True Wild Life | Ryukyu Black-breasted Leaf Turtle | The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle or Ryukyu leaf turtle, Geoemyda japonica, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae). It is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan. In 1975 the species was designated a National Natural Monument of Japan. It grows to approximately 5–6 inches long. In captivity it feeds on worms, snails, insects, and fruit. Due to its rarity and very attractive appearance, this species is highly coveted by turtle collectors worldwide.
The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle has a flattish brown, chestnut, mahogany or tan carapace that is serrated front and rear, with three keels. The plastron is black or dark brown with yellow or yellow-cream rings. The skin of the Black-breasted Leaf Turtle is dark with colored spots or mottles, and females have a yellowish-cream stripe down each side of the head. Its feet are only semi-webbed, and it has large bulging eyes with white irises.
At first it was considered a subspecies of Geoemyda spengleri, and named Geoemyda spengleri japonica. It was redescribed as a separate species and given its current binomial name in 1992.