Notes on feeding habits and some morphological features of the Bostami turtle, Aspideretes nigricans (Anderson)

5 Pages·1995·3.1 MB·

by  Md Farid Ahsan

.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 457
December 23, 1992 C.J. FEARE1 1CentralScienceLaboratory(MAFF),
J.R. ALLAN1 TangleyPlace, Worplesdon, SurreyGU33LQ, U.K.
A GRETTUN2 2InternationalCouncilforBirdPreservation,FregateIsland,
Seychelles.
References
—
AliS. & S.D.Ripley(1972):HandbookofthebirdsofIndiaand Kang, N. (1992):Radiotelernetry inanurbanenvironment a
Pakistan.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress. studyofmynas (Acridotheresspp.)inSingapore.In:I.M.
Feare,C.J. (1976a):CommunalroostingofthemynahAcridotheres Priede&S.M.Swift(eds)Wildlifetelemetry. Proceedings
tristis.J.Bombaynat.Hist.Soc. 73: 525-527 ofthe 4th International Conference on Radiotelemetry.
Feare, C.J. (1976b): Desertion andabnormal developmentin a Chichester: EllisHarwood.
colonyofsootyternsinfestedwithvirus-infectedticks.Ibis Lever,C. (1987):NaturalizedbirdsoftheWorld.Harlow:Longman.
118: 112-115. Sengupta,S.(1982):TheCommonMyna. S.(hand & Co.,New
Greig-Smtih,P.W.(1982):Behaviourofbirdsenteringandleaving Delhi.
communal roosts of Madagascar Fodies Foudia Ward, P. & A. Zahavi (1973): The importance of certain
madagascariensisandIndianMynalisAcridotherestristis. assemblagesas“informationcentres”forfoodfinding.Ibis
Ibis124: 529-534. 775:517-534.
Hails,C.J. (1985): Birdpests, managementtechniques andthe Yom-Tov, Y. (1979): The disadvantage of low positions in
statusofbirdpestsinSingapore.J.SingaporeNat.Acad. communal roosts: an experiment to test the effects of
Sci. 14: 15-23. droppingsonplumagequality. Ibis121: 331-333.
20. FLYCATCHING BY SUNBIRDS NECTARINIA ASIATICA (LATHAM)
I happened to spend a week at Vazhachal R.F. 30-12-93. All three occasions were on mornings atabout
(Trissur District, Kerala) and was able to observe arather 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Frequently a pair of loten’s sunbird
remarkable behaviour among sunbirds. The immediate (Nectarinia lotenia) and a few Purple rumped sunbirds
environs of our quarters were mostly teak plantations, (Nectarinia zeylonica alsojoined the flycatching. Once
)
highly degraded secondary forest and a small riparian I counted 11 sunbirds of the three species sallying for
patch fringing the river. Here by the river side stood a insects. While the loten’s runbird and Purple rumped
largeXyliaxylocarpa tree, thecanopy ofwhich wasmore sunbird left after afew minutes, the four Purple sunbirds
or less completely draped with a climber (species stayed on assiduously intent on capturing insects. The
unidentified) in bloom. The blossoms attracted large birds were very vocal chittering excitedly. Rarelyone bird
numbers—of insects. Four Purple sunbirds (Nectarinia chased away another, but otherwise no aggressive
asiatica) three males ineclipseplumage and a solitary behaviour was observed.
female were seen on the tree. Every few seconds one of According to the handbook, Purple sunbirds do
them would launch an aerial sally, catch an insect and indulge in flycatching, but nothing is said regarding this
return to its perch. The method ofcapture was exactly in habit of either loten’s or Purple rumped sunbird. At
the typical flycatcher and the sunbirds seemed as adept Vazhachal I could observe all three species actively
and dexterous as flycatchers. Some insects were pursued engaged in flycatching. Itwas strange that not even once
for considerable distances before they were captured. were they observed probing the flowers ofthe creeperfor
Close scrutiny through binoculars revealed that the nectar, a favourite food of sunbirds.
sunbirds had a high percentage of success.
I was able to observe this interesting behaviour on May 28, 1994 MANOJ V. NAIR
three consecutive days, namely 28-12-93, 29-12-93 and 34, ThoppilNagar,Kumarapuram, Trivandrum,Kerala695Oil.
