Williams Toad-headed Turtle

Description:

Also known as the Williams South American Sideneck Turtle. This is a medium sized fresh water turtle. These specimens were approx 25-35cm (10"-1'2") shell length and 12-15cm (5"-6") shell width. It is a side necked turtle (it withdraws its head and neck buy moving it sideways under its shell), its has characteristic yellow/orange irregular stripping on the dorsal side of its shell and striking yellow, black and red strips along its neck and head. Only first described in 1983 by Rhodin and Mittermeier.

Habitat:

The species is found in SE Brazil and adjacently in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. It appears to like fast running stoney streams and rivers and hasnt been recorded in still lakes and ponds from the research that I have done. These specimens were found just on the Argentinian side of Iguassu Falls in fast moving water. The first image is of a turtle sitting on the footing of a bridge in the river.

Notes:

Due to the fact that this species has only relatively recently been described, literature on the subject is hard to find. One interesting thing I dug up however is that these turtles are thought to be bottom feeders as its jaws appear to be best adapted for that and crushing mollusks. (Buskirk 1989b) Ref: Turtles of the World>species.