: J . .\prI 1’ Reprint From: Journal. Bomba\ Nat. Hist. Sciet \1. 4( 1 ) 7] SURVEY OF T[-IE FRESI{\VATERTURTLES14 OF INDIA PART 11: ‘I’l—IE GENUS KACIIU(; EIwARI 0. Moi l.V1—(igii,e.V ( 4/ii/l 1 UtI ((lOU1 /)/(1lV (c: f()141 /Q/• [(oiiiiiiued flOlil 83( 3 ) : 552] . SURVEY OF THE FRESHWATER TURTLES OF -INDIA PART II: THE GENUS KACHUGA1 EDWARD 0. MOLL2 (With two colour plates & four text-figures) [Continued from Vol. 83(3) : 552] Subgenus Pangshura converging but not meeting at midline. Lower jaw serrate with single, projecting tooth Contains four species — smithii, syihetensis, anteriorly, alveolar surface concave except for tecta and tentoria. The subgenus is diagnosed a median symphyseal ridge and a serrate ridge by a suite of apomorphic or derived charac along lingual surface meeting symphyseal ridge teristics summarized in Table 1 and Figures at midline; coronoid process prominent. 2-6. Members are small to moderate-sized Hyoid moderately developed; ossified portions species ( < 30 cm CL) with pronounced include a single-element body with a shallow, sexual dimorphism which inhabit a variety of rounded notch posteriorly and a shallow “V” lentic and lotic habitats through much of shaped notch anteriorly, a pair of small, India. The name is derived from “panshura,” rounded elements attached at either side of a Bengalese word for chelonian. anterior notch (ceratohyals?), a narrow, elongate, outwardly-bowed pair of first cera Kachuga srnithii (Gray 1863) tobranchial horns and a pair of short (2-3 Brown Roofed Terrapin — Plate III, A-C times longer than wide) second ceratobran chial horns. cm identification : A small species (to 23 Shell oval, widest across a plane through CL) identifiable from other Pangshura by a seventh marginals; posterior margin of cara relatively low, vaulted shell (H/CL < 44%) pace slightly serrate; median keel low; raised having only a weak, horizontal spine (or areas at posterior of scutes not pronounced, none) on the third vertebral scute. obtuse; Vertebrals I , 3 and 4 usually longer see descriptions Description : For coloration than wide, 2 and 5 usually wider than long; of subspecies. Head moderate in size with seam contact formula — 1M 4> 6M 8< short, tapering snout (less than length of 10> . Bridge long, exceeding length of either orbit) projecting beyond lower jaw; skin at anterior (shorter) or posterior (longer) lobe back of head divided into large irregular of plastron; axillary somewhat smaller than scales; upper jaw serrate, lacking medial inguinal scute; plastron truncate anteriorly; notch or projection; alveolar surface broad, notched posteriorly; plastral formula — Ab> decked by a finely-serrate ridge on each side, F>P> A>H>G. Distribution : Brown roofed terrapins occur 1 Accepted December 1986. in the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra Drain- Eastern Illinois University, Dept. of Zoology, India, and Bangla Charleston, Illinois, U.S.A. ages of Pakistan, Nepal, 7 . ‘z:,3- 4!A t’ &y!_’, JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCiETY, Vol. 84 desh. Figure 9 map the distribution in India at light gray snout; mandibles bright spectrum as verified by this survey. yellow; neck smoke gray dorsally, colorless Geographic Variation : Two subspecies (one ventrally, unstriped. ‘ • . :• : new) are recognized herein. Limbs — ground color on leading face of front limb smoke gray above elbow and late- Kachuga smithii pallidipes subsp. nov. ral half of foreleg; large triangular scales on Pale-footed Roofed Terrapin — P1. III, B&C lateral border of foreleg, narrow bandlike Holotype : Field Museum Natural History scales on anterior • aspect; toes and webbing 224177, adult male in alcohol; collected in the yellow; posterior aspect of limb, feet and Gandak River, Bherihari Wildlife Sanctuary, medial half of foreleg colorless. Bettiah (West Champaran) District, Bihar on Penis colorless lacking the dark pigment 3 June 1983; original number 2827 Edward characteristic of most members of the order. 0. Moll. Description of Paratypes : USNM 257779, Paratypes: USNM 257779, adult female adult female measuring 15 . 6 CL 1 1 . 6 CW in alcohol; Karnali River, Royal Bardia Wild- I 5 . 5 PL 5 . 65 H and weighing . 453 kg. Cob- life Reserve, 2 km N. Thakurdara, Nepal, ration of preserved specimen — carapace 23 April 1985 (obtained by Joseph Mitchell); brownish gray with a black, middorsal stripe; FMNH 224186, adult female skeleton, Ghagra plastron light, largely devoid of pattern but River, near Kailaspuri at Girija Barage, tiny smudges of pigment present near poste Bahraich District, Uttar Pradesh, 12 January nor lateral margins of scuts; bridge and 1983. ‘‘ ventral side of Marginals 3-9 with heavy con- ldeztification : A subspecies of Kachuga ccntrations of dark pigment. smithii differing from the nominate form by Head and neck dark grayish brown dorsally the absence of a plastral pattern and a re with lighter cinnamon brown band running duction of pigment on head, limbs, feet and posteriorlr from eye over tympanum; throat penis. light, colorless. : Description of holotype : An adult male Limbs anterior face of forelimb and feet measuring 8 . 