Western black-bridged leaf turtle

The western black-bridged leaf turtle (Cyclemys atripons) is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in southern Indochina.^[3]

Western black-bridged leaf turtle
seen in Kaôh Kong, Cambodia
Conservation status
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Genus:	Cyclemys
Species:	C. atripons
Binomial name
Cyclemys atripons John B. Iverson & William P. McCord, 1997
Cyclemys atripons range map
Synonyms[2]
Cyclemys atripons atripons Vetter in Vetter & Van Dijk, 2006

Description

The carapace of this species is reddish brown, ovoid to elongated, with or without fine, radiating, black patterns. The plastron is mostly yellow with or without fine, radiating, black lines. The head is speckled and the throat is yellow. The neck is striped. Hatchlings have wide head and neck stripes and yellow plastrons with large, dark spots. The common name of the species refers to the color of the bridge (the area where the plastron and the carapace meet), which is predominantly yellow with black stripes or entirely black. C. atripons is morphologically almost indistinguishable from C. pulchristiata, the eastern black-bridged leaf turtle.^[4]

Distribution

They are found in Cambodia, East Thailand, and Vietnam (Annam).^[5]

See also

• Cyclemys