Sacalia

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Cladus: Archelosauria
Division: Pan-Testudines
Division: Testudinata
Ordo: Testudines
Subordo: Cryptodira
Superfamilia: Testudinoidea

Familia: Geoemydidae
Subfamilia: Geoemydinae
Genus: Sacalia
Species: S. bealei – S. quadriocellata
Name

Sacalia Gray, 1870
Vernacular names
English: Eyed Turtles
中文: 眼斑龜

Sacalia is a genus of turtles in the family Geoemydidae (formerly called Bataguridae). The genus was erected by John Edward Gray in 1870. The Sacalia is native to Southereastern China, Laos, and Vietnam. It was declared an endangered species of turtle by the IUCN Red List due to its illegal trade.[2] The sacalia has a carapace of dark-brown color that permits it to camouflage to its habitat. They are believed to select the area of a river that better matches their color.[3]

Species

Two species are recognized.[1]

Sacalia bealei, Beale's eyed turtle or Beale's four-eyed turtle
Sacalia quadriocellata, four-eyed turtle

Hybridization

What was described as a new species, Sacalia pseudocellata, Chinese false-eyed turtle, is actually a hybrid of a male Cuora trifasciata and a female Sacalia quadriocellata.[4]
References

ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
Le, M., McCormack, T., Hoang, H., Duong, H., Nguyen, T., Ziegler, T., Nguyen, H., & Ngo, H. (2020). Threats from wildlife trade: The importance of genetic data in safeguarding the endangered Four-eyed Turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata). Nature Conservation, 41(2), 91–111. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.41.54661
Xiao, F., Yang, C., Shi, H., Wang, J., Sun, L., & Lin, L. (2016). Background matching and camouflage efficiency predict population density in four-eyed turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata). Behavioural Processes, 131, 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.08.007

Stuart, Bryan L. & Parham, James F. (2007). "Recent hybrid origin of three rare Chinese turtles". Conservation Genetics. 8 (1): 169-175.

Further reading

Gray, John Edward (1870). Supplement to the Catalogue of Shield Reptiles in the Collection of the British Museum. Part I. Testudinata (Tortoises). With Figures of the Skulls of 36 Genera. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis). x + 120 pp. (Genus Sacalia, p. 35).