysidid wasp as a brood parasite of a pompilid wasp ( insecta : hymenoptera ) . ] . mitteilungen des internationalen entomologischen vereins e . v . frankfurt a . m . , 22 ( 1 - 2 ) : 9 - 10 .

the wasp in the above photos was collected by our friend ben inside his house in brisbane during mid summer . we set it free after we took those photos . please check this

most species are external parasites of wasp and bee larvae ; one subfamily ( cleptinae , one genus , cleptes ) attacks sawfly larvae , another subfamily ( amiseginae ) the eggs of walkingsticks .

the uc davis results also provide a new perspective on lower cretaceous fossil cariridris bipetiolata , originally claimed to be the oldest fossil ant . scientists later reinterpreted it to be a spheciform wasp .

shown above is a beetle grub being fed upon by the larva of a tiphiid wasp . the tiphiid larvae is the smaller insect in the picture . ( r . bessin , 2000 )

] ) . cuckoo wasps also show relatively large amounts of the unsaturated c25 : 1 and c27 : 1 . in contrast to beewolves where individuals had only large proportions of one of these unsaturated compounds ,

in a recognition bioassay in observation cages , beewolf females responded significantly less frequently to filter paper discs treated with a cuticular extract from h . rutilans females , than to filter paper discs treated with an extract from another cuckoo wasp species ( chrysis viridula ) . the behavior to paper discs treated with a cuticular extract from h . rutilans females did not differ significantly from the behavior towards filter paper discs treated with the solvent only .

because their hosts possess stings and biting mandibles , cuckoo wasps have evolved some defences , namely a thick integument and an ability to roll their body into a ball with their legs tucked in . these adaptations account for cuckoo wasps’ distinctive form : the thorax often having cavities for the reception of legs and the abdomen being flat or hollow on the underside and covered above with three convex plates , the third plate commonly bearing teeth on its hind margin .

the scientists discovered that the ancestral aculeate wasp was likely an ectoparasitoid , which attacks and paralyzes a host insect and leaves its offspring nearby where they can attach to the outside of the host and feed from it .

tarbinsky yu . s . , 2000 - the gold wasp of the genus brugmoia ( hymenoptera , chrysididae ) of the tien - shan and adjacent territories . vestnik zoologii , 34 ( 3 ) : 23 - 27 .

as the name ‘cuckoo wasps’ suggests , females lay their eggs in the nests of other insects . among the most common hosts for cuckoo wasps are the various mud - daubing wasps that build their nests around houses , sheds and other human constructions . this accounts for many finds , people either noticing the brightly coloured wasps hovering about walls as they search for a host nest , or finding them after they’ve entered a building and got trapped on the inside of a window pane .

togashi i . , 1993 - hymenopterous insects settling in cottage with a thatched roof in shiramine , ishikawa prefecture ( part 3 ) . eumenid and cuckoo wasps . bull . biogeogr . soc . japan 48 ( 1 ) : 59 - 63

| it ' s a ruby - tailed wasp . ruby - tailed wasps belong to the order hymenoptera , that includes sawflies , bees and wasps . here in the u . k . we have a number of . . .

the map below showcases ( in red ) the states and territories of north america where the cuckoo wasp may be found ( but is not limited to ) . this sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species ' given lifespan . some species are naturally confined by environment , weather , mating habits , food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most , or all , of north america .

pelecinid wasp photo courtesy usda . other photos courtesy r . bessin , k . seltmann , and b . newton , university of kentucky the kentucky critter files are maintained by blake newton , department of entomology , university of kentucky . contact : blaken @ urltoken

cuckoo wasps belong to one subdivision ( the tribe chrysidini ) of the world - wide family chrysididae . all members of this family are parasitic on other insects . other than the iridescent chrysidini , though , members of this family are small , dullcoloured insects unlikely to come to one’s attention .

field observations suggest that cuckoo wasps are attacked by beewolves in front of their nest , most probably after being recognized visually . in contrast , beewolves seem not to detect signs of the presence of these parasitoids neither when these had visited the nest nor when directly encountered in the dark nest burrow .

wasp , any member of a group of insects in the order hymenoptera , suborder apocrita , some of which are stinging . wasps are distinguished from the ants and bees of apocrita by various behavioral and physical characteristics , particularly their possession of a slender , smooth body and legs with…

there are hundreds of species of narrow - waisted solitary wasps that live in kentucky . most of them are ant - like in appearance , with narrow waists and thread - like antennae . all solitary wasps have 4 membranous wings except for a few types , such as velvet ants , which do not have any wings . the best way to distinguish a solitary wasp from a social , hive - dwelling wasp is to observe behavior : hive wasps will stay close to their hive and return to it often during their routine ; solitary wasps may have a small burrow or nest that they return to , but it will be much smaller than the hive of a social wasp . in addition , you will rarely see solitary wasps interacting with other wasps , while hive - dwelling wasps will often communicate with one another , often by touching antennae or legs .

spider wasp s ( pompilidae ) usually build nests in rotten wood or in rock crevices and provision them with spiders . the potter , or mason , wasps ( subfamily eumeninae ) of the vespidae build nests of mud , which are sometimes vaselike or juglike and may be found attached to twigs…

like all wasps , solitary wasps have complete metamorphosis with egg , larva , pupa , and adult stages . many large narrow - waisted solitary wasps ( such as mud - daubers , cicada killers , and potter wasps ) build small nests or burrows in which they lay eggs . within this burrow , the wasp encloses an insect or spider that has been stung and paralyzed . when the wasp eggs hatch , the tiny wasp larvae feed on the paralyzed prey items , and receive no further care from the mother . small internally - parasitic wasps , such as ichneumon and braconid wasps , do not build nests or burrows . instead , they hunt for insects , insect larvae , or insect eggs and lay their own eggs inside . when the larvae hatch , they feed and grow inside the host . most solitary wasps are active in summer and fall and overwinter as eggs or pupae .

tarbinsky yu . s . , 1999 - a key and a characteristic of the golden wasp species groups of the genus chrysis l . ( hymenoptera , chrysididae ) from tien shan and adjacent territories . news of the national academy of sciences of kyrghyz republic - 1999 ( 2 ) : 50 - 57 .

although most hymenoptera have wings , there are a few exceptions . the 2mm ichnuemon wasp pictured below is completely wingless . winglessness occurs in at least one species of most of the hymenopteran families , showing biologists that it is fairly common for a group of insects to evolve from winged to wingless over time .

construct cells of mud under bark or among stones . some species construct the nest before capturing the spider ; others capture the spider first , then set it aside until the nest is completed . a single spider and a single egg are placed in the nest . the spider , alive but paralyzed , is eaten by the wasp

among the most exquisite wasps to be found in australia are the cuckoo wasps ( or emerald wasps ) which are almost wholly bright iridescent green , blue or purple . the body surface is deeply and densely pitted , imparting a glittery appearance . some northern hemisphere species have gold or reddish tints and are termed ‘gold wasps’ and ‘ruby wasps’ , respectively .

tarbinsky yu . s . , 2000 - осы - блестянки рода chrysis [ gr . ignita ] ( hymenoptera , chrysididae ) тянь - шаня и сопредельных территорий . [ the golden wasp genus chrysis [ gr . ignita ] ( hymenoptera , chrysididae in tien - shan and adjacent territories ] . tethys entomological research ( almaty , kazakhstan ) ] , 2 : 193 - 204 .

