Nubian flapshell turtle

Species of turtle

Nubian flapshell turtle

Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)^[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Trionychidae
Genus:	Cyclanorbis
Species:	C. elegans
Binomial name
*Cyclanorbis elegans* (Gray, 1869)
Synonyms^[3]^[4]
Baikiea elegans Gray, 1869 Cyclanorbis elegans – Boulenger, 1889 Cyclanorbis oligotylus Siebenrock, 1902

The Nubian flapshell turtle^[1] or Nubian soft-shelled turtle^[4] (Cyclanorbis elegans) is one of two species of softshell turtle in the genus Cyclanorbis of the Trionychidae family. It is thought to have ranged from West Africa east through Central Africa to South Sudan, although it has been extirpated from the vast majority of its range.

Distribution

Historically, Cyclanorbis elegans was found over a wide range, spanning from West Africa (Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo) east through Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia and Sudan. In 2017, a lone population was found in the White Nile wetlands of South Sudan by Prof. Luca Luiselli and his team; this discovery was publicized in a 2019 paper.^[5]^[6] In 2021, another population was found along the same wetlands, but in northern Uganda (near the border with South Sudan); the species had not previously been recorded in this area.^[7]

On the biodiversity database iNaturalist, several "research-grade" sightings—i.e., with clear photographic evidence and GPS coordinates—of C. elegans have been documented between April 2022 and May 2024;^[8] the bulk of these observations took place in and around Salamat, Chad,^[9] while others have occurred in West Gonja, Ghana, and Tangúieta, Benin.^[8]

Description

The Nubian flapshell turtle can reach a length of up to 70 cm (27.5 in).^[5]

Conservation

The Nubian flapshell turtle's habitat is often located in very politically-hostile and tumultuous areas, which results in habitat loss due to situations surrounding local skirmishes, land mines and a greater need for water by local armed forces and civilians. In addition, especially during times of war, the turtles may be hunted as bushmeat.^[6] Some Chinese expatriates in Africa are known to offer rather large sums of money to poorer fishermen in exchange for catching these turtles, as they are valued for both food and Chinese medicine. Some of the captured turtles are then further exported to Asia for "fresh" availability.^[10] Bari fishermen, in South Sudan, have extensive cultural knowledge of the Nubian flapshell turtle, including natural history, lifestyle and reproductive patterns, and nesting sites, which may prove useful in future and ongoing conservation efforts of the species.^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Baker, P.J.; Luiselli, L.; Diagne, T. (2016). "Cyclanorbis elegans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T6004A3086539. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T6004A3086539.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 313. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
^ ^a ^b Cyclanorbis elegans at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 1 February 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Nubische Klappen-Weichschildkröte". Turtle Island (in German). Retrieved 2019-07-09.
^ ^a ^b Demaya, Gift Simon; Benansio, John Sebit; Lado, Thomas Francis; Diagne, Tomas; Dendi, Daniele; Luiselli, Luca (June 12, 2019). "Rediscovery of the Nubian Flapshell Turtle (Cyclanorbis elegans) in South Sudan". Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 18 (1): 62–67. doi:10.2744/18.1.62. ISSN 1071-8443. S2CID 198305659.
^ Luiselli, Luca; Demaya, Gift Simon; Benansio, John Sebit; Lado, Thomas Francis; Jubarah, Salah (January 2022). "Nubian flapshell turtle found in northern Uganda". Oryx. 56 (1): 10. doi:10.1017/S0030605321001332. ISSN 0030-6053. S2CID 245681001.
^ ^a ^b "Observations • iNaturalist". 29 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ "Observations • iNaturalist". 29 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Luiselli, Luca; Dendi, Daniele; Benansio, John Sebit; Demaya, Gift Simon; Stanford, Craig B. (July 6, 2021). "An additional threat to the recently rediscovered Nubian flapshell turtle in South Sudan". Oryx. 55 (4): 490. doi:10.1017/S0030605321000430. ISSN 0030-6053. S2CID 235736006.
^ Demaya, Gift Simon; Benansio, John Sebit; Lado, Thomas Francis; Jubarah, Salah Khatir; Ladu, John Leju Celestino; Luiselli, Luca (2019-10-18). "Local Ecological Knowledge in South Sudan Can Help Conservation and Management of Cyclanorbis elegans". Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 18 (2): 259–264. doi:10.2744/CCB-1377.1. ISSN 1071-8443. S2CID 208567334.

