African side-necked turtles are freshwater turtles belonging to the Pelomedusidae family. They are native to sub-Saharan Africa, which includes countries like Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, Congo, and Angola, among others.
Unlike other turtles that pull their heads back directly, they have a distinctive way of retracting their heads sideways under their shells, hence their name. However, like other turtles, they are long-lived and may survive over 50 years in captivity.
These turtles are typically dark in color. They have a hard, oval-shaped shell characterized by a dorsal carapace and a ventral underbelly or plastron. Their heads are olive to brown in color and bear black markings on the top. The underbellies or plastrons are grayish-black with a poorly defined yellow area. Typically, they retract their necks sideways beneath the upper edge of their shells.
These turtles seem to have an ever-smiling face with a broad mouth and big, round eyes. They also possess two beard-like sensory organs called barbels protruding from their lower jaws. Their feet are webbed and equipped with long and sharp claws.
They are also unique among side-necked turtles due to the absence of a cervical scute, nasal bone, and splenial bone, with varying shapes of cervical vertebrae distinguishing the different groups.
They typically have a carapace length ranging from 4.7 to 17.7 in (12 to 45 cm). The largest side-necked turtle, the Arrau turtle (Podocnemis expansa), can grow up to 3.5 ft (1.07 m) long and weigh around 200 lb (90 kg). In contrast, the African dwarf mud turtle (Pelusios nanus) is the smallest, reaching only about 4 in (10 cm) in adulthood.
Male side-necked turtles can grow up to 10 inches in length, while females are generally larger.
The family Pelomedusidae is more closely related to Podocnemididae (American side-necked river turtles) than Chelidae (Austro-South American side-necked turtles), the two being the other families of side-necked turtles.
Currently, there are 27 extant species of African side-necked turtles divided into two genera, Pelomedusa and Pelusios.
Based on museum specimens dating back to the 19th century, Pelusios seychellensis, or the Seychelles black terrapin, was considered a species endemic to the Seychelles. However, mitochondrial evidence revealed it was not a separate species; in fact, it is the same as the West African side-necked turtle.
African side-necked turtles are native to the sub-Saharan region of Africa, including countries like Guinea, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, Congo, and Angola. They are also found in Madagascar, São Tomé, and the Seychelles.
These turtles usually inhabit freshwater habitats, like rivers, shallow lakes, and ponds during the wet season, while in the dry season, they remain buried in mud (aestivation). In extremely high temperatures, they are found hidden in underground burrows.
They are omnivores, feeding on invertebrates, like insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and worms, as well as aquatic plants, like waterweeds or water lettuce and fruits.
African side-necked turtles, like most other turtles, are long-lived and survive easily for a few decades in the wild. In captivity and under proper care, they can live over 50 years.
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