] . some components could not be identified and for some alkenes the position of the double bond and its configuration could not be determined due to the small amounts on the cuticles . however , neither of the unidentified components occurs on beewolf females and cuckoo wasps . thus , they do not confound the similarity between these two groups that are most important to our question . the alkenes listed in one line in table

solitary wasps and parasitic wasps are an important component in a variety of ecosystems : almost all solitary wasp species provide insects or spiders to their larvae , either by laying their eggs in burrows provisioned with prey or by laying their eggs inside insect hosts . most species are very specific about the types of prey that they hunt . mud - daubers , for instance , pack their mud tubes with spiders . wasp species that are internal parasites will usually lay their eggs in only one or two insect species and are specific about which stage in the life - cycle that they attack : some species attack only larvae , some attack only eggs , some attack only adult insects or pupae . most adult solitary wasps feed on nectar . solitary wasps are found in most kentucky habitats , from farms and lawns to forests and stream sides .

spiders captured and paralyzed by the sting of the spider wasp are fed to the young . ( certain wasps other than pompilids also capture spiders for this purpose . ) adult spider wasps are commonly found on flowers and either on the ground or hovering above it in search of prey . the nest , or cell , is made in soil , on rotten wood , or among rocks . species of the north american genus

this dazzling gem of an insect conjures up the image of an exotic species , perhaps living in the depths of some tropical forest far away from the monotone shores of the uk . however , the ruby - tailed wasp is actually a relatively common species in this country : it can be found on warm sunny days from april to august in many back gardens , particularly around stone walls , piles of wood or on waste ground .

we hypothesized that cuckoo wasps either mimic the chemistry of their beewolf host or their host ' s prey . we tested this hypothesis using gc - ms analyses of the cuticles of male and female beewolves , cuckoo wasps , and honeybee workers . cuticle extracts of hedychrum nobile ( hymenoptera : chrysididae ) and cerceris arenaria ( hymenoptera : crabronidae ) were used as outgroups . there was little congruence with regard to cuticular compounds between h . rutilans females and honeybees as well as females of c . arenaria and h . nobile . however , there was a considerable similarity between beewolf females and h . rutilans females . beewolf females show a striking dimorphism regarding their cuticular hydrocarbons with one morph having ( z ) - 9 - c25 : 1 and the other morph having ( z ) - 9 - c27 : 1 as the major component . h . rutilans females were more similar to the morph having ( z ) - 9 - c27 : 1 as the main component .

larvae of cuckoo wasps develop at the expense of the host’s offspring , feeding either on the fully developed host larvae or on the stored food in the host nest ( usually paralysed caterpillars or spiders ) . either way , the host’s larvae die so , strictly speaking , chrysidines are not true parasites . they are more correctly termed ‘parasitoids’ when they feed on and kill the host larvae or ‘cleptoparasites’ ( “clepto“ deriving from a greek word meaning ‘thief’ ) when they feed on the host’s provisions .

tiphiid wasps family : tiphiidae tiphiids are shiny black wasps that are similar in size ( 1 3 / 4 " long ) , shape , and behavior to scoliid wasps . like scoliids , tiphiid wasp females hunt in soil for beetle grubs on which they place single eggs . because they kill turf - damaging beetle grubs , some tiphiid wasps species are considered beneficial . you can see a picture of a tiphiid larva feeding on a beetle grub in the life cycle section above .

sphecid wasps family : sphecidae there are many species of sphecid wasps in kentucky . most are shiny black or metallic blue , some with bright red , yellow , or orange markings . the most common sphecid wasps are in the subfamily sphecinae and are called " thread - waisted wasps . " these sphecids have a long , narrow , antlike appearance . most thread - waisted wasps build their nests underground . some sphecids , often called " mud - daubers , " make mud nests for their larvae which they attach to the sides of rocks and buildings . the cicada killer wasp ( sphecius specious ) is also a type of sphecid wasp . at 1 1 / 2 , " cicada killers are the largest wasps found in kentucky . they are commonly seen in late summer as they hunt for cicadas which they use to provision their eggs in underground burrows . like many sphecid wasps , cicada killers are able to sting people , but they will not do so unless provoked .

hymenoptera , even those equipped with a sting , are sought as food by other animals . skunks , badgers , field mice , shrews , and other animals attack bee nests for the insects as well as for the honey . the larvae of the wax month ( galleria mellonella ) live in bee nests , where they eat beeswax , thus damaging the nest . the cuckoo bee ( anthophorinae ) , a close relative of the bumblebee , lays its eggs in bumblebee nests , where the larvae are cared for and nourished by bumblebee workers .

these large wasps are called spider wasps because their young feed on paralyzed spiders . they generally are black or brown but some are brightly colored or metallic . spider wasps are common and are often observed searching for spiders on lawns . others can be seen moving quickly along the trunks of fallen trees , flitting their wings . like other stinging wasps ( including hive wasps , bees , and cuckoo wasps ) , female spider wasps have their egg laying device modified into an effective ( and sometimes painful ) stinger . common kentucky spider wasps are about 1 " long .

female cuckoo wasps are widely believed to be unable to sting , the sting apparatus being reduced and supposedly non - functional , yet cases are known where people have received painful stings from larger species . a long , thin appendage may sometimes be seen extending from the tip of the female abdomen . this is not a ‘stinger’ but an ovipositor used for inserting eggs into a nest of a host . observations of oviposition are few but one author noted that a female of stilbum cyanurum wet the mud wall of a host nest , softening it , then inserted its ovipositor to deposit an egg .

according to kimsey & bohart ( 1990 ) , four genera of cuckoo wasps occur in australia . stilbum includes just one species , s . cyanurum , which is the largest and most impressive of all . it is distinguished by having a strong , concave , median projection on the rear of the thorax and four downward pointing teeth on each side of the thorax . it breeds in the nests of mud - dauber wasps ( delta and sceliphron ) which are commonly found on the walls of buildings . it may also parasitize the nests of some megachilid bees . this species is found throughout australia and much of the eastern hemisphere . its size varies markedly .

velvet ants family : mutillidae velvet ants are large ( 1 " long ) wasps in the family mutillidae . although they are wasps , they are called ants because the females do not have wings . male velvet wasps usually have shiny black wings . velvet ants are covered in dense hair , and most species are bright red or orange with black markings , although some species are metallic green . common velvet ant females place their eggs in the larval and pupal chambers of bee and wasp nests . large velvet ants have very long stingers and are sometimes called " cow killers , " but they will only sting if grabbed or if stepped on with bare feet .

there are two evolutionary options for h . rutilans femalesto avoid olfactory detection by beewolves . first , cuckoo wasps could mimic the odor of the honeybees that are temporarily couched in the main burrow . second , h . rutilans females might mimic their beewolf host . we consider the imitation of the cuticular compounds of the beewolf host the better alternative , since the host ' s hydrocarbon profile can be found all over the nest walls due to the digging activity ( kroiss and strohm unpubl . data ) and also on the honeybees . this is because in order to prevent the paralyzed bees from molding they are treated by the beewolf females with a secretion from the postpharyngeal gland that is identical to the beewolves ' cuticular hydrocarbons [ 29 - 31 ] .

h . rutilans might employ a combination of strategies to evade detection . if encountered in the nest , they run away or remain motionless . they possibly leave only very small amounts of decisive and traitorous substances in the nest . most notably , the composition of their cuticular hydrocarbons is very similar to that of their host . thus , h . rutilans females seem to be able to avoid detection when directly encountered by a beewolf female in the nest . much more important , however , is the reduction of the conspicuousness of scent marks left in the nest burrow or on the bee during oviposition . this is to our knowledge the first reported evidence for chemical mimicry ( sensu [ 19 ] ) in a parasitoid of a solitary wasp .

flowering plants bring more than beauty to a garden . many beneficial insects , the kind that help reduce pests on our plants , depend on nectar and pollen to provide nutrients necessary for life . we met some of these characters in previous episodes of bug of the week such as the parasitic ichneumon wasp ( need link to april 7 , 2008 ) , the lovely green lacewing ( link to april 10 , 2006 ) , and the flower flies ( link to may 8 , 2006 ) . a constant array of flowering plants in a landscape may help make it more sustainable . a favorite flowering perennial in my landscape is yarrow . this showy member of the aster family has many medicinal uses in addition to being an excellent attractor of pollinators and pest - eating beneficial insects .

during warm months , solitary wasps are commonly found in lawns , gardens , field crops , woodlands , and weedy fence rows . most species fly slowly as they search for prey or visit flowers for nectar . although solitary wasps are less likely to sting than hive - dwelling wasps , some ( like sphecid wasps ) will sting when captured , so it is best to capture them with an insect net and immediately place them in a sturdy container . although solitary wasps usually fly slowly , they are almost always on the move , so it can be difficult to get a good picture . the best technique is to keep your camera focused on a flower that is being visited by lots of insects - within a few minutes , a wasp will probably visit , and you can snap a picture .

