Among the diverse world of turtles, there are species that are not so well known to the general public, but are no less interesting. One such modest inhabitant of freshwater is the red-headed flat turtle. Its name speaks for itself: it really does have a flattened shell and a head with bright red or orange markings.
This turtle leads a rather secretive lifestyle, preferring shallow, fast-flowing streams and rivers with rocky bottoms. Its flat, streamlined shell is ideal for living in such conditions. It allows it to maneuver easily among rocks and hide from predators in narrow crevices.
Unfortunately, like many other species, the red-headed flat turtle faces threats from human activity. Its future largely depends on our understanding and preservation of the unique corners of nature that it calls home. Let's take a closer look at this amazing reptile.
Description of the red-headed flat turtle
The length of the carapace of males is up to 18 cm, and of females – 16.7 cm. The carapace is very flattened and colored in brownish tones. Between the two longitudinal keels there is a deep groove that stretches from the second to the fourth vertebral shield. The plastron is solid black with a yellow border. There is a black longitudinal stripe on the bridge, and the reverse side of the marginal scutes is yellow with speckled black spots.
The neck is quite long and covered with small spiny tubercles. The neck is significantly shorter than the length of the carapace. The head never retracts along the longitudinal axis, but immediately folds sideways under the carapace. The top of the head is orange-red to yellow, the bottom is black, sharply defined. The limbs are thin, the fingers are long with poorly developed membranes and blunt claws. The head is not very flat, without growths, except for simple whiskers on the chin. The anal opening is short and slit-like. The skin is dark gray or black.
Platemys platycephala platycephala – in this subspecies, dark pigment is distributed on the yellow carapace, the area of which is limited by the edge of the seam separating the vertebral and costal scutes and an incomplete belt extending on each side of the median groove and down through the 2nd and 3rd costal scutes to the lateral edge of the carapace (the median groove remains yellow), covering the bridge by no more than 80%. The length of the carapace of platycephala is 18 cm in males and 16.5 cm in females.
Platemys platycephala melanonota – a darker-colored subspecies; the yellow pigment on the brown carapace is limited by the vertebral groove, and a dark stripe covers more than 90% of the bridge. Males grow up to 16.8 cm, and females up to 16.7 cm.
Platemys platycephala
SCHNEIDER, 1792
RU: Red-headed flat turtle, Turtle-vertishka
EN: Twist-necked Turtle
Suborder: (Pleurodira) Side-necked
Family: (Chelidae) Snake-necked
Genus: (Platemys) Flat-shelled turtles
Subspecies:
- Platemys platycephala melanonota (Black-backed Twist-necked Turtle) (ERNST 1984)
- Platemys platycephala platycephala (Eastern Twist-necked Turtle) (SCHNEIDER 1792)
Habitat and lifestyle
The red-headed flat-headed turtle inhabits Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Inhabits small forest streams, swamps, and other water bodies in humid rainforests, although the turtle is a good swimmer. The red-headed flat turtle spends most of its life in the water and usually comes ashore when it rains or after it rains. Sometimes it stays in the coastal strip for several days, burrowing into leaf litter to lay its eggs.
Platemys platycephala platycephala found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Platemys platycephala melanonota found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Diet of the red-headed flat-shelled turtle
This species of turtle is predatory. In captivity, predatory turtles are fed raw, lean river fish with entrails and bones, terrestrial and aquatic insects, terrestrial and aquatic snails with shells, complete feed for aquatic turtles, earthworms, tadpoles, and mice. All food should be raw and at room temperature.
More about feeding predatory turtles ›
Turtles should NOT be fed poultry and livestock fillets (beef, pork, lamb, etc.), fatty fish, crab sticks, human food (sausage, hot dogs, etc.), or dog and cat food.
What not to feed turtles ›
Turtles are fed in the morning. Young turtles are fed every day, while adolescents and adults are fed every 2–3 days. The amount of food should be based on the turtle's appetite, but in reasonable quantities, approximately 2 turtle heads. You can put a cuttlefish bone in the aquarium to grind down the beak and replenish calcium reserves.