21. NOTES ON FEEDING HABITS AND SOME MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE BOSTAMI
TURTLE, ASPIDERETESNIGRICANS (ANDERSON)
(With a text-figure)
Introduction (kachim = turtle) after the Mohammedan shrine of
Sultan al-Arefin Hazrat Bayazid Bistami (locally
Aspideretes nigricans (Anderson), locally called pronounced Bostami) is endemic to Bangladesh. Little
‘gazari’, ‘madari’ or Bayazid Bostameer kachim is known about this species (see Khan 1980, 1982;
458 JOURNAL,BOMBAYNATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol.91 (1994)
Table1
ECONOMICSINVOLVEDINTHEFEEDINGOFTHEBOSTAMITURTLE
Bread(kg.) Banana(no.) Offal(kg.) Totalcost
offered/
sold eaten sold eaten eaten sold eaten
Dailysale(±SD) 65±47 24 1032± 313 271 0.63 _ _
Price(inTaka) 497 84 341 89 11.71 850 287
(inUS$) 17 6 11 3 0.39 28 9
Yearlysale(±SD) 23,531 8,783 376,680 98,915 330.00 - -
Price(inTaka) 181,405 67,708 124,304 32,642 5,610.00 311,319 105,960
(inUS$) 6,047 2,257 4,143 1,008 187.00 10,377 3,532
Results
Ahsan andHaque 1987, Ahsan etal. 1991, Ahsan and
Saeed 1989, 1992). This paper deals with food habits
Food Habitsand FeedingBehaviour: TheBostami
and feeding behaviour and economics of the species
and describes some morphological features. turtles are dependant on food supplied by visitors and
pilgrims.Themainfoodconsistsofbread,bananaandoffal;
Study Area and Methods but puffed rice, chapati, and cooked rice and meat, are
also occasionally offered. The turtles have no scheduled
situatTehdeabsopuetci6e.s5iksmresttoritchteednotortah-pwoensdtoatftCahcihtetdatgoonagsthroiwnne feeding time, but spend more time feeding in the mid-and
(22°1TNand91°09'E).Thestudywascarriedoutbetween dlaatye amlotrenrniantgelyanfdeeadfitnegrnaonodn.reTshtuisngtahbeoyvsepeorndunmdoesrtwoaftetrh.e
January and July 1984. The food habits and feeding
Proportion of time spent feeding; Of 15,933
behaviour were observed from the main platform of the
observations (1,938 for feeding) during 633 scanning over
pond. Feeding wasdefmedwhenanindividualwasactually
61 hours in 22 days, the turtle spent 12.2% ofday time in
seen swallowing a food item. The time spent in major
feeding.Thefoodinvolvedin37.4%ofthistimewasbread,
activities (feeding,resting,floating andmoving) werenoted 26.3% on bananaand 36.4% on offal.
forallfocalanimals.Feedingwasnotedforallfocalanimals Male and female turtles spent 65.2% and 34.8%,
(males and females separately) at intervals of 5 minute
59.4% and 40.6% and 63.8% and 36.4% oftime eating
scan samples. Each animalin each scan was considered as
bread, banana, and offal respectively. It thus appears that
oneobservation.Datawerecollectedfor2to3 daysaweek
males spend more time feeding than females.
from 0700 to 1800 hours randomly and only feeding is Economics offeeding: From the average amount of
described in this paper. Food assessment was done from
bread and banana sold daily from the 11 shops during
thedatacollectedbypersonalcommunication withthelocal January to July 1984, we estimated the yearly sale and
shops. Some ofthe offal (mainly cattle lung), fed to the cost (Table 1). The annual expenditure on food, including
turtles, is brought from outside the shrine area. Hence the offal whicharebroughtfromoutside,fortheBostamiturtle
Tquoanftiintdyouftedthheaisrfboeoednpersetfiemraetnecdewfreoomffveirseudalbroebasde,rvbaatniaonnas,. is about Taka 3,11,153 (= US $ 10,372) (Table 1). The
amount offoodeaten, especially bread and banana, by the
offal, puffed rice, cooked rice, and ‘chapati’ to the turtles turtles was nearly the same as the amount of time they
andobservedthatallthefoodoffered atatimeto theturtles spent feeding and therefore, their cost was also estimated
were not eaten except for offal. (Table 1). On the yearly ‘oros’ (death anniversary of the
Morphological features have been described from
saint), 10-15cattleareslaughteredandtheiroffalareoffered
livespecimens observed inthe pond. Osteologicalfeatures
to the turtles, the meat being eaten by the pilgrims, but
were studied from carapace, plastron and skulls collected
these have been excluded from the above estimate.
from the turtle burial ground on the bank ofthe Bayazid Morphology of Aspideretes nigricans Meylan
Bostami pond. Skeletal material has been deposited at (1987) has described the osteology of the speci:es. What
the Museum of the Zoology Department, Chittagong follows is a description of gross morphology. An
University.