in order to assess whether beewolf females respond to the presence of h . rutilans females at all we observed the behavioral interactions outside of the nest . to test whether h . rutilans females employ chemical camouflage inside the nest we conducted to sets of behavioral experiments . first , in observation cages we recorded the interaction of the cuckoo wasps with beewolf females inside the nest burrow . second , we conducted a recognition bioassay by assessing the response of beewolf females towards filter discs treated with different extracts : solvent only , cuticular extracts of another chrysidid , chrysis viridula , and cuticular extracts of h . rutilans . we predicted that beewolf females should ignore the discs treated with solvent only ( negative control ) , they should respond to the discs treated with c . viridula extract ( positive control ) and they should not ( or only weakly ) respond to h . rutilans extracts .

a priori , chemical camouflage and mimicry seem unlikely to evolve in a chrysidid wasp that attacks a solitary host . chemical camouflage , i . e . the acquisition of mimetic compounds from a solitary host by a parasitic species , might be problematic since , in contrast to parasites of social hosts , there is little opportunity to sequester cloaking chemicals . social host species possess large nests and a large number of colony members that might serve as sources for the relevant compounds . brood parasites of solitary brood caring hymenoptera have rarely been studied in detail [ 53 ] . the only example of chemical camouflage in a brood parasite of a solitary species comes from nomada bees . in some species of this genus , females have been reported to acquire mimetic odors by being perfumed by males during mating . females of these species seemed not to elicit aggressive responses when encountered by host females of the genus andrena [ 2 ] . chemical cloaking in chrysidid wasps has not yet been reported .

beewolf females often attacked and evicted h . rutilans when they encountered them in front of their nest . this seems to be the rule for interactions between hosts and chrysidids although linsenmaier [ 37 ] reported that there are also cases where chrysidids do not elicit antagonistic behavior by their hosts . prolonged stays at hosts ' nests as observed in h . rutilans , have also been reported for other chrysidids [ 22 , 37 , 38 ] . staying in vicinity of the host nest might allow the chrysidids to adjust the timing of oviposition to the most suitable stage of the provisioning cycle or to enter the nest in the absence of the host female . that h . rutilans females placed themselves under some cover ( e . g . leaves ) during prolonged stays might , besides the reduction of water loss , represent an attempt to hide themselves from the host females . other chrysidid species also seem to hide near the entrance of a host nest and inspect the nest or brood cell after the host female has deposited provisions and departed for a new foraging flight [ 37 ] . this suggests that , similar to beewolves , most host species might recognize cuckoo wasps visually outside the nest . since most chrysidids are brightly colored ( see e . g . drawings in [ 37 ] ) this is not surprising .

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with some exceptions , chrysidids are generally colored and their structural coloration is due to light interference , and it varies with the viewing angle .

many species are characterized by colors with metallic glares , green , blue , copper , gold , etc . , and some colorations seem to be typical of precise geographic regions .

the lo boscelidiini and the allocoeliini lack any metallic coloration ; their colors are brown , black , reddish and , in the some cases , white .

the amisegini are generally from brown to black , with little metallic glares from green to blue on face and thorax ; the abdomen is generally non - metallic ( metallic in duckeia ) .

the coloration of the cleptini is very variable . some species are completely non - metallic black . cleptes species are generally metallic on head and thorax , the abdomen being non - metallic . typical of almost all the european cleptes is the metallic color of the head and of the thorax ( mainly red in females and green - blue in males ) , with a non - or not completely metallic abdomen .

the chrysidini and the elampini are always colored with metallic colors . in europe the commonest colors are the green - blue on head and thorax , with a copper or golden abdomen . the species of southern spain , n africa and middle east tend to be completely copper - or brass - colored . in tropical asia we observe the diffusion of a pattern with green body and a copper - colored spot on both sides of the second abdominal tergite in species belonging to even distant genera ( the reason is unknown ) , while in the philippines chrysidids are purple with a red - shining head . some hedychridium show a reddish non - metallic abdomen .

in parnopes a clean chromatic distinction based on the geographic distribution is observed . the african and american species tend to be colored of uniform blue , green , purple . in the palearctic species , instead , the abdomen is often different from the rest of the body and generally non - metallic .

white colorations are generally reduced to spots and stripes on mandibles , antennal articles , tegulae , legs , abdominal tergites ; in the species of the loboscelidiini and the elampini they are not observed .

from : kimsey l . s . & bohart r . m . , 1991 - the chrysidid wasps of the world . oxford university press , ix - 652 .

color can be altered from the chemicals used in order to kill , to preserve or to rehydrate specimens .

color has a diagnostic value in many cases , but not always , because each species shows a variability both chromatic and morphologic .

for citation purposes agnoli g . l . & rosa p . , urltoken website , interim version 16 - may - 2012 , url : urltoken

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upcoming events 2018 bugguide gathering in virginia july 27 - 29 : registration and discussion photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in wisconsin , july 10 - 12 photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in virginia , june 4 - 7 . photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in arizona , july 25 - 28 photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in alabama photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in iowa photos from the 2010 workshop in grinnell , iowa photos from the 2009 gathering in washington

in our area , 4 subfamilies with 227 spp . in ~ 30 genera ( most diverse in the west , with 166 spp . in ca alone

) . worldwide , 5 subfamilies with > 3000 described ( ~ 4 , 000 estimated ) spp . in > 80 genera

some species are parasitoids and others cleptoparasites . either way the host larva dies .

the female sting has been modified into an egg - laying tube with highly reduced valvulae and poison gland . as a result , unlike most other aculeates , chrysidids cannot sting and can be easily handled .

a synopsis of the chrysididae in america north of mexico bohart r . m . , kimsey l . s . 1982 . memoirs of the american entomological institute 33 : 1 - 266 .

the chrysidid wasps of the world kimsey l . s . , bohart r . m . 1990 . oxford university press . 652 pp .

agnoli g . l . , rosa p . ( 2012 ) database of chrysididae ( chrysis . net website , interim version 10 - apr - 2012 )

american insects : a handbook of the insects of america north of mexico ross h . arnett . 2000 . crc press .

photographic atlas of entomology and guide to insect identification james l . castner . 2000 . feline press .

disclaimer : dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service . we strive to provide accurate information , but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world . if you need expert professional advice , contact your local extension office .

contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content . click the contributor ' s name for licensing and usage information . everything else copyright © 2003 - 2018 iowa state university , unless otherwise noted .

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do you like this article ? support our project , so we could place more interesting information here ! click here for details .

antennae : ants and bees both have a pair of antennae on the head that senses their surroundings .

head : the head contains the insect ' s compound eyes , antennae , and mandibles .

abdomen : contains various organs including the heart , gut , venom glands , and anus .

legs : ants and bees have three pairs of legs attached to the thorax ( center - body section ) .

note : ants , bees and wasps are part of the hymenoptera order because they share many similarities .

an insect ' s reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas , regions and / or states beyond those listed below as they are driven by environmental factors ( such as climate change ) , available food supplies and mating patterns . grayed - out selections below indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory . u . s . states and canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings .

site disclaimer | privacy policy | cookies | site map urltoken • content ©2005 - urltoken • all rights reserved • site contact email : insectidentification at gmail . com . the urltoken logo is unique to this website and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws . written content , illustrations and photography is unique to this website ( unless where indicated ) and not for reuse in any form . material presented throughout this website is for entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for scientific research or medical advice ( regarding bites , etc . . . ) . please consult licensed , degreed professionals for such information . by submitting images to us ( urltoken ) you acknowledge that you have read and understood our site disclaimer as it pertains to " user - submitted content " . when emailing please include your location and the general estimated size of the specimen in question if possible .

csiro , division of entomology , melbourne university press , 2nd edition 1991 , pp 973 .

