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Macquarie Tortoise - Emydura Macquaria

Distribution -
In south-eastern Australia this tortoise is known as the Murray River Short-neck (for more about the Murray region, check out the Murray River Web Site). It is common in the Murray River system, in northern Victoria, New South Wales west of the Great Dividing Range, and southern central Queensland.

A Macquarie Tortoise (Emydura Macquaria) from
the Macquarie River, NSW.

Description -
The colour of the carapace is light to dark brown or olive green. A distinctive yellow stripe begins beneath the chin and extends along the neck. Juveniles often have a yellow spot behind the eye but this soon fades with age as does the lower stripe when a tortoise reaches old age.

A Macquarie Tortoise (Emydura Macquaria) from
the Murray River, NSW.

The male has a longer tail than the female, but does not attain the same carapace size. The female Macquarie Tortoise may have a carapace length of 30cm. The rear marginals of a hatchling are serrated and the carapace has a high keel running along the centre, but these characteristics also diminish with age.

A Macquarie Tortoise (Emydura Macquaria) and
reflection in water.

Habits -
The nesting habits of this tortoise vary according to the region and the prevailing climate. The female deposits up to eighteen eggs in November - December and the young emerge about two and a half months later.