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Mauremys mutica mutica

Basic information
Scientific name Mauremys mutica mutica

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ミナミイシガメ
Common names Asian brown pond turtle
Higher taxon Geoemydidae, Testudines, Reptilia
Natural range Vietnam, southeastern continental China, and Taiwan. Another subspecies M. m. kami is distributed in Yaeyama Islands, southern Japan.
Habitat Pond, swamp, small slow stream. Artificial freshwater environment such as rice field or agricultural drain.
Invasion information
Range in Japan This subspecies is established in Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga Prefs., and Iheyajima Island (Okinawa Islands). This species (subspecies unknown) is also established in Chiba Pref. (Inbanuma Pond), Akusekijima (Tokara Islands), Kitadaitojima (Daito Islands), and Kerama Islands (Zamamijima and Tonakijima Is.). Range in Japan
Origin Taiwan
Date Kyoto, Osaka, Shiga, and Akusekijima populations were established in 1930 or earlier. Other island populations may be established in 1980s or later.
Route Deliberate: Release or escape of pet animals.
Impact Hybridization, competition, and predation.
Native organism(s) affected: Native geoemydid turtles such as Mauremys japonica. Hybridization often occur between different species or genera of geoemydid turtles. There is an evidence of hybridization between this subspecies and M. japonica
Regulation in Japan Mauremys mutica is listed in CITES Appendix II.
Introduced range in other countries None.
Reference Notes
  • Ecol Soc Jpn (ed) (2002) Handbook of Alien Species in Japan. Chijinshokan, Tokyo (in Jpn)
  • Kobayashi & Hasegawa (2005) Establishment of the exotic turtle Mauremys mutica in the Inbanuma basin, Chiba prefecture. Bull Herpetol Soc Japan. 2005(2), 150-154 (in Jpn with Englis abst)
  • Maenosono & Toda (2007) Distribution of amphibians and terrestrial reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago: A review of published records. Akamata. 18, 28-46 (in Jpn)
  • Ota et al. (2004) Feral population of amphibians and reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Global Environmental Research. 8(2):133-143
  • Sengoku et al. (eds) (1996) The Encyclopedia of Animals in Japan 5 Amphibians, Reptiles, Chondrichthyes. Heibonsha, Tokyo (in Jpn)