- by paul zborowski and ross storey , reed new holland , 1996 , p187 .

an insider look into the things we find most interesting about the fascinating world of bugs .

a method of defense used by some bugs and insects is the ability to create and distribute toxins to hunt prey or to fend off would - be predators . we often describe these organisms as venomous and poisonous interchangeably , but do these terms mean the same thing ? let’s find out in this month’s fact or fake .

respondents to a 2014 orkin survey said that bed bugs are one of their most feared pests . and for good reason – two in three pest control professionals say bed bug infestations are still on the rise , according to a …

if you were stung by a bee during your outdoor activities , how would you rank the pain ? on a scale of one to ten ? from bearable to extremely bad ? no matter how you classify the feeling , everyone’s experience will be different . and while the concept of pain and discomfort is subjective , the schmidt pain index categories the worst of the worst in insect stings for easy comparison .


the west african mud turtle ( west african side-necked turtle , swamp terrapin ) ( pelusios castaneus ) is a species of turtle in the pelomedusidae family .

pelusios castaneus is a freshwater species and is endemic to west and central africa .

west african mud turtle

west african mud turtle <EOT> the west african mud turtle has an endearing expression due to its “smile . ”

keeping west african mud turtles outdoors provides an opportunity to create some beautiful outdoor habitats .

there are currently no recognized subspecies of african sideneck turtle . they are very similar to the african helmeted turtle , however , and the names are frequently interchanged . another common name they are known by is west african mud turtle

it is indeed a west - african brown mud turtle ( pelusios castaneus ) . if you need more info about him : urltoken

the west african mud turtle pelusios castaneus acquired an “extinct doppelganger” from the seychelles due to a scientific error . credit : mark - oliver rödel

west african mud turtle are medium to large , females can reach a size of 29cm , males are generally smaller . they spend most of their time within weedy waters of west africa .

a medium sized species , the west african mud turtle grows to between 7 and 11 inches . some individuals may make it up to 12 inches .

during the dry season , many of these habitats may dry out and the west african mud turtle is forced to aestivate buried in the mud or in the sand in order to escape the harsh conditions .

like the helmeted turtle , the african mud turtle is often seen in water holes frequented by zebra , elephants and other large mammals .

the african mud turtle is placed in the family pelomedusidae , along with 26 relatives ; 2 subspecies have been described . it is sometimes confused with the superficially similar ( and equally hardy ) west african mud turtle ( pelosius castaneus ) and the african helmeted turtle ( pelomedusa subrufa ) ; please see photos . all may be kept as described here .

in the pet trade , but p . subniger —the east african mud turtle—is a different species that is rare in captivity .

pelusios castaneus have remained easily obtainable and fairly inexpensive for the turtle keeper . they are exported in large numbers out of their native africa and many enthusiasts are now having breeding success . in recent years , the african helmeted turtle appears to be the more commonly offered species to the general public . the west african mud turtle follows behind it with the east african mud turtle being virtually unknown in most collections .

this group of turtles are known as the african side - necked turtles or the east african serrated mud turtles . they are classified in the genus

for the sake of this piece we’ll mainly cover inside housing requirements . there are only a few things that west african mud turtles / sidenecks require to live happily :

guided by our partners from african aquatic conservation fund , you will gain unique insight into biology and conservation in west africa .

zoo med’s turtle tub , wading pools , and koi ponds can be fashioned into excellent african mud turtle habitats . outdoor housing is ideal , assuming that raccoons and other predators can be excluded .

due to its environmental requirements , moderate size , and long lifespan west african mud turtles / sideneck turtles are best left to intermediate and advanced turtle keepers . that said , they are hardy turtles and can withstand periods of deprivation .

the west african mud turtle is a medium sized , aquatic turtle found throughout west africa . highly adaptable , they occur in many fresh water habitats such as mud holes , swamps , rivers and ponds . during droughts and when seasonal spaces dry up , the turtles will aestivate into the ground to wait out the wet season . they are usually found in large numbers basking along muddy banks and are ravenous feeders .

, the west african mud turtle , and then later split it out as a subspecies . more recent analysis ( in 1983 ) , though , put it into its own species , and therein may lie some confusion . most specimens of "

west african mud turtles are quite common in nature and first appeared some 120 million years ago making them one of the most primitive turtle species on earth today . they have withstood the test of time making them expert survivalists in a harsh world .

is a west african species , distributed from guinea and senegal to the central african republic and northwestern angola . it also occurs on the são tomé islands and was introduced to guadeloupe , lesser antilles

the above two photos are evidence that captive - bred west african mud turtles can exhibit an attractive lighter coloration than their wild - caught counterparts . the lighter coloration of the smaller , captive - bred turtle may remain , or it may turn darker , depending on the turtle’s exposure to natural sunlight .

the west african mud turtle may not be littered with vibrant spots or stripes , and its general coloration doesn’t scream at you , but this compact and robust turtle is a lot of fun to work with . it’s an excellent candidate for a backyard waterscape , and isn’t fussy when housed indoors , either .

mccord , w . p . , joseph - ouni , m . & bour , r . 2004 . chelonian illustrations # 15 : madagascan big - headed , african helmeted , and west african mud turtles . reptilia ( gb ) ( 35 ) : 63 - 67 - get paper here

when provided with the proper environment and diet , your african sideneck turtle will give you years of companionship .

african mud turtles are best kept in bare - bottomed aquariums ; gravel traps waste material , greatly complicating cleaning , and may also be swallowed .

the central african mud turtle belongs the family of turtles called afro - american side - necked turtles . indeed , as this turtle pulls its head into its shell , it turns the head sideways , and then the lower shell ( the

in the wild , african side - necked turtles or african mud turtles are found in a variety of habitats from rivers and shallow pools to large lakes . in captivity most can be kept in relatively simple enclosures .

tomas diagne is an african turtle specialist who has been working to save threatened and endangered turtle species throughout west africa for the past 22 years . he co - founded and built the village des tortues in rufisque , senegal , and in 2009 he began building the african chelonian institute in order to expand turtle research , captive breeding , re - introduction to the wild , conservation and education to all african species . tomas is also a co - founder of the african aquatic conservation fund .

for a group of adult west african mud turtles , an area of 6 feet by 3 feet that can hold between 125 and 175 gallons of water will suffice . for single turtles , a 40 - gallon glass aquarium will suffice as well .

the so - called seychelles black terrapin , seychelles mud turtle , or seychelles terrapin was considered a species of turtle ( pelusios seychellensis ) in the pelomedusidae family , endemic to seychelles .

haislip , nathan . 2014 . cuora complex construction at the turtle survival alliance turtle survival center .

just a turtle ? this is a central african mud turtle , which was captured here along the banks of the ubange river . the species is not well studied and , in fact , these may be some of the first photos in its native environment .

like other cold - blooded creatures it’s important to provide the proper lighting , heating , and dietary requirements . otherwise , african sideneck turtles are extremely hardy creatures . that being said , it’s a wise idea to have a reptile veterinarian on hand before you even bring your pet turtle home . if you suspect your west african mud turtle to be suffering from any ailments , contact your reptile vet as soon as you can .

while no turtle likes to be picked and held , the west african mud turtle has a rather calm disposition . they rarely bite and usually withdraw into their shells if they are being handled . some will attempt to free themselves so watch out for those sharp nails . we only handle our turtles during water changes and for health inspections to help minimize any stress .

forero - medina , german ; and moreno , luis eladio renteria . 2007 . distribution and conservation status of the endemic mud turtle kinosternon dunni in colombia .

largely aquatic , the african mud turtle lives in well - vegetated rivers , marshes and swamps , as well as in seasonally flooded pans ( low areas that hold water for a time ) within savannas . individuals occupying temporary water bodies burrow into the mud and aestivate ( become dormant ) or travel across land when their habitats dry out .

conservation international : : tortoise & freshwater turtle specialist group : : turtle survival alliance : : turtle conservancy : : chelonian research foundation : : european assoc . zoos & aquaria

african side - necked turtles or african mud turtles are commonly imported from africa , but captive - hatched specimens are the best pets . these can be purchased from better pet stores , from breeders at the larger reptile shows across the country , and on - line .

the genus name pelusios means “mud , ” and the west african mud turtle lives up to its name . its smooth , elliptical carapace lacks any pattern and is a uniform dark to light brown . the legs and head are a dark gray to brown with a light reticulated pattern on the top of the head . only when the turtle is viewed from the bottom does a color other than brown become more evident : a creamy yellow coloration can be seen on the soft parts beneath . the brown plastron is hinged and features some lighter areas among the brown .

the african sideneck is native to the west african countries of angola , guinea , ghana , senegal , liberia , sierra leone , and the congo . they live in rivers , lakes , and ponds during the wet season and bury themselves deep in the mud ( called estivating ) during the dry seasons . they have also been known to estivate in underground burrows when temperatures get too warm , reemerging when temperatures become suitable again .

