Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtle
Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House
Did You Know?
- Yellow-spotted river turtles are side-necked turtles; they cannot hide their heads in their shells.
- They are born with big yellow spots, but those shrink as the turtles grow. Females eventually lose their spots altogether.
- These are long-lived turtles. Some have been known to live up to 70 years.
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Overview
Scientific Name: Podocnemis unifilis
Class: Reptiles
Diet: Vegetation and Small Animals
Range: Amazonian South America
Endangered Status: Vulnerable
More Information
Yellow-spotted river turtles are among the largest turtles in South America. They are native to the Amazon River and its tributaries and get their name from yellow head markings found on males and juvenile females. They are otherwise gray. Females are larger, growing to 27 inches long and 6.5 pounds in weight.
These turtles are most active in mid-morning and afternoon. They tend to avoid fast-moving water. Males court females by nipping their feet and tails. Females lay 15–25 eggs in shallow nests dug into riverbanks, and those eggs are incubated for two months. Young yellow-spotted turtles are smaller than a quarter at birth.
