THE NATIONAL RED LIST OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Western Caspian Turtle

Mauremys rivulata

Macedonian

Речна желка

Albanian

Breshkujzë

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Not evaluated Data deficient Least concern Near threatened VULNERABLE Endangered Critically endangered Extinct in the wild Extinct
NE DD LC NT VU EN CR EW EX
Taxonomy
Assessment info
Population
Habitat and Ecology
Threats
Use and Trade
Conservation Actions
Bibliography

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Mauremys rivulata

Authority

(Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833)

Synonyms

Emys rivulata Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833

Assessment info

IUCN Red List Category and Criteria

VU – Vulnerable, B1ab(i,ii,iii)

Date assessed

November 2019

Assessors

Sterijovski, B.

Arsovski, D.

Reviewers

Tomović, L.

Contributors

/

Facilitators

Hofman, M.P.G.

Justification

Despite a low area of occupancy (AOO) of 116 km2, this species is likely more evenly distributed across its extent of occurrence (EOO – 5.654 km2), since it is quite difficult to spot in the field (often requires special traps in order to be observed). Nevertheless, its freshwater habitats are under serious threats: severe habitat conversion and destruction that fragment terrapin populations have been observed in Monospitovo (Melovski et al. 2008) and Katlanovo marsh. Consequently, it was assessed as Vulnerable.
It has not been evaluated on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, but according to the Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group draft assessment it is Least Concern (LC, Mantziou and Rifai 2014).

Population

Current population trend

Decreasing

Description

Due to the lack of monitoring studies, the national population size is not known. Nevertheless, this species distribution and population quality are dependent on freshwater ecosystems such as rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands that are under serious threat, globally, and therefore its populations are likely decreasing.

Habitat and Ecology

System

Terrestrial, Freshwater (=Inland waters)

Habitat and Ecology

Can be found in a wide range of freshwater habitats, but prefers slow-running waters. It is very tolerant to polluted water. Mating takes place in spring and females lay four to 12 eggs in early summer (Mantziou & Rifai 2014; Speybroeck et al. 2016).

Use and trade

Use and trade

No use/trade information for this species: true

Is there harvest from captive/cultivated sources of this species? No

Trend in level of total offtake from wild sources: Unknown

Trend in level of total offtake from domesticated sources: Not cultivated

Threats

Threats

Drying of suitable habitats is likely the biggest threat (for Monospitovo marsh see Melovski et al. 2008). Additionally, the pet trade and road mortality of gravid females looking for egg-laying sites can substantially affect populations. Larger introduced alien Trachemys scripta already observed in the Skopje valley (Katlanovo marsh; unpublished data) can outcompete M. rivulata in the fight for resources and threaten their populations. Most threats listed for this species are included in the list of priority threats to biological diversity in the “NATIONAL Strategy for biodiversity of Republic of Macedonia” (Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, 2018).

Conservation actions

Conservation actions

It is listed on Annex II of the Bern Convention and on Annex II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. It appears on the list of nationally protected wild species.

Bibliography

Bibliography

Sillero, N., Campos, J., Bonardi, A., Corti, C., Creemers, R., Crochet, P.-A., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Denoël, M., Ficetola, G.F., Gonçalves, J., Kuzmin, S., Lymberakis, P., de Pous, P., Rodríguez, A., Sindaco, R., Speybroeck, J., Toxopeus, B., Vieites, D.R., Vences, M. 2014. Updated distribution and biogeography of amphibians and reptiles of Europe. .p 1-31.

Melovski, Lj., Ivanov, Gj., Angelova, N., Velevski, M., Hristovski, S. 2008. Monospitovsko blato. Poslednoto mocuriste vo Makedonija. Opstina Bosilovo. Bosilovo. .p 56.

Sterijovski, B., Tomović, L., Ajtić, R. 2014. Contribution to the knowledge of the Reptile fauna and diversity in FYR of Macedonia. .p 83–92.

Ministry of environment and physical planning. 2018. National biodiversity strategy and action plan : for the period 2018 – 2023. Ministry of environment and physical planning. Skopje. .p 183.

Speybroeck, J. Beuckema, W., Bok, B., Voort, J.V.D. 2016. Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc London . .p/.

Beshkov, V. 2015. Red data book of the republic of Bulgaria. Animals
Melovski, Lj., Markoski, B., Hristovski, S., Jovanovska, D., Anastasovski, V., Klincharov, S., Velevski, M., Velkovski, N., Trendafilov, A., Matevski, V., Kostadinovski, M., Karadelev, M., Levkov, Z., Kolchakovski, D. 2013. Regional division of the Republic of Macedonia for the needs of biological databases . .p 81-111.

Gasc, J-P., Cabela, A., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Dolmen, D., Grossenbacher, K., Haffner, P., Lescure, J., Martens, H., Martinez-Rica, J.P., Maurin, H., Oliveira, M.L., Sofianidou, T.S., Veith, M., Zuiderwijk, A. 1997. Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe Societas Europaea Herpetologica & Museum Nationall d’ Histoire Naturelle (IEGB/SPN). Paris. .p 496.

Mantziou, G., Rifai, L. 2014. Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vincent 1833) – Western Caspian Turtle, Balkan Terrapin. .p/.