The Sicilian pond turtle (''Emys trinacris'') is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of turtle in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Emydidae. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

Etymology

The specific name, ''trinacris'', is from the Greek word '' Trinacria'', meaning "three-pointed", the earliest known name for the island of Sicily.

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 unde ...

length is . The features of the turtle can vary depending on its location. This is because of a disruption in the gene flow caused by human activities like industrialization. Since there are obstacles in the way like roads and buildings, migrating to different groups is more difficult for the turtles. ''E. trinacris'' differs from ''E. orbicularis'' by its distinct mitochondrial DNA.. www.reptile-database.org.

Habitat

The preferred

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, 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 manifestation of its ...

of ''E. trinacris'' is freshwater in ponds, lakes, rivers, and swamps.

References

;Bibliography * ** Fritz, U., D’Angelo, S., Pennisi, M. G., & Valvo, M. L. (2006). Variation of Sicilian pond turtles, Emys trinacris – What makes a species cryptic? ''Amphibia-Reptilia'', ''27''(4), 513–529. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853806778877095 ** Iannella, M., Cerasoli, F., D’Alessandro, P., Console, G., & Biondi, M. (2018). Coupling GIS spatial analysis and Ensemble Niche Modelling to investigate climate change-related threats to the Sicilian pond turtle Emys trinacris, an endangered species from the Mediterranean. ''PeerJ'', ''6'', e4969. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4969 ** Vecchioni, L., Marrone, F., Arculeo, M., Fritz, U., & Vamberger, M. (2020). Stand out from the Crowd: Small-Scale Genetic Structuring in the Endemic Sicilian Pond Turtle. ''Diversity'', ''12''(9), 343. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12090343

Etymology

Description

Habitat

References

Further reading