External links

Media related to Cyclanorbis elegans at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Cyclanorbis elegans at Wikispecies

Trionychidae family

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Superfamily: Trionychia

Genera

Species of the Trionychidae family

Amyda

Asiatic softshell turtle
†Amyda gregaria
Amyda ornata

Apalone

†Axestemys

†Axestemys byssina
†Axestemys cerevisia
†Axestemys montinsana
†Axestemys quinni
†Axestemys splendida
†Axestemys vittata

Chitra

Cyclanorbis

Nubian flapshell turtle
Senegal flapshell turtle

Cycloderma

Dogania

Malayan softshell turtle

†Gilmoremys

†Gilmoremys gettyspherensis
†Gilmoremys lancensis

†Hutchemys

†Hutchemys arctochelys
†Hutchemys rememdium
†Hutchemys tetanetron
†Hutchemys sterea
†Hutchemys acupictus

†Khunnuchelys

†Khunnuchelys erinhotensis
†Khunnuchelys kizylkumensis
†Khunnuchelys lophorhothon

Lissemys

Nilssonia

†Palaeoamyda

†Palaeoamyda messeliana

Palea

Wattle-necked softshell turtle

Pelochelys

Pelodiscus

Rafetus

Trionyx

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=extinct.

Testudines

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Diapsida
Order: Testudines

Suborder

Superfamily

Family

Genus

Cryptodira

Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)

Cheloniidae	†Allopleuron Caretta †Carolinochelys Chelonia †Eochelone Eretmochelys †Gigantatypus †Glarichelys †Itilochelys Lepidochelys †Mexichelys †Miocaretta Natator †Pacifichelys †Syllomus †Tasbacka
Dermochelyidae	†Arabemys †Corsochelys †Cosmochelys Dermochelys †Eosphargis †Mesodermochelys †Psephophorus
	†Euclastes †Peritresius †Procolpochelys †Protosphargis †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae	Dermatemys
Kinosternidae	Claudius †Hoplochelys Kinosternon Staurotypus Sternotherus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae	†Acherontemys Chrysemys Clemmys Deirochelys Emys Actinemys Emydoidea Glyptemys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Terrapene Trachemys †Wilburemys
Geoemydidae	Batagur †Banhxeochelys Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Rhinoclemmys Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys
Platysternidae	Platysternon
Testudinidae	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Centrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis †Cymatholcus †Floridemys Geochelone Gopherus †Hadrianus †Hesperotestudo Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria †Megalochelys †Oligopherus Psammobates Pyxis †Solitudo Stigmochelys †Stylemys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae	†Allaeochelys †Anosteira Carettochelys
Trionychidae	Amyda Apalone †Axestemys Chitra Cyclanorbis Cycloderma †Drazinderetes Dogania †Gilmoremys †Hutchemys †Khunnuchelys Lissemys Nilssonia Palea †Palaeoamyda Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx
	†Basilochelys †Sinaspideretes

Chelydridae	Chelydra †Chelydrops †Chelydropsis †Emarginachelys †Macrocephalochelys Macrochelys †Planiplastron †Protochelydra
†Nanhsiungchelyidae	†Anomalochelys †Basilemys †Jiangxichelys
†Protostegidae	†Alienochelys †Archelon †Atlantochelys †Bouliachelys †Calcarichelys †Cratochelone †Desmatochelys †Iserosaurus †Notochelone †Ocepechelon †Pneumatoarthrus †Protostega †Rhinochelys †Santanachelys †Terlinguachelys
	†Adocus †Argillochelys †Bashuchelys †Ctenochelys †Prionochelys †Toxochelys

Pleurodira

†Araripemydidae	†Araripemys
†Bothremydidae	†Araiochelys †Arenila †Azabbaremys †Bothremys †Cearachelys †Chedighaii †Chupacabrachelys †Eotaphrosphys †Foxemys †Galianemys †Ilatardia †Inaechelys †Itapecuruemys †Jainemys †Kinkonychelys †Kurmademys †Labrostochelys †Nigeremys †Phosphatochelys †Polysternon †Puentemys †Rosasia †Rhothonemys †Sankuchemys †Taphrosphys †Ummulisani †Zolhafah
Chelidae	Acanthochelys Chelodina Chelus Elseya Elusor Emydura Hydromedusa †Lomalatachelys Mesoclemmys Myuchelys Phrynops Platemys †Prochelidella Pseudemydura Rheodytes Rhinemys †Yaminuechelys
Pelomedusidae	Pelomedusa Pelusios
Podocnemididae	†Albertwoodemys †Bauruemys †Brontochelys †Caninemys †Carbonemys †Cerrejonemys †Cordichelys Erymnochelys †Lapparentemys †Latentemys Peltocephalus Podocnemis †Stupendemys
†Sahonachelyidae	†Sahonachelys †Sokatra

	†Caribemys †Caririemys †Tacuarembemys

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

See also List of Testudines families

Taxon identifiers
Cyclanorbis elegans	Wikidata: Q302076 Wikispecies: Cyclanorbis elegans ADW: Cyclanorbis_elegans BOLD: 190976 CoL: 32SPG EoL: 795212 GBIF: 2442595 iNaturalist: 39545 IRMNG: 10367573 ITIS: 551956 IUCN: 6004 NCBI: 227469 Open Tree of Life: 101463 Paleobiology Database: 351993 RD: elegans Species+: 68014