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Emys vulgaris picta Schlegel, 1844
(fig. 8)
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Fig. 8. Mauremys reevesii, RMNH.RENA 3030 A-B, alcohol preserved syntypes of Emys vulgaris picta. Note the wooden sticks used to keep the specimens in position, apparently commonly used in the early 19th century to pose specimens. |
*Emys vulgaris picta Schlegel, 1844: 127; pl. 42.
Emys Japonica; Duméril & Duméril, 1851: 8.
Syntypes: RMNH.RENA 3330 A-B, 2 ex. (alc.). Loc.: ‘Japan’. Leg.: H. Bürger.
Current name: Mauremys reevesii (Gray, 1831).
Remarks.― The publication date on the first page of Schlegel’s Abbildungen is 1837-1844, and the work was issued in parts. See Stejneger’s Herpetology of Japan (1907: 540) for the exact dates of publication.
Schlegel (1844) affirmed that three specimens of this species were deposited in the National Museum of Natural History in Leiden by Bürger, but only two of them have been located in the RMNH collections. Duméril & Duméril (1851) mention that the Paris museum has one specimen of this species, received from the Leiden museum. This might very well be the ‘missing’ third specimen mentioned by Schlegel (1844) and thus can be regarded as one of the syntypes (MNHNP 1954). At the time there was a lively contact between the Paris and Leiden museums, with many specimens being exchanged, and G. Bibron spending time in the Leiden collection. Despite using the name Emys Japonica for their specimen, Duméril & Duméril (1851) further in the text clearly refer to ‘E. vulgaris japonica picta Schlegel, Abbildung. Neuer Amphib., p. 127, pl. 42’. It should be noted that Schlegel (1844) never used the name Emys vulgaris japonica picta, as mentioned by Duméril & Duméril (1851) for this taxon, just Emys vulgaris picta
The drawing on pl. 42 (Schlegel, 1844) sent by Bürger is of an adult specimen in life, [made in Japan by Kawahara Keiga] and does not agree with the adult specimen in RMNH.RENA 3330 (the pattern of lines on the neck and side of the head is clearly different).
Pictures.― Schlegel (1844): pl. 42.