ovipositing femalewas considered to beadult. Specimens
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 459
Table2
MEASUREMENTSOFTHEBOSTAM TURTLE
I
Parameters(cm) Adultmale Adultfemale
Curvedwidthofcarapace 52.85±9.08 44.50± 11.05
Straightwidthofcarapace 42.65±8.27 34.64±6.53
Shellheight 12.28±2.48 7.80± 1.03(nesting)
Straightlength 54.89±9.05 37.70±4.08(nesting)
Shellheight - 14.90±2.47(Non-nesting)
Straightlength - 60.25±5.74(Non-nesting)
Distancebetweenhindlimb 17.37±3.93 14.45±2.61 (Nesting)
23.95±2.11(Non-nesting)
Maximumlengthofcarapace 78 74
Maximumwidthofcarapace 66 68
Maximumwetbodyweight(kg) 54 50
much smaller in body size than ovipositing adults were
regarded as juveniles. At the caudal extremity of the
carapace, the cartilaginous flap is much extended. The
carapace is covered with soft skin. The carapace and
plastron areconnected bycartilaginousplates. Irrespective
of sex (n=100), the minimum and maximum values of
curved carapace length and width recorded were 39 and
78cm(mean62± 10.16), and33and71 cm(mean53.27
± 9.27) respectively (Ahsan and Saeed 1989). Generally
males are larger than females. Adult males and adult
females can be differentiated by the following characters
(mainly based on Ahsan and Saeed 1989): (1) Tail of
females shorter than that ofmales, the female cloaca not
protruding outside the carapace. (2) Carapace of females
more rounded than that ofmales (see Table 2). (3) Males
shell height is larger and smaller respectively than that
of ovulating and non-ovulating females1 (see Table 2).
(4) Mature males are larger and heavier than mature
females2 (see Table 2). In the larger specimens a deep
longitudinalgrooveis found inthemiddleofthecarapace
(common in large trionychids).
Osteological Features: Carapace Plastron and
Skull (Fig. la and lb): The carapace consists of eight
pairs ofcostals plates. Among these, the last one is most
developed and in contact throughout the median line.
There are two neurals between the first pair of costals.
The entire carapace is coarse and vermiculated. There
are eight neurals in the middle of the costals. The 8th
pair ofcostals touch each other and are connected with
the pygal plate. Neurals broad on the cranial side and
Fig. la.CarapaceandplastronofAspideretesnigricans 1 For measurementsgiveninitems3and4,tenspecimenseachof
1.Costal;2.Neural;3.Nuchal;4.Pygal;5.Entoplastron; ovulating andnon-ovulatingfemales, andmales wererandomly
6.Epiplastron;7.Hyoplastron;8.Hypoplastron; chosen.
9.Xiphiplastron 2MeasurementsafterAhsanandSaeed 1989.
460 JOURNAL,BOMBAYNATURAL HIST SOCIETY, Vol.91 (1994)
10
Fig. lb:SkullofAspideretesnigricans
1. Basioccipital; 2.Basiphenoid; 3.Exoccipital; 4.Frontal; 5. Jugal; 6.Maxillary;7.Opisthotic; 8.Parietal;9.Palatine;
10.Praemaxillary;11.Praefrontal;12.Prootic; 13.Pterygoid;14.Postfrontal; 15.Quadrate;16.Quadratojugal;
17.Supraoccipital; 18.Squamosal; 19.Vomer.
become narrower caudally around the costals. The throughout the year, varying daily, depending on the
plastronisverylargeandmoreorlesscross-shaped. Both number ofvisitors that offer food.
cranialandcaudalsides arebluntandparallelvertebrally. The Bostami turtle prefer lung and/or other offal to
Epiplastra narrowly separated from each other in front items like bread, banana and puffed-rice. Turtles were
of entoplastron.Hyoplastronandhypoplastronconnected recorded swallowing 25-30 medium sized pieces of lung
with each other looking like a single bone. Rostrum of (about 120 gm) within 10 mintues.
the skull is a little longer than the diameter of the It may be mentioned here that hundreds o—fpeople
orbit.The inter-orbital region in the adult is as broad as make a living in different ways from the shrine some
the nasal fossa. The post-orbital arch is one halfor less by selling turtle food, some as caretakers, and many others
than the diameter of the orbit. The alveolar surface of by begging from the visitors and pilgrims.
the upper jaw is flat, with a well-defined median
(maxillary) groove between them. Acknowledgements
Discussion
The Bayazid Bostami Dargah Committee allowed us
Food (bread, banana, offal, puffed-rice, etc.) is to work on the turtle and Mr. M. S. Alam, Ex-Chairman,
brought daily by the visitors and pilgrims to the shrine Department of Zoology, Chittagong University provided
and offered to the turtles from dawn to dusk. The necessary facilities. Drs. David J. Chivers, Department of
proportion of time spent in feeding is not constant Anatomy, University ofCambridge, Ian Swingland, Durell
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 461
InstituteofConservationand Ecology, UniversityofKent, March 21, 1994 MD. FARID AHSAN
MA. Gofur Khan, Department ofZoology, Chittagong MD. NURULHAQUE
University and Indraneil Das, Madras Crocodile Bank MD. ABU SAEED
Trust and an anonymous reviwer read the manuscript. DepartmentofZoology, UniversityofChittagong,
We are grateful to all of them. Chittagong4331, Bangladesh.