i don’t use any substrate in any of my indoor aquatic turtle set ups simply because i prefer to keep things simple . a bare bottom is easier to clean when the water needs changing . west african mud turtles can be quite messy when feeding , and they will rapidly dirty the water . this is also why i don’t use filters ; i prefer to do frequent water changes every few days .

chirio , laurent and ivan ineich 2006 . biogeography of the reptiles of the central african republic . african journal of herpetology 55 ( 1 ) : 23 - 59 . - get paper here

joseph - ouni m . 2004 . profiles of extinction # 7 : seychelles mud turtle , pelusios seychellensis , extinct 1912 . reptilia ( gb ) ( 33 ) : 3 - get paper here

inhabits various water bodies such as streams , ponds , swamps , and lakes , from the west forest to the dry savannah . in

our unique west african adventure takes you along the coast of senegal , visiting national parks , protected areas , and private wildlife conservation breeding centers . led by our partners at the african aquatic conservation fund , this expedition offers not only excellent wildlife viewing , but also an opportunity to see and learn about conservation in senegal first - hand .

the west african mud turtle joins itself alongside some of the most primeval species of turtles having first walked the planet some 120 million years ago . today , it remains on the iucn’s list of species of “least concern , ” meaning it appears to be doing rather well in nature . perhaps it’s because of the turtle’s robustness , enabling it to escape nature’s wrath , or maybe even its drab appearance contributes to its survivability , allowing it to blend in with its environment and remain unnoticed by predators and collectors .

wild african mud turtles take a huge variety of foods , including fish , tadpoles , snails , carrion , insects , frogs and small snakes . aquatic and terrestrial plants have been reported in the diets of some populations as well .

team , ben . " the size of african aquatic sideneck turtles " accessed july 09 , 2018 . urltoken

mifsud , david a . 2013 . habitat assessment , species distribution , and threats of imperiled southern african kinixyx .

depending on your local climate , african sidenecks can be kept indoors or outside . african sideneck turtles do not hibernate seasonally , as some other species do , so they should only be kept outside when the outside temperatures are warm .

baker , patrick j . , and jacob mueti . 2014 . a habitat suitability map for the turkana mud turtle ( pelusios broadleyi ) : assessing current distribution and the impact of fluctuating lake levels on an endangered , endemic species .

lastly , if you notice little worms floating around in your turtle tank , if your turtle is unable to swim or breathe properly , or if your turtle has a lot of bubbling coming from its nose , it probably has a parasite problem .

i just got my turtle like 3 days ago and it hasnt eaten much . only ate 1 turtle pill and 2 pieces of lettuce . should i be worried ?

team , ben . " the size of african aquatic sideneck turtles . " animals - urltoken , http : / / animals . urltoken / size - african - aquatic - sideneck - turtles - 5617 . html . accessed 09 july 2018 .

) at two important turtle survival alliance sites in southern madagascar : ampotaka and antsakoamasy .

shepherd , loretta ann . 2011 . freshwater turtle and tortoise rescue centre , malaysia .

cuc phuong turtle conservation center ; douglas b . hendrie . 2004 . operational support .

team , ben . ( n . d . ) . the size of african aquatic sideneck turtles . animals - urltoken . retrieved from http : / / animals . urltoken / size - african - aquatic - sideneck - turtles - 5617 . html

another species classified as native therefore disappears from the list of seychelles species . last year , fritz and his team had already proved that another mud turtle species , pelusios subniger , was not endemic to the seychelles but had been introduced by man .

african mud turtles quickly learn to “beg” for food as soon as their owner appears , and make excellent , responsive pets . they become quite bold once acclimated to captivity , and do well in busy locations . if provided proper accommodations , captive breeding is possible ( please post below for details ) .

male mud turtles have longer , thicker tails than females , with a slightly concave plastron . females have shorter , smaller tails and flat plastrons . the large , flat head and neck are withdrawn into the carapace sideways , giving this turtle its other common name : african side - necked turtle . the jaws are arranged in a way that displays a comical smile , similar to that seen in the blanding’s turtle , and with minimal webbing , the strong limbs are equipped with sharp nails that enable these turtles to rip food items to shreds and to haul themselves onto land or floating debris .

if you’re looking for a pet that will provide you with entertainment and make an interesting display , african sidenecks are a great choice .

join us for this one - of - a kind opportunity to see iconic and rare african wildlife through the eyes of local conservationists .

day 2 : dakar & bandia game reserve in the morning visit african chelonian institute ' s turtle breeding facility to see the turtles and learn about african turtle conservation . after lunch , visit nearby bandia game reserve where we ' ll see giraffes , zebras , white rhinos , buffalo , ostriches , hyenas , two species of eland , lots of antelope & bird species , crocodiles , and two species of monkeys . return to the hotel in time for dinner .

it’s a wise idea to outfit your turtle tank with things that appear in the turtle’s native habitat . in the case of the african sideneck this includes driftwood , large flat rocks ( some of which should be used to create an above water basking spot under the uvb basking light ) , cork bark slabs , and plants .

platt , kalyar , steven g . platt and me me soe ( wildlife conservation society and turtle survival alliance ) . 2011 . technical assistance for the turtle rescue facility in lashio , myanmar .

diesmos , arvin c . 2003 . unraveling the myth of the philippine pond turtle heosemys leytensis .

reached the seychelles by natural means . this would necessitate either crossing the african continent and subsequent transoceanic dispersal to the seychelles or transoceanic dispersal over more than 10 , 000 km , from the atlantic to the indian ocean , circumventing en route the cape of good hope and madagascar . consequently , there remain two alternative possibilities : either the lectotype was mislabelled or it was transported by humans from west africa to the seychelles . owing to the considerable distance between west africa and the seychelles , the latter option seems less likely .

african side - necked turtles feed eagerly on commercial aquatic turtle food and will eat fish , crayfish , worms , and even crickets . they will also pick at aquatic plants and especially enjoy taking bite - sized pieces from the leaves of

enjoy excellent wildlife viewing with chances to see african manatees , endemic turtles and tortoises , giraffes , white rhinos , antelopes , & more .

this one of a kind journey lets you experience iconic and rare african wildlife , guided by biologists who work every day to conserve it .

diagne , tomas . 2013 . exploring the ecology and population biology of two declining turtles , cyclanorbis elegans , cyclanorbis senegalensis in west - central nigeria and south sudan ( sub - saharan africa ) .

while sidenecks don’t “climb” trees , they do have powerful claws on their feet that enable them to climb inclines . turtle - and water - safe logs and other types of wood in the aquarium are good for your turtle , but arrange them in a way that will not allow your turtle to use them to launch itself out of the tank , otherwise you may have an injured turtle on your hands .

i am looking for a young adult male florida box turtle . i live in jacksonville , fl .

yoeung sun , doug tangkor , and sean kin . 2012 . cantor’s giant softhsell turtle conservation project .

the genetic analyses have shown that this supposed seychellois species is in reality another species , pelusios castaneus , that is widespread in west africa . " the species pelusios seychellensis has therefore never existed " , adds fritz . " in fact , for a long time researchers were amazed that the supposed seychelles turtles looked so deceptively similar to the west african turtles . but due to the great geographic distance , it was thought this had to be a different species , which is why the assumed seychelles turtles were also described as a new species in 1906 . "

hatchling west african mud turtles are best maintained in a small enclosure with a water depth about 10 cm ( 4” ) . lots of plants like water lettuce and water hyacinths should be provided to give privacy to the turtles . half of a clay pot could be used to provide a place to hide under or to crawl onto . a basking area is even required as hatchlings with high temperature and uv as described above in the “temperatures” section . hatchling should be kept in warm water , ranging from 24°c to 26 - 27° c ( 75 - 80°f ) .

when given proper care , african sideneck turtles can easily live for a few decades . some reports suggest species living for more than 50 years in captivity .

african sideneck turtles that are suffering from a lack of vitamin d3 and / or calcium may display swollen eyes or limbs and open wounds on the skin .

this species is widely distributed throughout western africa . it is found from senegal to central african republic , including cameroon and gabon . it is also found in

powell , r . , and r . w . henderson . 2003 . a second set of addenda to the checklist of west indian amphibians and reptiles . herpetological review 34 ( 4 ) : 341 - 345 .

schwartz , a . , and r . w . henderson . 1991 . amphibians and reptiles of the west indies : descriptions , distributions , and natural history . university of florida press , gainesville . 720 pp .

