Golden thread turtle
The Chinese stripe-necked turtle (Mauremys sinensis) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. It is one of the two most commonly found species used for divination that have been recovered from Shang dynasty sites, despite the Shang capital being over 1000 km north of its modern-day distribution range.
The Chinese-stripe-necked turtle has a green body. As a juvenile, its carapace is grayish green and there are three distinctive ridges. As an adult, the color fades to a brown color and the two ridges gradually disappear. The plastron is ivory in color with small black spots. The male's tail is more coarse and long, while adult females will be larger than the males.
Chinese stripe-necked turtles are found in China (Hainan, Guangdong & Fujian), Taiwan, and northern and central Vietnam. They prefer lowland waters such as ponds, canals, and slow-moving rivers.
Chinese stripe-necked turtles are usually solitary but may gather in groups when basking on logs. They are very powerful swimmers and spend much of their time in water.
Chinese stripe-necked turtles are omnivores. They eat grass and other plants, flowers, small insects, and their larvae.
Little is known about the reproductive behavior of Chinese stripe-necked turtles. After mating, the females are known to lay 5-20 eggs that hatch in about 60 days. They don't provide any parental care after the eggs have been laid. Young Chinese stripe-necked turtles become reproductively mature when they are about 5-7 years old.
The main threats to Chinese stripe-necked turtles include habitat loss, pollution, collection for the pet trade and for consumption. In Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan, and in some other countries, it is a popular pet turtle. Another reason that affects the species population is the invasion of Red-eared sliders.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Chinese stripe-necked turtle total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.