Mekong snail-eating turtle

The Mekong snail-eating turtle is a fascinating member of the Geoemydidae family. For a long time, it was the sole species in the genus Malayemys. However, a reevaluation by researcher Marcus Brophy revealed that what was once considered a single species actually comprises two distinct species: Malayemys macrocephala and Malayemys subtrijuga.

These turtles are primarily found in the Mekong River basin, which spans Cambodia, Laos, southern Vietnam, Thailand, and the northern Malay Peninsula. Interestingly, there are theories that humans might have introduced this species to Java from the Mekong River basin. Despite this, Brophy believes that the turtle's presence in Indonesia is not native. He suggests that the species is either non-native to Sumatra or possibly extinct in Java.