) , a pleurodire from west africa . each pcr reaction was scored on a 1 % agarose gel as producing a single band , multiple bands , a smear or no visible product ( online resource 1 ) .

petrozzi , fabio , emmanuel hema and laurent chirio . 2016 . a combination of field surveys and extensive interview campaigns to investigate distribution and local abundance of centrochelys sulcata populations in mali , niger ( west africa ) .

petrozzi , fabio , gabriel h . segniagbeto , and luca m . luiselli . 2013 . a pilot study to investigate distribution and density of centrochelys sulcata populations in west africa : analysis of population status in burkina faso .

a report issued today , co - authored by the wildlife conservation society ( wcs ) working in conjunction with the turtle conservation coalition , lists the 25 most endangered turtle species from around the world  some of . . .

i just got a african long neck yesterday . i am worried cause he / she keeps discharging this slimmy white stuff it looks like string . i had an african long neck for 27 years before i dont remember him ever having anything like this . . any one know what this could be . . is it normal

" in the seychelles there is therefore at most one mud turtle species that could be native . and even with this species we are still uncertain whether it really is endemic " , says fritz . so far , the biologists from dresden have not been able to explore this possibility due to the incomplete sampling available , however .

minh le and tim mccormack . 2014 . a survey of the critically endangered vietnam pond turtle using environmental dna approach .

reed , renae and adam gilles . 2013 . quantifying an active population of central america’s rarest turtle , kinosternon angustipons .

zhang fang . 2010 . action plan for the conservation of the golden - headed box turtle under the community participation .

noureen , uzma ; and khan , ahmad . 2007 . freshwater turtle conservation initiative along the central indus in pakistan .

healthy west african mud turtles are impressive consumers . if you make food available to them , they will eat it—all of it . they will beg for food and accept almost anything . some fruits or greens are taken , but p . castaneus is much more inclined to strip a chicken leg or thigh of all its meat , skin and cartilage . individuals become quite enthusiastic at feeding time and will leave the water to snatch a tasty item from your hands . i prefer to use tongs when feeding them because they can be rather overwhelming to deal with as they all come barreling toward me at the site of food .

the abundance and viability status of this turtle species throughout its range in central africa is essentially unknown . four other species of

zoologists have for the first time bred a critically endangered turtle species using an artificial beach , bangladeshi specialists announced on monday .

bawa , sulemana . 2015 . current status and distribution of the nubian flapshell turtle in mole national park , northern ghana .

singh , shailendra . 2015 . conserving black - softshell turtle species , nilssonia nigricans in assam , north - east india .

minh duc le ; and pritchard , peter . 2007 . genetic variability of the critically endangered softshell turtle , rafetus swinhoei .

international center for conservation of turtles , allwetterzoo münster ; martina raffel . 2003 . conservation of critically endangered asian turtle species .

turtles are the vertebrates under the greatest threat . among the approximately 320 turtle species , the species confined to islands have been especially hard hit – humans have caused the extinction of a whole number of species . one of them – or at least it was thought so – is the seychelles mud turtle pelusios seychellensis . just three specimens were collected at the end of the 19th century ; they are still kept at the natural history museum in vienna and the zoological museum in hamburg .

african sidenecks get their nickname due to their inability to withdraw their heads fully into their shells , instead drawing their head to the side and under the upper edge of their shell .

sideneck turtles are bizarre animals that look lopsided thanks to their unusual neck anatomy . also colloquially referred to as helmeted , mud or musk turtles , sideneck turtles have not been studied extensively , nor are they kept in captivity very often . keepers searching for uncommon turtle pets should consider sideneck turtles , but be careful to choose a species that remains a manageable size .

rahman , shahriar caesar . 2015 . ecoguardian program : a model for turtle hunting mitigation in the chittagong hill tracts , bangladesh .

ibarrondo , bonggi r . 2005 . rote snake - necked turtle ( chelodina mccordi ) : the action plan for its preservation .

syed , gracia p . 2004 . population recovery program for the central american river turtle dermatemys mawi ( testudines : dermatemydidae ) .

loveridge , a . 1941 . revision of the african terrapins of the family pelomedusidae . bull . mus . comp . zool . harvard 88 : 467 - 524 . - get paper here

african sidenecks are typically dark colored , and their underbellies ( called plastrons ) are a grayish black color with a wide , poorly defined yellow area . they have olive - to - brown heads with black markings on top , and two barbels ( beard - like sensory organs ) that protrude from the lower jaw . they have lightly webbed feet with long , sharp claws , or nails . in the image below , you can see the two barbel nubs on the chin of this young african sideneck turtle .

unlike many turtle species that have more serious reptilian features , the african sideneck has a face that can be described as cute , with a mouth that is fixed into a smiling shape and big round eyes . when it pulls its head to the side to tuck under its shell , it appears to be playing coy .

) . these photos of two males compare the carapaces and plastrons of the two species , with the helmeted turtle on the right .

n box turtle ( terrapene carolina yucatana ) : a multidisciplinary collaboration at the community and landscape level , phase i proposal : 2014 .

parham , james f . ; wilson , byron s . ; parra - olea , gabriela ; and papenfuss , theodore j . 2006 . assessment of caribbean slider turtle populations : a neglected turtle fauna under threat of genetic pollution , human exploitation , and habitat destruction .

ibarrondo , bonggi . 2004 . rote snake - necked turtle ( chelodina mccordi rhodin 1994 ) : the action plan for its preservation .

luiselli , luca m . , godfrey c . akani , fabio petrozzi , and gabriel h . segniagbeto . 2014 . expanding towards west africa : conservation ecology of the critically endangered / endangered forest kinixys populations in the ‘bas - sassandra – region’ ; ivory coast .

branch , b . [ = w . r . ] 1993 . southern african snakes and other reptiles . a photographic guide . new holland ( publishers ) ltd , london . 144 pp .

in the wild , african sidenecks are omnivores , munching without discretion on insects , plants , and fish that are native to its habitat . when it comes to feeding your african sideneck , variety is the key to success . no matter how much your turtle prefers a single food type , always feed it a variety to prevent it from developing a fixation . aside from variety , don’t overfeed your turtles ! adult sidenecks should be fed as much as they will eat in a few seconds , once every second or third day .

the next time you’re in the market for a new turtle , don’t overlook this underdog . you just might end up being pleasantly surprised .

chris leone has kept and bred many turtle and tortoise species for more than 20 years . visit him at urltoken and hermannihaven . com .

new university of east anglia research into the mating habits of a critically endangered sea turtle will help conservationists understand more about its mating patterns .

rahman , shahriar caesar . 2014 . mro tortoise guardian program : a model for turtle hunting mitigation in the chittagong hill tracts , bangladesh .

syed , gracia p . 2005 . a program of phylogeography , conservation and management for the critically endangered central american river turtle dermatemys mawii .

some specimens are lighter in color , such as a dark brown and even tan , but generally the african side - necked turtles are gray to black overall with dark skin . they vary in size ,

to ensure your turtle is receiving the right amounts of nutrients , we also recommend providing a calcium block or other vitamin and mineral supplements periodically .

mccormack , tim and pham van thong . 2011 . new surveys for swinhoe’s softshell turtle in laos and conservation action at sites in northern vietnam .

baby african side - necked turtles are hardy and grow quickly . keep them in an aquarium with clean filtered water , warmth , uvb rays , and a few sturdy basking sites . they feed well on a variety of food . they relish small invertebrates , especially worms , and they quickly begin eating commercial aquatic turtle food . keep aquatic plants such as

i was at petsmart today found a res and african sideneck . the african sideneck was 36 bucks . . . i was looking at there set up and notice that there temp was freaken 71f ! ! ! i asked the lady there and she said they just got it and didn ' t have the time to adjust it yet . . . yah right ! they didn ' t even have a basking area !

