Fishes - Home

turtles and is said to be particularly abundant in the vicinity of the
Andamans and off the coast of Ceylon. The Ridley is known to breed
along the Bombay coast and there are records of their laying eggs on
Marve beach, Malad, during the monsoon. The young when hatched are
uniform dark brown or blackish above and paler below. Ridleys feed
mainly on crustacea and molluscs.
The family Emydidae includes the freshwater tortoises and terrapins,
distinguished from land tortoises by their more or less flattened limbs and
webbed toes. Two species occur in Maharashtra. The pond
tortoiseGeomyda trijuga(Schweigger) is found throughout the State in
streams, ponds and other suitable areas. In colour the carapace is dark
brown to blackish in the adult. The young are brighter above sometimes
yellow. Omnivorous, but in the wild thrive mainly on plants and fishes.
The eggs are laid in a hole about 80 mm. deep near water, to which the
young move on hatching. Incubation is approximately two months.
Reaches a shell length of 220 mm, breadth 150 mm. and depth of 80 mm.
Another species found in the Mahanadi, Godavari and probably the
Krishna river systems isKachuga tectum tentoria(Gray). Usually the young
have small black dots and an orange or red vertebral streak but with age
the shell becomes darker and markings less conspicuous. A well defined
red patch occurs behind the ear. It is believed to feed on vegetable matter
and is very active in its movements. The flesh is alleged to be poisonous.
Members of the familyTestudinidae,Land Tortoises, can be easily
separated from the freshwater tortoises or terrapins by the cylindrical
limbs, domed shell, and absence of web between the digits. A single
species Testudo elegans Schoepff, the Star Tortoise occurs in Maharashtra.
Attains a length of 250 mm. with a breadth of 160 mm. and depth of 120
mm. The females are larger than the males. The shell is black above with
yellow aureola on the vertebral and costal shields from which yellow
stripes radiate. Nocturnal, it feeds principally on grass, fallen fruits or
flowers, but animal matter is also taken. Eggs are laid in holes scraped out
by the female near vegetation and so well covered with earth that it is
difficult to locate the spot. The Starred Tortoise occurs throughout central
FAUNA 625