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CITES: Appendix II since February 13, 2003

Identification Sheet 034

NOTE: Scientists know very little about this endangeredturtle. Because it is so rare,there could be a highdemand for this turtle in thepet trade. Your role is criticalto stop illegal shipments of Siebenrockiella leytensis .

in adults thekeel is faintor absent

distinctivefan-shapedvertebral scutes

plastron distinctly smallerthan the carapace

deep notches atfront and at back

juveniles: yellowadults: reddish to dark brownor black with some palerblotches

reddish brownto black

brown todark brown head

sometimes with lighter brown/redspots behind the eyes

back and front edge of marginalscutes may be serrated

may have small yellow spot on each side of the lower jaw

some large scaleson back of head

hookedupper jaw

white to pale yellow striperunning from one ear overthe back of the headto the other ear

back legs and tail areuniform light brown

webbed toeson all feet

maximum carapace length: 210 mm

marginal scutes at frontof turtle are larger thanthose at the back

3-4 enlarged scales onupper parts of front legs

lighter colour onthe sides and chin

front legs are dark brown onthe front and lighter behind

Swiss CITES Management Authority

Carapace Plastron

Similar Species: Orlitia borneensis and Siebenrockiella crassicollis are the only other turtles with fan-shapedtriangular vertebral scutes, but neither has the yellow band over the head.

Siebenrockiella leytensisCommon Names: (E) Philippine Pond Turtle,

Philippine Forest Turtle, Leyte Pond Turtle(F) Hosmyde de Leyte

(S) Tortuga de Estanque Filipina

Scientific Name: Siebenrockiella leytensisSubspecies: None knownSynonyms: Heosemys leytensis, Geoemyda leytensis

GlossaryCarapace: a hard outer covering that is composed of fused dorsal plates (scutes)Keel: a projecting ridge along the middle of the carapaceMarginal scutes: the scutes composing the edge of the carapaceVertebral scutes: the row of scutes running down the middle of the backPlastron: the ventral part of the shell of a turtleScute: a horny plate on the carapace of a turtle

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Wildlife Enforcement Directorate

Countries Targeted

Countries of Origin: Philippines

Countries of Import: None

Countries of Export: None

Parts and DerivativesCarapace and plastron, and fragments of these, are usedin Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) [in the form of rawingredients including carapace and plastron pieces, capsules/pills, medicine balls, powders and liquids]. This turtle is alsoused for meat, and its carapace can be boiled to produceturtle jelly.

Please be vigilant when encountering such items.

Inspection Considerations

As this species is listed under Appendix II, the shipment mustbe accompanied by a CITES export/re-export permit issued bythe exporting/re-exporting country. Trade is allowed.

While you proceed with the physical inspection of live turtleshipments, pay special attention to the country of origin of theturtles as described on permits and invoices. Specimens canbe concealed in shipments of non-CITES species.

Transportation Considerations

Refer to the requirements governing the transport of live animalsdescribed in Live Animals Regulations (Container Requirement43). See References .

References

Bonin, Frank, Bernard Devaux, and Alain Dupr. 1996. Toutesles Tortues du Monde. Lausanne: Delachaux et Niestl. 192.

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Speciesof Wild Fauna and Flora). [online]. [cited 20 July 2005].World Wide Web: .

Diesmos, Arvin C., Genevieve V. A. Gee, Mae L. Diesmos,Rafe M. Brown, Peter J. Wismann, and Judeline C. Dimalibot.2004. Rediscovery of the Philippine Forest Turtle, Heosemysleytensis (Chelonia; Bataguridae), from Palawan IslandPhilippines. Asiatic Herpetological Research Vol. 10: 22-27.

Ernst, C. H., R. Barbour. 1989. Turtles of the World. Washington,D.C,: Smithsonian Institution Press. 158.

Live Animal Regulations. 30th ed. Montral: International AirTransport Association. 2003.

Schmidt, Fabian. 2005. Heosemys leytensis. CITESIdentification Manual. Vol. 3. Jean-Pierre Biber and PeterDollinger, Eds. Geneva: Secretariat of the Convention onInternational Trade in Endangered Species.

We would like to send our most sincere thanks to Stephen Nashof the CITES Secretariat in Geneva, for helping us make thisidentification sheet possible.

For more information on identification sheets, please visitwww.ec.gc.ca/enforcement

Siebenrockiella leytensis

Identification Sheet 034