turtles don ' t instill the cautious concerns that some folks have when dealing with other types of reptiles . however adult females of most species of african mud turtles get larger than most first - time pet buyers realize , with adult females reaching 9 - 12 " inches within five or six years . also , when threatened these turtles can exude a horrible musk odor . this is most often exhibited by wild caught specimens . fortunately after settling into captivity they rarely exhibit this behavior .

weigh your turtle regularly to monitor its weight . if it experiences a significant and unexplainable change in weight , dehydration or illness could be the cause .

when choosing a turtle tank , wider is always better than taller . remember , turtles don’t jump , they like to float , dive , and bask . your water level should be at least 1 . 5 times the length of your turtle ; the ideal depth is from 6 to 8 inches .

lescher , timothy c . 2012 . the distribution , movement , and conservation of the critically endangered southeast asian narrow - headed softshell turtle ( chitra chitra

platt , kalyar , me me soe and khin myo myo ( turtle survival alliance and wildlife conservation society ) . 2011 . population assessment of batagur baska

i have an african sideneck and i changed the water last night . everything was good i feed him but left the light on late this morning when i woke up , i woke up to find him dead .

luiselli , luca . 2004 . a mega - transect along the gulf of guinea ( west africa ) to assess the status and the impact of human hunting activities on the hinge - back tortoises ( genus kinixys ) : a crucial step towards a large - scale conservation strategy for these forest species .

the taxonomy and nomenclature of p . subniger was reviewed by iverson ( 1985 , 1992 ) , and broadley ( 1989 ) . this is a secretive , highly aquatic turtle that may wander over land , and has been known to survive drought and wildfires ( ernst and barbour , 1989 ; schwartz and henderson , 1991 ; branch , 1983 , 1998 ; bartlett and bartlett , 1999 ) . the east african black mud turtle is a carnivore that primarily feed on frogs , fish and aquatic invertebrates ( hedges , 1983 ; ernst and barbour , 1989 ; branch , 1993 , 1998 ; bartlett and bartlett , 1999 ; spawls et al . , 2002 ) . clutch size consists of 3 - 12 eggs ( ernst and barbour , 1989 ; branch , 1993 , 1998 ; bartlett and bartlett , 1999 ) .

kyaw moe , khin myo myo , win ko ko , and steven g . platt . 2012 . integrated conservation of the burmese roofed turtle , batagur trivittata

traffic southeast asia ; chris shepherd , noorainie awang anak , james compton . 2004 . protecting the roti island snake - necked turtle chelodina mccordi from extinction .

due to the variety of aquatic environments it inhabits in its african homeland , where it may occupy everything from rivers to seasonal mud holes , p . castaneus is quite adaptable and does not appear to be very picky in captivity . it can be housed outdoors in the summer and where winters are mild , and will do very well in outdoor ponds or water gardens that get plenty of sunlight , thriving where temperatures stay in the high 70s and into the 100s ( with nighttime in the mid 60s ) .

while there aren’t any official subspecies , there are three variations that the african sideneck can take on . the “normal form , ” which is as described above ; the “rainforest form , ” where the turtle displays an all over dark brown or black shell ; and the “savannah form , ” which takes on a lighter , buttery color of caramel , with a full yellow plastron .

hatchlings should be kept in low water…just enough so that they can breathe without swimming . floating live or plastic plants will provide youngsters with security…they are on the menus of many african predators , and remain shy for a time !

african side - necked turtles are prolific breeders and females can lay multiple clutches each year . while egg - laying , females bury themselves deeply , even up to the base of their front legs . the depth achieved could be a defensive strategy against monitors or other egg - eating predators or could be a safety measure to allow eggs to avoid the extreme heat and drying potential of the hot african sun close to the surface of the laying area .

turtle taxonomy working group [ van dijk , p . p . , j . iverson , a . rhodin , h . shaffer , and r . bour ]

sirsi , shashwat , gowri mallapur , and shailendra singh . 2012 . distribution mapping and status assessment of leith’s softshell turtle ( nilssonia leithii ) in peninsular india .

and other threatened turtle species at yinggeling nature reserve , hainan island , china ; and to adopt effective protection measures and awareness raising outreach activities in surrounding communities .

syed , gracia patricia . 2008 . genetic characterization and conservation of the critically endangered central american river turtle dermatemys mawii . ( quintana roo and belize populations ) .

fidenci , pierre . 2005 . inventory , distribution , status , and conservation action of the critically endangered philippine forest turtle , heosemys leytensis , palawan , philippines .

ullenbruch , k . ; grell , o . ; böhme , w . 2010 . reptiles from southern benin , west africa , with the description of a new hemidactylus ( gekkonidae ) , and a country - wide checklist . bonn zool . bull . 57 ( 1 ) : 31 - 54 - get paper here

i just got my african sideneck a few days ago and when i got him i saw some odd looking spots , like its peeling . i thought it was probably nothing since they were . . . ( more ) leonardo luna

sideneck turtles require semi - aquatic habitats with plenty of space for burrowing . the water area for the turtles should be at least five times the length of the turtle , the water portion’s width should be three times the length of the turtle and the depth should be at least twice the turtle’s length . the land area should be about the same size . for example , a 10 - inch helmeted turtle requires a water area of approximately 100 gallons and a 4 - foot by 2 - foot land area filled with a dirt or mulch substrate . it ' s important that both areas are escape - proof and protected from predators if the cage is outdoors .

hamish campbell , andrew mcdougall , and adrian ros . 2015 . determine if a community driven nest protection initiative has resulted in increased recruitment for the mary river turtle (

praschag , peter ; and reza , ali . 2005 . genetic verification of the identity of the black soft - shell turtle aspideretes nigricans ( anderson , 1875 ) .

you can use a variety of things as your turtle tank , including all - glass aquariums , large rubbermaid totes , baby pools , custom - built enclosures , etc .

the one essential piece of decoration you need to have is a place where your turtle can haul out of the water to dry off , preferably under a basking light .

hello , my sons have made a wonderful fl . box turtle habitat - we are looking to buy $ $ female fl . box turtles . please contact us , thx

hoang van ha , pham van thong , and nguyen tai thang . 2016 . intensive survey at priority sites to confirm additional individuals of the world ' s rarest turtle .

kuchling , gerald , nantarika chansue , and lu shunqing . 2011 . reproductive evaluation of the last male and artificial insemination of the last female yangtze giant softshell turtle rafetus swinhoei

kuchling , gerald . 2003 . preliminary status survey of the critically endangered endemic roti snake - neck turtle ( chelodina mccordi rhodin , 1994 ) , roti island , indonesia .

hughes , b . 1986 . longevity records of african captive amphibians and reptiles : part 1 : introduction and species list 1 - amphibians and chelonians . j . herp . assoc . africa ( 32 ) : 1 - 5 - get paper here

dharwadkar , sneha and shailendra singh . 2016 . sustaining the distribution mapping and threat assessment of leith’s softshell turtle ( nilssonia leithii ) along the river kali , karnataka , india .

african sidenecks are on the larger - side of the spectrum and can reach an adult size between 7 and 12 inches , with the females reaching a larger size than their male counterparts . male sidenecks grow to reach a maximum length of about 10 inches .

forero - medina , german , and camila r . ferrara . 2013 . 1 st workshop for developing a regional monitoring program for the giant south american river turtle , podocnemis expansa .

when they’re young and growing , insects and protein should make up the majority of your sideneck turtle’s diet . as they get older they tend to give up most of their carnivorous tendencies .

my thanks to ferry grunewald for his help with species identification and further information . mr . grunewald is a member of the dutch turtle & tortoise society , nederlandse schildpadden vereniging ( nsv ,

bock , brian c and vivian p . páez . 2016 . protection of nesting females and quantification of re - nesting frequency in the critically endangered magdalena river turtle ( podocnemis lewyana ) .

win ko ko , steven g . platt , and kalyar platt . 2012 . ecological study of the arakan forest turtle ( heosemys depressa ) in the rakhine yoma elephant sanctuary , myanmar .

mccormack , tim , hoang van ha , and pham van thong . 2010 . mapping priority areas for swinhoe’s turtle ( rafetus swinhoei ) in northern vietnam and sonar surveys to confirm presence .

restrepo , adriana and lópez , catalina . 2008 . demographic structure of the population of the endangered turtle podocnemis lewyana ( podocnemididae ) in the chicagua branch of the magdalena river , colombia .

