Abstract
Although the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) has been included in studies for several decades, the information about its distribution and the state of populations in Serbia is still incomplete. The data collected from the available literature sources, and those based on the authors? own field investigations, indicate that E. orbicularis occupies a large part of the territory of the Republic of Serbia, preferring aquatic biotopes at lower altitudes. We compiled a list of 287 localities where the presence of the pond turtle has been recorded. Of those, 14% (40 localities) were known only from literature sources, localities added during our field investigations represent 82% (235 sites), 4% (12 localities) confirming literature data. We also gathered information on the main negative threats to the endurance of the pond turtle in Serbia. These are habitat pollution, degradation and destruction, and the spread of allochthonous invasive turtle species. Some protective and conservation measures are suggested in the conclusion.
Highlights
According to Fritz et al (2007), the only autochthonous representative of freshwater turtles in Serbia, the European pond turtle, belongs to the nominotypical subspecies Emys orbicularis orbicularis (Linnaeus 1758)
The purpose of this paper was to present the current knowledge of the distribution of E. orbicularis in Serbia based on precise locality information, and to indicate the major factors threatening its survival
The information on the distribution of E. orbicularis in Serbia was obtained from literature sources, the authors’ field observations, and field data donated by other colleagues
Summary
According to Fritz et al (2007), the only autochthonous representative of freshwater turtles in Serbia, the European pond turtle, belongs to the nominotypical subspecies Emys orbicularis orbicularis (Linnaeus 1758). Its distribution area ranges from Denmark, parts of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal in the west, to Kazakhstan, the Aral Sea and the Ural Mountains in the east, and from the northern parts of Germany and Russia to southern Italy, Sicily and North Africa at the far south. To the southeast, it extends through Turkey and the Middle East, to eastern Caucasus, the southern shores of the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan, i.e. to Iran and Syria (Podloucky, 1997; Fritz, 2001; Arnold and Ovenden, 2002; Stuckas et al, 2014). The first general presence assessment of E. orbicularis on the territory of Serbia (Tomović et al, 2014) provided only a contour map, without precise locality data
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