Mauremys caspica ( Gmelin, 1774 )

Aidek, Ahmad E., Saad, Adib, Jablonski, Daniel, Esterbauer, Hans & Fritz, Uwe, 2024, Turtles and tortoises of Syria: Diversity, distribution, and conservation, Zootaxa 5506 (2), pp. 151-193 : 163-165

Mauremys caspica ( Gmelin, 1774)

Caspian Turtle, Caspian Terrapin ( Fig. 12 )

IUCN Red List Category: Least Concern (LC).

Type locality: “Schmachie, Bach Pusahat” [Pirsagat, Shemakha], Azerbaijan .

Type specimen: Not located, specimen figured in Gmelin (1774: plates 10, 11) designated as lectotype by Fritz & Wischuf (1997).

Chorotype: Turano-Mediterranean.

First records for Syria: Maskanah, ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor ( Siebenrock 1913) .

Literature data: Maskanah, ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor ( Siebenrock 1913), Tell Al-Budeiry ( Krupp & Schneider 1991), Ras Al-Ayn (N Al Hasaka; Krupp 1992), 5 km N as-Suwar, Buhayrat Al-Asad ( Lymberakis & Kalionzopoulou 2003), Wadi Samum, Buhayrat Al-Khatuniyah, Wadi Furati, Tell Gunaidiya, ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor ( Fritz & Wischuf 1997), Nahr Al-Sajoor ( Amr et al. 2007), Haweijt Kate’e ( Aidek 2010), widespread along the Euphrates ( Murdoch & Aidek 2012), Tell Sheikh Hamad ( Fritz et al. 2008; Vamberger et al. 2013).

Museum specimens: Syria ( FMNH 73491, 73493, 73494), Aleppo —Euphrates ( MNHN 1881.397), Deir ez-Zor ( NMW 29475:1–2, 29634:1–2, 29662:1–3).

Citizen science record: Deir ez-Zor (observation.org 2023).

Recent records: Abu Hardoub, Abu Kamal, Ain Arous, aj-Jawadiyeh, Al-Ashara, Ali Baljeyeh, Al-Boliel, Al-Hasaka, Al-Kasra, Al-Mayadin, Al-Mri’iyah, Al-Qalteh, Al-Qamishli (Nahr Jaqjaq), Al-Qouriyah, Al-Qsupy, Al-Rheiat, Al-Sh’afa, Al-Shmeitiyeh, Ayyash, Buqruss, Buhayrat Al-Khatuniyah, Deir ez-Zor, Ghandura, Hajeen, Hatla, Hazeimeh, Jarablus, Maadan, Muhasan, ar-Raqqa, Rmeilah, Sbeikhan, Tabqah, Tell Tartab, Theiban, Tokhar Sagheir.

Distribution in Syria: Common and widespread along the Euphrates and its tributaries, Al-Sajoor, Al-Balikh, and Al-Khabour and in all suitable ponds in the northeast of Syrian Mesopotamia ( Fig. 13 ).

Remarks: Mauremys caspica is a widespread monotypic species, ranging from Central Anatolia through the interior of the Near and Middle East to Iran, Turkmenistan, and Saudi Arabia ( TTWG 2021). The three previously recognized subspecies (M. c. caspica , M. c. siebenrocki, M. c. ventrimaculata) have been synonymized ( Vamberger et al. 2013). Mauremys caspica sporadically hybridizes with its sister species M. rivulata in the Levant ( Fritz & Wischuf 1997; Fritz et al. 2008; Vamberger et al. 2017). Mauremys caspica is an inland species whereas M. rivulata occurs in Mediterranean coastal habitats ( Fritz & Wischuf 1997). In the southern Levant, the local Mauremys populations resemble M. rivulata but represent a hybrid swarm with genetic signatures of M. caspica , even though the geographically closest populations of M. caspica are widely separated. Gene flow between the two species, resulting in the current hybrid swarm, was facilitated during more humid climate episodes of the last glaciation and the early Holocene ( Vamberger et al. 2017).

On GBIF, there are 27 records for M.caspica from Syria.Among them, 18 are actually from countries neighboring Syria, and five refer to M. rivulata .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Caspian terrapins, Mauremys caspica. (A) Muhasan, Euphrates (photo: Ahmad Aidek); (B) Ayyash, Euphrates (photo: Ahmad Aidek); (C) Deir ez-Zor, Euphrates (photo: Abu Al-Abbas); (D) Nahr Al-Sajoor (photo: Zuhair Amr).

FIGURE 13. Records of Mauremys caspica in Syria. Black circles: previous records, blue circles: recently confirmed previous records, red circles: new records.