A Good
Book.
CSIRO Publishing;
Hardback; 464pp;
235 x 305mm;
AU $150; ISBN
9781486308248.
It should be noted straightaway that this magnificent
volume is a compulsory acquisition for anyone with
an interest in Australian turtles – or natural history
for that matter. It represents a comprehensive update
of John Cann’s landmark publication Australian
Freshwater Turtles (1998), which has become so
sought after that a quick online search reveals
secondhand copies are exchanging hands for
upwards of $300, and a ‘new’ copy will set you back
more than $1,000.
This book will stand as an absolute benchmark
On this occasion, the doyen of Australian turtle field for future publications, and is testament in
research is joined by Ross Sadlier, who had a distin- particular to one man’s lifelong passion for
guished career at the Australian Museum. The result Australian turtles. Get one, before a used copy
is a beautiful publication including hundreds of
costs you three times the price!
colour photos, line drawings and historically impor-
tant illustrations. Our knowledge of the biology of
Australia’s freshwater chelonians has advanced
significantly since Cann’s 1998 opus, with the most
important revelation being the extent to which
‘cloacal breathing’ is employed. The conservation
status of the various species is also reviewed; many
are in decline due to a variety of threats including
loss of habitat, predation, destruction of nests, and
disease. The authors also inject some clarify into
taxonomy which is notoriously difficult to navigate.
This definitive volume also features a large section
on the freshwater turtles of New Guinea, including
several undescribed species. The natural history
accounts benefit substantially from the authors’ vast
experience in the field, as they are embellished with
anecdotes such as the female Chelodina (Chelodina)
longicollis nesting in hard mud that was observed to
discharge fluid from her cloaca on several occasions
while excavating the nest. Presumably this made
digging easier.
The species accounts are also incredibly detailed,
with that of the Cape York Long-neck Turtle,
Chelodina (Macrochelodina) oblonga rugosa;
including notes from a specimen obtained from an
island in Torres Strait. The first inkling that this
species may hybridise with Chelodina (Chelodina)
canni canni stemmed from an unusual individual
photographed by - you guessed it – John Cann.
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