Pelodiscus sinensis

Pupina, Aija & Pupins, Mihails, 2016, First Records Of New Aquatic Predator Pelodiscus Sinensis (Wiegmann 1835) In Latvia And Preliminary Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Invasion For Autochthonic Emys Orbicularis (Linnaeus 1758), Acta Biologica Universitatis Daugavpiliensis 16 (1), pp. 61-76 : 65-68

Pelodiscus sinensis and Emys orbicularis in Latvia

The P.sinensis in all cases were found not more than 30 km from known higher plausibility (found

65

by authors or described by photo) findings of E.orbicularis in Latvia.

The P.sinensis #PeSi0001 was found in a distance of 18 km to the Emys orbicularis finding #EmOr0028 (all the numbers according to authors Emys orbicularis data base for Latvia) in Jelgava city, where other findings are known also.

The P.sinensis #PeSi0002 was registered in a distance of 30 km to the Emys orbicularis finding #EmOr0015 in 2003 (Madonas novads, Jumurdas pagasts). Found old adult female Emys

Pupina A., Pupins M.

orbicularis with carapace length 196 mm that was looking for eggs-laying place near to fish ponds and laid 7 eggs the next day after catching.

The P.sinensis #PeSi0003 was found in 2014 in the habitat of historical finding #EmOr0001 of Emys orbicularis in 1984 in Latvia, Daugavpils. The found Emys orbicularis was an old adult female with carapace length on 210 mm, which laid 12 eggs in two days after catching and was kept for 24 years in a breeding group of Latgales Zoo till its death in 2008 ( Fig.13 ). Three more verified Emys orbicularis findings in Daugavpils novads in a distance not more than 10 km are known also.

Figures

Fig.13. Old adult female of Emys orbicularis from the habitat, where Pelodiscus sinensis #PeSi0003 was found in 2014 (Daugavpils, Latvia) (Photo: 2003).