ReferENCES
Ahsan, M.F. & M.N.Haque (1987): Bostami kachim. Bangla Ahsan,M.F.&M.A.Saseed (1992): Someaspectsofthebreeding
AcademyBijjnanPotrica (inBangla). 13(2): 15-39. biology ofthe Bostami turtle, Aspideretes nigricans.
Ahsan,ME.,M.N.Haque&C.M.Fugler(1991):Observationson Hamadryad17.
Aspideretes nigricans (Anderson), a semi-domesticated Khan,M.A.R.(1980):A‘holy’turtleofBangladesh.Hombill4:7-11.
endemic species of eastern Bangladesh.Amphibia Reptilia Khan, M.A.R. (1982): Chelonians of Bangladesh and their
12: 131-136. conservation.J.Bombaynat.Hist.Soc 79(1): 110-116.
Ahsan, M.F. & M.A. Saeed (1989): The Bostami turtle, Trinonyx Meylan,PA.(1987):Thephylogeneticrelationshipsofsoft-shelled
nigricansAnderson: populationstatus, distribution, historical turtles(FamilyTrionychidae).Bull.AmericanMus.nat.Hist.
backgroundandlength-weightrelationship.J.Bombaynat.Hist. 186: 1-101.
Soc.86(1):1-6.
22. OCCURRENCE OFTHE INDIAN BLACK TURTLEMELANOCHELYS TRIJUGA IN SIMBALBARA
SANCTUARY, HIMACHAL PRADESH
— —
The Indian black turtle or pond terrapin Acacia catechu Boswellia serrata associates.
(Melanochelys trijuga) is one of the most common and On 18thApril1993,oneoftheauthors(A.P.)collected
widespread of the Indian freshwater turtles. Seven a specimen ofMelanochelys trijuga in the sal forest. This
m
subspecies have been described, of which four are specimen was found about 10 from aperennial stream
distributed within Indian limits, namelypeninsular black at around 14:15 hours (alt. 450 m.s.l.). The turtle, amale
turtle (M. t. trijuga). Cochin black turtle (M.l. coronata), was apparently feeding when first located in athick layer
Bangladesh black turtle (M.t. indopeninsularis) and Sri of sal leaves. It was photographed and released. The
Lankan black turtle (M.t. thermalis). The others, namely posterior marginals were broken indicating a possible
the Burmese black turtle (M.t. edeniana), Parker’s black attempt ofpredation on this individual. The turtle excreted
turtle (M.t. parkeri) and Thai black turtle (M.t. wiroti) on being handled, the faeces showing remains of leaves,
are distributed in Burma, Sri Lanka and Thailand, ants and crustaceans. The turtle was active and moving
respectively. Daniel(1983) reportedMelanochelys trijuga although the temperature was 41° C.
to be apeninsular species (below 20° N latitudes), with a On 6th June 1993, the second author (TJ.) collected
possibility of it occurring further northwards. However, andphotographedanotherlivespecimenofthesamespecies.
more recent surveys have revealed that it is distributed This individual was also an adult male and was located
as far as north-west Bihar (Valmiki Nagar, West around 5 m from a stream, covered with sal leaves. The
Champaran; Moll and Vijaya 1986), Nepal (Royal specimenhadabrokenmarginalscaleandwasfoundc. one
Chitwan National Park; Dinerstein et al. 1987) and in kilometre upstream from where the former specimen was
north-eastern India (Assam and Meghalaya; Das 1990). located. Its morphometric measurements were as follows:
In this paper, we report the occurrence ofMelanochelys straight carapace length: 194 mm, straightcarapace width:
trijuga in Simbalbara Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh. 142mmandshellheight:68mm.Enquirieswithlocalsabout
Simbalbarais a 19 sq. km sanctuary which lies in the the frequency ofits sightings, revealed that this species is
Shiwalik region (Outer Himalaya) in Sirmaur District of common allalong the edge ofthe river and in the forested
Himachal Pradesh. The sanctuary is covered by moist regions with streams and pools, in Simbalbara Sanctuary.
salbearingforests (Type3C/C ofChampionandSeth 1968) The seven subspecies that are currently
2
and is the westernmost limit of sal (Shorea robusta) recognized, are differentiated predominantly on head
distributioninIndia. Thevalleysandlow-lyingreverineareas coloration. Although the head was blackish in colour,
have sal fore—sts dominated by Shorea robusta - Ougeinia no distinct characteristics for subspecific identification
ougeinensis Buchanania lanzanassociates, whereas, the were observed. Moll and Vijaya (1986) had indicated
hills have mixed forests dominated byAnogeissus latifolia that the subspecies M.t. indopeninsularis may be