Testudines

Aloufi, Abdulhadi A., Amr, Zuhair S., Abu Baker, Mohammad A. & Hamidan, Nashat, 2019, Diversity and conservation of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine reptiles and amphibians in Saudi Arabia, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 204) 13 (2), pp. 181-202 : 189-190

Testudines

Two species of freshwater turtles belonging to two families have been recorded from Saudi Arabia: Pelomedusa barbata ( Pelomedusidae, Petzold et al. 2014 ) and Mauremys caspica ( Geoemydidae, Gasperetti et al. 1993 ; Vamberger et al. 2013). Alqahtani (2017) published a detailed account on the status and distribution of P. subrufa (= Pelomedusa barbata ) in Saudi Arabia.

Five species of marine turtles in two families ( Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae ) are known to occur in the Red Sea ( Ross 1985; Gasperetti et al. 1993; Al-Merghani et al. 2000; Pilcher et al. 2014; Mancini et al. 2015). The Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas , and the Hawksbill Turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata , are considered as the most common species in the Red Sea ( Fig. 6 ), where they feed and nest ( PERSGA 2004).

Figures

Fig. 6. Marine turtles of Saudi Arabia. (A) Eretmochelys imbricata. (B) Chelonia mydas. Photos by A. Al Mansi.