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The Sicilian pond turtle (''Emys trinacris'') is a
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...
of turtle in the
family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...
Emydidae Emydidae (Latin ''emys'' (freshwater tortoise) + Ancient Greek εἶδος (''eîdos'', “appearance, resemblance”)) is a family of testudines (turtles) that includes close to 50 species in 10 genera. Members of this family are commonly calle ...
. The species is
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Sicily Sicily ( it, Sicilia , ) is the list of islands in the Mediterranean, largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. The Strait of Messina divides it from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. I ...
.


Etymology

The specific name, ''trinacris'', is from the Greek word ''
Trinacria Trinacria may refer to: *the ancient Name of Sicily **Sicily in the classical Greek period, see History of Greek and Hellenistic Sicily **Name for the Kingdom of Sicily during the 1300s **Name for the emblem of Sicily (the triskeles with the Gorg ...
'', meaning "three-pointed", the earliest known name for the island of Sicily.


Subspecies

There are no subspecies of ''E. trinacris'' that are recognized as being valid.


Description

''E. trinacris'' is a small turtle. Maximum straight
carapace A carapace is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the under ...
length is . The carapace is dark, and the plastron is yellow. ''E. trinacris'' differs from ''E. orbicularis'' by its distinct mitochondrial DNA.. www.reptile-database.org.


Habitat

The preferred
habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
of ''E. trinacris'' is freshwater in ponds, lakes, rivers, and swamps.


References

;Bibliography *


Further reading

*Fritz, Uwe; Fattizzo, Tiziano; Guicking, Daniela; Tripepi, Sandro; Pennisi, Maria Grazia; Lenk, Peter; Joger, Ulrich; Wink, Michael (2005). "A new cryptic species of pond turtle from southern Italy, the hottest spot in the range of the genus ''Emys'' (Reptilia, Testudines, Emydidae)". ''Zoologica Scripta'' 34 (4): 351–371. (''Emys trinacris'', new species). {{Taxonbar, from=Q1188924 Emys Endemic fauna of Italy Fauna of Sicily Turtles of Europe Reptiles described in 2005