Elusor River Turtle

Introduction

Elusor novum, commonly known as Elusor River turtles, is the evolved species from the Mary River turtle of Mary River, southeast Queensland, Australia, in order to save them from extinction over the past hundred years. Mary River turtle was “the only member of its genius,” and became “evolutionarily distinct 40 million years ago” ("Mary River Turtle" 2019).

Mary River Turtles had a pig-like nose, big nostrils, large flippers, and hair-like algae growing on top of its head (Sartore 2019), and Elusor River turtles have inherited the same characteristics. Mary River turtles were going extinct due to human disturbance to their natural habitat by dam construction ("Mary River Turtle: Elusor macrurus") and also because it took the species a long time to reach maturity for reproduction, while the juveniles were getting sold off as pets (Sartore 2019) before they could mature, mate and reproduce.

Since 2018, efforts have been made by scientists and environmental activists to genetically alter Mary River turtle species by horizontal gene transfer (Nosowitz 2019), resulting in a beneficially hybridized Elusor River turtle species which can now be found all over the world.

Etymology

The Latin name for the Elusor River turtle is Elusor Novum. The word “elusor” was retained from the Latin name of Mary River turtle, which was Elusor macrurus ("Elusor macrurus — Mary River Turtle, Mary River Tortoise"). Elusor means to escape notice of (Uetz & Hallermann "Elusor macrurus"), because for a long time the original Mary River turtles were unknown and elusive to the world, being formally discovered in 1990 and categorized in 1994 (Burke 2019). The word “novum” indicates the newly adapted species that can withstand the modern dangers which were threatening the previous Mary River species of extinction.

Habitat and Population

Elusor River turtles live with a group of its kind. As Mary River turtles, they were endemic to the Mary River in Queensland, Australia, but they are now found in and around rivers all over the world as the Elusor River turtles.

Although the Elusor River turtle eggs are hunted by birds, dogs, foxes, and snakes, hatchlings, juveniles and adult turtles are not hunted as a food source by any predators due to their evolution making them not edible. Exact population is unknown due to continued increase in their number, but they are safe from extinction.

Females reach maturity approximately at 10 years (previously 25 years), whereas males reach maturity approximately at 13 years (previously 30 years). They nest at night on moist sand, and female lays 100-125 eggs in a season (previously 12-25), which happens during mid-October to the end of November. Their incubation period is approximately 25 days (previously 50). Hatchlings come out during the months of December through February. Elusor River turtles’ life span is approximately 80 years.

History

Elusor macrurus was a very rare species as “the only member of its genus,” which became “evolutionarily distinct 40 million years ago” ("Mary River Turtle" 2019).

Elusor novum, like Elusor macrurus, belong to the same Family Chelidae: Testudines: Reptilla: Chordata: Animalia ("Elusor macrurus — Mary River Turtle, Mary River Tortoise").

The Elusor macrurus habitat was disrupted by dam construction and the turtles were sold and bought as common pets (Sartore 2019). Due to the decline in their numbers since the 1970’s ("Mary River Turtle: Elusor macrurus"), the Australian government decided to declare to protect the species.

Since then, scientists and environmental activists have effectively increased the survival and reproductive rates of the Mary River turtles by mating them with the Mud turtles of the U.S., as the newly created Elusor novum.

Evolution

Elusor River turtles retained similar anatomy and physiology as their ancestor species of the Mary River, however biologically they have evolved to withstand human disruptions and to have faster reproductive cycles. They are unique in that they use bimodal respiration: meaning the ability to absorb oxygen through cloaca, under water, as well as breathing normally, by coming up to the surface to breathe ("Mary River Turtle" 2019).

Elusor River turtles are omnivores, and eat algae, grass, leaves, small insects and their eggs. Although Mary River turtles were known to be aggressive at times ("Mary River Turtle" 2019), the Elusor River turtles are mild-mannered and generally peaceful toward other turtle species.

Elusor novum are the result of the mating between the Elusor macrurus and the Kinosternon sebrubrum, commonly known as the Mud turtle (Zug "Reproduction" 2019) of the genus Kinosternon from the U.S., chosen after much research to be most compatible and effective to adapting the Mary River turtle species for faster reproductive cycles due to their smaller size and to the modern environmental surroundings due to their ability to survive on land (Zug "Mud Turtle" 2018).

Summary

Elusor River turtles were created by a group of dedicated scientists and environmental activists in order to save the Mary River turtles that were at the brink of extinction in 2018. Over the past one hundred years, the Mary River turtles were encouraged to mate with another turtle species, hybridizing the Mary River turtles for better adaptation to the modern hazards caused by humans with dam construction destroying natural habitats and food resources and poaching of the nest/eggs/young turtles for sale. By mating with the U.S. Mud turtles, the Mary River turtles reproductive cycles were significantly shortened with faster reproductive maturity, higher egg production and shorter incubation period. The newly created turtles were better able to live and find food source above water, such as the Mud turtles. Although the physiology has not changed in terms of attractiveness, environmental activists were able to effectively promote the unique features inherited from the Mary River turtles and gain public support. At present time in 2118, Elusor River turtles are safe from extinction and can be found all over the world.

Works Cited

Burke, Louise. “The Unlikely Story of the 'Punk Turtle'.” The National, The National, 6 Mar. 2019, https://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/the-unlikely-story-of-the-punk-turtle-1.833693.

“Elusor Macrurus — Mary River Turtle, Mary River Tortoise.” Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of Environment and Energy, Australia, http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=64389.

“Mary River Turtle.” Plant a Tree For Me, The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, https://www.plantatreeforme.org.au/animalswall/mary-river-turtle.

“Mary River Turtle.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Sept. 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_River_turtle.

“Mary River Turtle: Elusor Macrurus.” EDGE of Existence, Zoological Society of London, http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/mary-river-turtle/.

Nosowitz, Dan. “Some Mice Have Become Immune to Poison Through Natural but Highly Unusual Evolution.” Popular Science, Popular Science, 18 Mar. 2019, https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-07/some-mice-have-become-immune-poison-through-natural-highly-unusual-evolution/.

Sartore, Joel. “Turtle With Green Mohawk Faces Extinction.” Mary River Turtle Added to Endangered Reptile List, National Geographic, 20 Aug. 2019, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/04/mary-river-turtle-green-mohawk-endangered-animals-spd/.

Uetz, Peter, and Jakob Hallermann. “Elusor Macrurus.” The Reptile Database, Zoological Museum Hamburg, http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Elusor&species=macrurus.

Zug, George R. “Mud Turtle.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 Feb. 2018, https://www.britannica.com/animal/mud-turtle.

Zug, George R. “Reproduction.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 30 Aug. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/animal/turtle-reptile/Reproduction.