Family Dermatemydidae (Mesoamerican River Turtles)

Order Testudines (Turtles)
Suborder Cryptodira (Hidden-necked Turtles)
Superfamily Kinosternoidea

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Family Dermatemydidae (Mesoamerican River Turtles)

This family consists of only one species, Dermatemys mawii.

Dermatemys mawii

Appearance: Oblong, slightly domed carapace, large plastron, moderately small head.

Distribution: Southern Mexico to northern Honduras.

Habitat: Aquatic, in large rivers, lakes, and temporary pools. Occassionally enters brackish water.

Behavior: Mostly nocturnal; foraging occurs at night. Adapted to its aquatic lifestyle, only rarely surfacing. Captive individuals continually take water in through the mouth and expel it from the nostrils (Ernst and Barbour 1989).

Size: up to 65 cm (max. carapace length)

Food: Vegetarian; aquatic plants, fruit and seeds that fall into the water.

Reproduction: oviparous (2-20 eggs per clutch); courtship and mating from May to September, egg depostition from October to December; females nest along rivers. Occassionally nests are submerged but eggs often survive by developmental arrest. Incubation is 8 to 10 months; hatching occurs in June and July with the beginning of the rainy season.

Conservation: The Mesoamerican River turtle is easily captured and serves as a local food item. Now endangered.