Spiny Terrapin
Heosemys spinosa
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassTestudines
- FamilyGeoemydidae (Eurasian Pond, River, and Neotropical Wood Turtles)
- GenusHeosemys
- SpeciesHeosemys spinosa (Spiny Terrapin)
About the Spiny Terrapin
The spiny turtle (Heosemys spinosa) is a South-East Asian turtle species. It inhabits lowland and hill rainforest, usually dwelling in the vicinity of small streams in hill areas up to 1,000 m above sea level. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
The spiny turtle is a medium-sized tortoise with a brown shell and red-spotted head. Also known as the "cog-wheel turtle," it derives its name from its spiky-edged carapace, marginal scutes, and spiny keel. As juvenile spiny turtles become adults, the black striped and yellow underside of their shell fades in color. In addition, the juveniles' serrations, or jagged edges, at the carapace margin decrease in size and become restricted to the carapace's rear margin. These changes of the spine and carapace serve as evolutionary adaptations attempting to prevent predators from preying on juvenile turtles.
The spiny turtle belongs to the kingdom of Animalia, the order of Testudines, and the genus of Heosemys. The classification of Heosemys incorporates four species: Heosemys annandalii, Heosemys depressa, Heosemys grandis, and Heosemys spinosa; however... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Gunung Leuser National Park
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Tanjung Puting National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Spiny Terrapin in Gunung Leuser National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Terrapin sighting in Gunung Leuser National Park, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spiny Terrapin in Gunung Leuser National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Spiny Terrapin in Gunung Leuser National Park in our monthly data.