Tomistoma schlegelii (Muller, 1838)

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 : 244

Tomistoma schlegelii (M̧ller, 1838)— Non-native; Introduced.

False Gharial

Singapore records.

Tomistoma schlegeli —Sharma, 1973: 233.—L.M. Chou & Lam, 1989: 92.

Tomistoma schlegelii —K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 56.—K.P. Lim & Subharaj, 1991b: 5 (Pasir Ris canal).—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 43, 151.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 151.—D.C.J. Yeo & C.S.W. Chia, 2010: 35.—Pocklington, 2019: 8.

“Baby crocodile”— Anonymous, 1991a: 2 (Pasir Ris).

Remarks. Although often rumoured to occur in Singapore, primarily through the escape or release of farmed individuals (Sharma 1973; Pocklington 2021), only one record of T. schlegelii in Singapore is known. The record is of a juvenile found in Pasir Ris canal believed to be released by animal dealers evading a check by Singapore Customs at sea on 14 May 1991 ( Anonymous 1991a; Lim & Subharaj 1991). Tomistoma schlegelii occurs naturally in Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo ( Bezuijen et al. 2010).

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. No specimens.

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Order Testudines Batsch, 1788 (19 species)

Family Carettochelyidae Boulenger, 1887 (1 species)

Genus Carettochelys Ramsay, 1886 (1 species)