Turtles love to gnaw on cuttlefish bones in water.
The red-headed flat turtle is a small freshwater turtle that can be recognized by its bright red or orange head and flattened shell. It lives in warm, calm waters — ponds, swamps, and slow-moving rivers — mainly in the southern United States. This turtle likes to bask in the sun, often sitting on stumps or rocks with its head exposed to the light. It feeds mainly on plants, small aquatic invertebrates, and sometimes dead fish. It has a peaceful disposition and rarely shows aggression. Although it resembles some other freshwater turtles in appearance, its coloration and lifestyle make it quite recognizable.
Keeping red-headed flat-shelled turtles in captivity
Minimum aquaterrarium size for 1-2 individuals: aquaterrarium length = 4-6 times the length of the shell of the largest turtle, aquaterrarium width = 2-3 times the length of the shell. Add 20% space for each additional turtle. A humid aquaterrarium is required for keeping, where half is water and half is land. The water depth should be equal to the width of the shell. Turtles are poor swimmers and can drown. The water should have a thin layer of gravel or coarse sand. You can place rocks, driftwood, large pieces of bark that does not rot in water, and plastic plants in the aquarium as underwater shelters. The water should be left to settle for at least 24 hours before adding it. Turtles can take food on land, but swallow it in water.
Sphagnum moss, soil, peat, beech bark, stones, roots, and dry leaves can be used as substrate on land. There should also be shelters on land, such as large pieces of bark.
The background air temperature in the aquaterrarium should be 28-30°C; additional heating with a heat lamp is not required. Humidity should be 80-90% due to spraying. The water temperature should be 25-29°C, pH 6.4-6.5.
The aquaterrarium should also have a 5-6% UVB lamp and a good filter. The turtle is diurnal, so it needs 12-14 hours of daylight.
Keeping them in an outdoor enclosure in the climate of Central Europe is not recommended.
Turtles can be kept in groups of two males and two females. It is recommended to keep turtles in separate aquariums, as turtles are prone to infectious diseases and males are aggressive towards each other.
In summer, it is advisable to regularly take the turtles out into the sun for 20 minutes to 1 hour. This greatly stimulates the growth and activity of turtles.
Quickly gets used to its owner and, after a short period of adaptation, takes food from their hands.
Reproduction
Mating and egg laying occur throughout the year. The female lays 2 clutches per season in September, October, or January. Eggs can be laid quite far from the water. There are 4-6 eggs (or 1?) in a clutch. The eggs measure 49×51.9×25-44 mm and weigh 9-11 g. Incubation time at a temperature of 28-30°C is 110-198 days. Sex determination does not depend on incubation temperature.
Breeding in captivity is rare. To stimulate the female to reproduce, it is recommended to keep her on land for several days and then place her with the male. When attempting to breed, it is recommended to acidify the water with peat and alder.
The carapace length of newborn turtles is 43-57 mm. Newborns are kept in aquariums with a water level of 2 cm for the first 3 weeks and fed bloodworms, dry food, and pieces of fish fillet. Then the turtles can be transferred to an adult aquaterrarium.
The red-headed flat-shelled turtle is a truly unique creature. Its flattened shell and bright head make it unlike any other turtle. It is perfectly adapted to its habitat and leads a secretive lifestyle among rocks and fast-flowing streams.
Unfortunately, this rare species is now endangered. Humans are increasingly encroaching on its habitat, polluting the water and destroying riverbanks. As a result, very few turtles remain in the wild.
But the situation is not hopeless. Scientists and environmental organizations are working to study and protect these animals. They are bred in special nurseries, and efforts are being made to preserve the rivers in which they live. Our common task is to draw attention to this modest inhabitant of fresh waters and help it survive.
Every species, even one as inconspicuous as this, is important for the balance of nature. Preserving the red-headed flat-shelled turtle is a chance for us to save another amazing fragment of our planet's living world.
