Mud turtles, also known as terrapins are turtles that live in fresh or brackish water. They are very tiny. In Seychelles, three terrapins have been recorded. They belong to the genus Pelusios, although the endemic species Pelusios seychellensis is thought to be extinct. The two surviving species are classified as endemic sub-species. These are the Seychelles Black Mud Terrapin and the Seychelles Yellow-bellied Mud Terrapin.
They are different forms of the same species that occur in East Africa and Madagascar. They are rather similar and both have a hinge on the underside of the shell that allows them to withdraw the head and forelimbs closing the shell for protection. The simplest way to tell them apart is by the colour of the shell and the underside. Both species feed in the water, eating invertebrates, fish and fruits, and if their marshes dry out, they take refuge in damp mud.
The Seychelles Black Mud Terrapin is found in the granitics: Mahe, La Digue, Cerf, Fregate, Cousin and possibly other islands. It has a length of up to 20cm (carapace). Its upper shell (carapace) is a uniform dark grey-brown, and the underside (plastron) is yellow-grey, with black patches which are sometimes extensive. The skin of the neck and limbs is grey or black.
The Seychelles Yellow-bellied Mud Terrapin has a carapace length of up to 23cm. It’s found on the granitics: Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, Cerf and possibly other islands. The carapace of this species is often yellow-brown in older individuals although it may be olive or dark-brown in younger animals. the plastron is yellow, sometimes with dark suture lines but always lacking extensive symmetrical patches of black. The skin of the neck and limbs is yellowish.