Elusor macrurus

The tortoise Mary River ( Elusor macrurus ) is a watery tortoise with endemic neck-short in Australia where one finds it in the Mary River with the Queensland.

In the years 1960 and 1970, they were marketed like pets and it was sold some: 15000 per annum.

Description

The carapace of the adult measures 42 centimetres in the males, 33 centimetres in the females, 3 to 4 at the new born ones. The males have a long transversely flattened tail. The back is brown, rust or black, the gray belly. The carapace presents an oval depression in its center whereas the drill plate is almost flat twice longer than broad. The legs postpones are broad what enables him to swim quickly.

Habitat and distribution

One finds it in Mary River and his affluents between the towns of Tiaro and Kenilworth. She lives in fast and well oxygenated water.

Food

Adult, it is primarily herbivorous, nourishing watery algae, plants, seeds and watery fruits incidentally of larvae of insects, exceptionnellemnt of moulds (Velesuio ambiguus) and eggs of aquatic animals. The young people nourish mainly insects.

Reproduction

The season of the loves goes from October to December; sexual maturity is reached around 25 years in the females, 30 years in the males. Each female lays 12 to 25 eggs at the same place every year. The eggs hatch at the end of 50 days of incubation, between December and February.

References

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=64389#feeding

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