6 CL, 6 . 2 CW, 7 . 8 PL, 3 . 1 H generally grayish brown, becoming lighter on and weighing 88 g. Coloration in life cara medial aspect; lateral border of limb light pace light grayish olive to brownish olive edged; hind feet immaculate, devoid of pig- (older scutes) with pale yellow rim around mentation; skin of leading face of hind leg the periphery; single mid-saggital black stripe grayish brown. with cinnamon-rufous center on Vertebrals 2 FMNH 224186, female measuring 16 . 2 CL and 3, running length of the shell but becom 1 1.6 CW 15.5 PL 6.0 H and weighing 0.63 ing obscure on V5 and 6; plastron straw kg. Coloration in life — carapace buff with yellow, immaculate, having no dark pattern; dark brown middorsal stripe; plastron straw vague dark blotches present on ventral side yellow, unpatterned. of marginals. Head and neck drab dorsally with lighter, .. Head brownish olive, lightly mottled with cinnamon-colored band running posteriorly smoke gray dorsally; skin creamy white be- from eye over tympanum; tip of snout and iris hind eyes; iris pale gray; throat immaculate, light grayish blue; mandibles light orange colorless; a pair of narrow dark stripes ex yellow; neck dirty gray above. light cream tend anteriorly from eyes converging to meet ventrally. S i.,, , / ,: i :. FRESHWATER TURTLES OF iNDiA . 30 L ,.. , . :rrt&: 20 f. 300 ml I I 480 km 10 ,, \9 80 I . , Fig. 9. Distribution map of Kachuga smithii in India (see legend of Fig. 7). Solid circles indicate localities of the nominate race, K. s. smithii. Open circles indicate localities of K. s. pallidipes. The half open circle indicates Allahabad, a possible intergrade site between the two races (see text). ,, 9 JOURNAL, BOMBA Y NATUKAL WST. SOCIETY, Vol. 84 Limbs with toes and skin flap at A precedent exists for this type of variation lateral edge of hind foot immaculate, devoid in a re1ated species. In what appears to be a of pigment, otherwise outer leading surface of case of unusual parallelism, . populations of fore and hind legs gray trailing surface of Kachuga lentoria from northern tributaries of legs creamy white. the Ganges also. exhibit a reduction of dark Distribution : The three members of the pigment and have no plastral pattern. More type series of this subspecies come from north- collectionsare ayailable for this species and em tributaries of the Ganges. See Figure 9 intergradation is evident in the more western and , comments on intergradation . undei drainages of the Ganges (see K. tentoria). - remarks. , . A peculiar situation exists with a series of Natural History : Little is known about the specimens from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. natural history of this form. All three reords The Zoological Survey of India collection has were associated with riverine environments. five specimens of K. sniiihii from this locality. The holotype was collected during the day in Three reportedly have the dark plastral a hoop trap baited with fish set near a sand pattern (ZSI 457, 471, 472) and two do not bank in the Gandak River. The Nepal speci- [ZST 451, 200 (1912)]. Another specimen in men was collected by hand under a pile of the British Museum (BMNH 1908 . 12 . 28 .2) sticks and debris in a pooi on the floodplain from this locality has dark blotches only on of the Karnali River. The other female was the anal scutes. Whether these specimens were taken by a fisherman in the Ghagra. River but • actually obtained in Allahâbad or whether details are lacking. Remains of a freshvater they were obtained elsewhere and shipped to prawn were found in the gut of the latter markets there is not known. Neither is there specimen. ‘ \ any information on the coloration of the rest Remarks Presently it seems best to regard of the body in this collection The entire this taxon as a subspecies of K. smithii rather problem requires additIonal study. than as a distinct species for the following • . reasons. 1) The male from the Gandak River Kachuga smithii smithii (Gray 1863) I has been selected as the holotype or best re- Brown Roofed Terrapin — Plate III, A presentative of this race. The two female paratypes from more westerly drainages”show Identification : A subspecies of K. smithii some characteristics of the nominate form having a plastral pattern of large dark brown (more dark pigment on the head, limbs and to black blotches on each scute narrowly ventral part of shell) suggesting intergradation. bordered with yellow; sides of head, leading One of the original types used by Gray surface of limbs, feet and penis dark pig- / ( 1 863 ) in the species description from the mented. Chenab River in northwestern India (BMNH Description : Female (FMNH 224143); 63 . 2 . 21 . 87) lacks pigmentation on the pecto carapace brownish olive bearing a middorsal ral scutes and only small amounts are present I dark brow-n stripe; a small dark triangle decks on the :abdominals.