combining both land - and boat - based wildlife observation , we will search for the elusive african manatee , learn about efforts to save endemic turtles and tortoises , and visit world heritage wetlands . on land we’ll see giraffes , white rhinos , antelopes , and more .

if you would like to contribute to the photo gallery of any turtle or tortoise species , please email us at [ email protected ] . you will be credited for any photos you contribute .

other important food items include various turtle treat foods and freeze - dried krill or shrimp . crickets , butterworms , calci - worms , roaches and other invertebrates will also be consumed with gusto .

barley aj , spinks pq , thomson rc , shaffer hb ( in press ) fourteen nuclear genes provide phylogenetic resolution for difficult nodes in the turtle tree of life . mol phylogen evol . doi :

singh , shailendra and saurav gawan . 2014 . employing sonic telemetry and community based patrolling in conservation strategy for the critically endangered red - crowned roofed turtle , batagur kachuga , in national chambal sanctuary .

singh , shailendra and ashutosh tripathi . 2013 . evaluating and refining conservation interventions for the endangered indian narrow - headed softshell turtle ( chitra indica ) along the chambal – yamuna river system , india .

chirio , l . 2009 . inventaire des reptiles de la région de la réserve de biosphère transfrontalière du w ( niger / bénin / burkina faso : afrique de l’ouest ) . [ herpetological survey of the w transfrontier biosphere reserve area ( niger / benin / burkina faso : west africa ] . bull . soc . herp . france ( 132 ) : 13 - 41 - get paper here

lucy keith diagne holds a phd from the university of florida and along with her husband , tomas diagne , is the founder of the african aquatic conservation fund . lucy has studied marine mammals for 30 years , and for 19 of those years she has studied manatees . in 2017 , lucy was named a pew marine fellow . now in her eleventh year in africa , lucy ' s research and conservation projects for african manatees include studies of distribution , population genetics , feeding ecology , and development of alternative livelihoods for manatee hunters . lucy is based in saly , senegal .

i have found p . castaneus to be quite placid with other turtles . i guess with a smaller turtle they might be a problem but i would consider mine to be rather gentle with other species .

mccormack , timothy , pham van thong , nguyen thi thuy , and nguyen tai thang . 2014 . habitat improvements and protection for the only known wild population of the world’s rarest turtle – rafetus swinhoei .

ahmed , m . fireoz , abhijit das , and jayanta kumar roy . 2013 . status , distribution and ecology of the keeled box turtle , cuora mouhotii in dibang valley , arunachal pradesh , india .

rainwater , thomas r . , steve g . platt , and rick hudson . 2009 . status , distribution , and exploitation of the critically endangered central american river turtle ( dermatemys mawii ) in belize .

mccormack , tim ; hendrie , douglas ; and nguyen xan thuan . 2008 . ensuring a future for the vietnamese pond turtle : establishing the mauremys annamensis conservation project ( map ) , in central vietnam .

singh , shailendra ; and horne , brian . 2007 . development of “green” headstarting facilities in the national chambal river sanctuary , india : the last stronghold for the red crowned roof turtle , batagur kachuga .

the turtle species pelusios seychellensis regarded hitherto as extinct never existed . scientists at the senckenberg research institute in dresden discovered this based on genetic evidence . the relevant study was published today in the journal plos one .

oliva , milena , brad lock and daniel ariano . 2010 . evaluation of the distribution , population density and habitat quality of the central american river turtle ( dermatemys mawii ) on the sarstun river , izabal .

alacs , erika ; georges , arthur ; kuchling , gerald and rhodin , anders , gj . 2008 . phylogenetics and genetic guidelines for the captive breeding of the critically endangered snake - necked turtle chelodina mccordi .

vargas - ramírez , mario ; and castaño - mora , olga victoria . 2007 . actions towards the conservation of the endangered - endemic fresh water turtle podocnemis lewyana , in the upper magdalena river , colombia .

artner , harald , balázs farkas , and victor loehr . 2006 . turtles : proceedings : international turtle & tortoise symposium , vienna 2002 . frankfurt am main : ed . chimaera . p . 352 - 355 .

mccormack , tim ; ha , hoang van ; and nhan , nguyen chi . 2009 . ensuring a future for the vietnamese pond turtle : establishing the mauremys annamensis conservation project ( map ) , in central vietnam .

gong shiping , shi haitao , and jiang aiwu . 2008 . a survey on the status of red - necked pond turtle ( chinemys nigricans ) , a neglected endangered species in guangdong and guangxi , south china .

vargas - ramírez , mario alfonso ; and castaño - mora , olga victoria . 2006 . participatory research towards the conservation of the endangered - endemic fresh water turtle podocnemis lewyana in the upper magdalena river , colombia .

khin myo myo , kyaw moe , and win ko ko . 2008 . survey on the status of arakan forest turtle ; heosemys depressa and other endemic species in the rakhine yoma elephant range wildlife sanctuary , rakhine state .

mccormack , tim ; hendrie , douglas b . ; van ha , hoang ; and chi nhan , nguyen . 2008 . production and distribution of an awareness poster for the endemic vietnamese pond turtle ( mauremys annamensis ) .

typically , african side - necked turtles arrive with varying amounts of shell damage . minor cases heal well if treated with a betadine® scrub and if the turtles are kept in a warm , sunny environment . more serious cases may require treatment with silvadene® cream . access to direct sunlight helps immensely with treating most shell problems .

if you are interested in obtaining african side necked turtles , there a few private breeders here on the forum , living in the us . it would be best to buy true captive bred offspring from them , instead of buying from a shop where the turtles are mistreated and by buying them stimulating mass import from the wild .

a high quality commercial turtle chow ( the various zoo med pellets are my favorites ) can comprise up to 50 % of the diet . reptomin food sticks and trout chow also provide excellent nutrition , and may be offered regularly .

tri , ly ; thinh , phung ba ; huy , hoang duc ; stuart bryan l . ; and huy , hoang duc . 2009 . surveys to find the southern vietnamese box turtle ( cuora picturata ) in the wild .

kyaw moe , kalyar platt , khin myo myo , win ko ko , me me soe , and steven g . platt . 2013 . conservation of the burmese roofed turtle ( batagur trivittata ) along the upper chindwin river of myanmar .

lights are not just for warmth . aquatic turtles like the african sideneck benefit from ultraviolet lights , too , particularly from uvb rays . these rays give turtles vitamin d3 and can help them stay healthy . when placing uvb / uva lights , keep in mind that any plastic , plexi - glass , or glass blocking them will prevent the beneficial rays from reaching your turtle . also , uvb lights lose their uvb strength over time , even though the bulb continues to emit light . it’s a good idea to mark your calendar to change the uvb bulbs every 9 months .

a dry basking surface is necessary . commercial turtle docks and ramps work for smaller specimens , but large adults may sink anything that is not affixed to the glass with silicone adhesive . cork bark wedged between the aquarium’s sides is another option .

results of pcr reactions of 68 loci for 13 turtle species . gray cells indicate reactions that produced a single band . black cells indicate multiple bands or smears while white cells indicate no product . marker numbers correspond to those in online resource 1

jones , michael t . , lisabeth l . willey , thomas akre , rodrigo macip rios , erika gonzalez , and luis diaz gamboa . 2015 . community - based conservation of the yucatán box turtle ( terrapene yucatana ) , phase ii .

som , sitha ; chey , koulang ; sun , yoeung ; kim , chamnan ; kheng , sokhorn ; and sitha , prum . tremors psp 2009 . community - based nest protection for cantor’s giant softshell turtle in the mekong river , cambodia .

iucn / ssc tortoise and freshwater turtle specialist group ; rhodin , anders g . j . 2007 . turtles on the brink in madagascar : a workshop on current status , conservation prioritization , and strategic action planning for madagascan tortoises and freshwater turtles .

fritz u , branch wr , gehring p - s , harvey j , kindler c , et al . . ( 2012 ) weak divergence among african , malagasy and seychellois hinged terrapins ( pelusios castanoides , p . subniger ) and evidence for human - mediated oversea dispersal . org divers evol : doi 10 . 1007 / s13127 - 012 - 0113 - 3 .