Batagur borneoensis (Schlegel & Muller, 1844)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 74-75

Batagur borneoensis (Schlegel & M̧ller, 1844)— Native; Indeterminate.

Emys borneoensis Schlegel & M̧ller 1845: 30. Syntypes (2): RMNH.RENA.3296 and 6210, by original designation; originally three syntypes, with the third apparently lost, “[t]he third specimen probably was exchanged with one of the large European museums” ( Hoogmoed et al. 2010: 166). Type locality: “Borneo”, East Malaysia or Indonesia.

Painted Terrapin

( Figures 8H & 9A )

Singapore records.

Callagur picta — Hanitsch, 1899: 12 (“Seranggong Road Police Station” [Serangoon).—Ridley, 1899: 205.—Hanitsch, 1908: 39.— Hanitsch, 1912b: 14.

Callagur borneensis — de Rooij, 1915: 289–291.

Callagur borneoensis —N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 168.—D.C.J. Yeo & C.S.W. Chia, 2010: 35.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 168.

Batagur borneoensis —T.H. Ng & Lim, 2010: 119, 121, 122 (Upper Seletar Reservoir).—M.E.Y. Low & Pocklington, 2019: 326.

“ Callagur ” —P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 480.

Remarks. Batagur borneoensis is considered extirpated from Singapore (Ng & Lim 2010). However, some works do not list Singapore as part of its range ( Auliya 2007; TTWG 2021). Hanitsch (1899) first reported on the occurrence of B. borneoensis in Singapore in the form of a live individual captured on 3 January 1899 near the Serangoon Road Police Station. He expressed that the Raffles Museum had two preserved specimens, but that his specimen represented the first authentic record. The LKCNHM currently has four additional specimens, all of which the localities are unknown and only two that are dated. In addition, there is one specimen at NHMUK, also with no data. Later, Hanitsch (1908) described B. borneoensis as the largest and rarest tortoise in Singapore. Based on the only dated museum record, it appears that 16 December 1961 was the last documented year of B. borneoensis in Singapore. Three more recent records of B. borneoensis were of released individuals seen at UPR on 15 June 2002 (Ng & Lim 2010), Circuit Road on 18 August 2013 (ACRES pers. comm.), and Punggol Beach on 9 September 2021 ( Fig 9A ). As B. borneoensis inhabits tidal areas of medium to large rivers and nests on beaches ( Dunson & Moll 1980), it is likely that it has been extirpated from Singapore given the damming of rivers to create reservoirs and the loss of beaches due to development land reclamation. In performing species distribution modelling, Tan et al. (2022) identified SBWR as suitable habitat for B. borneoensis .

Occurrence. Only known from one record and one museum specimen predating 1899. Likely extirpated.

Singapore conservation status. Not Evaluated.

Conservation priority. Immediate priority, if rediscovered.

IUCN conservation status. Critically Endangered [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality) : BMNH 1913.7 .25.1 (no date); ZRC.2.122– ZRC.2.123 (16-Dec-1961), ZRC.2.175– ZRC.2.176AB (no date), ZRC.2.229 (no date).

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Singapore localities. Serangoon Road*—Upper Seletar Reservoir*.

Figures

FIGURE 8. A) Caretta caretta, B) Chelonia mydas, C) Eretmochelys imbricata, D) Lepidochelys olivacea, E) Dermochelys coriacea, F) Dermochelys coriacea, G) Trachemys scripta, and H) Batagur borneoensis. Photographs by: Halvard Aas Midtun [A], Marcus A.H. Chua [B], Karenne Tun [C], Ashesh Rathor [D], Tan Heok Hui [E], Alastair Rae [F], Holly Siow [G], and Kelvin K.P. Lim [H].

FIGURE 9. A) Batagur borneoensis, B) Cuora amboinensis, C) Cyclemys dentata, D) Heosemys grandis, E) Heosemys spinosa, F) Notochelys platynota, G) Siebenrockiella crassicollis, and H) Amyda cartilaginea. Photographs by: Marjorie Chong [A], Law Ing Sind [B], Nick Baker [C, F], Joys Tan [D], Kelvin K.P. Lim [E], Marcus A.H. Chua [G], and Alex Figueroa [H].