Scientists from the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig - Leibniz Institute for Biodiversity of Animals (ZFMK) in Bonn and the Museum of Animal Science, Senckenberg Dresden, have discovered a new turtle species from the north-east of Thailand together with colleagues from the USA, Thailand and Cambodia the name Malayemys khoratensis in the trade journal PLoS One. The new species belongs to the genus of snail-eaters, which owes their name to their predilection for water snails.
With the help of genetic and morphological analyzes, the scientists have found that behind the snail-eaters do not conceal two, but even three, species. For this, the research team has investigated morphologically and genetically more than 100 turtles from the Southeast Asian continent. The aim of the study was to verify whether the two species known to science are actually different - sometimes, in the case of genetic investigations, different types are supposed to be identical.
For Flora Ihlow, a doctoral student in the herpetology section of the ZFMK, the surprise was "all the greater because the genetic data point to a third, hitherto completely unknown kind". Further studies have shown that the new species has distinct morphological differences: each of the three species has its own very special facial. "Integrative approaches combining morphology and state-of-the-art molecular genetic techniques are now essential to discover new species," explains Prof. Dr. Uwe Fritz, Director of the Museum für Tierkunde at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden.
The genus Malayemys now comprises three species of relatively small turtles with a maximum length of 22 cm, which inhabit shallow waters in the entire Southeast Asian lowland and appear to be regular cultural followers. "Even in rice fields, temples and canal systems in the middle of Bangkok or Siem Reap one can observe with some lucky turtles of the genus Malayemys" explains Ihlow.
"All three species are caught and traded in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos as foodstuffs, as well as for religious remedies, which means that the stocks are now at risk," explains Ihlow. Nevertheless, the two known species enjoy only a low protection status so far. "The re-description will have an impact on the status of protection, as this will reduce the spread of the species and the need to re-assess and evaluate it," says Ihlow. It also makes it clear that in the case of resettlement or rearing projects, it is important to ensure that "suitable animals" are used.
The spread of the newly described species Malayemys khoratensis appears to be confined to the Khorat Plateau in the north-east of Thailand. "We are currently assuming that M. khoratensis can only be found in the catchment area of fewer river systems", Timo Hartmann also explains the position of the doctoral student in the herpetology section of the ZFMK.