Turtles of Kankai (Mai) river and their ethno-medicinal uses

This paper deals with 67 specimens belonging to eight different species out of which 4 species were hard-shelled turtles such as Indotestudo elongata, Melanochyles tricarinata, Melanochyles trijuga and Pangshura flaviventer , while rest of 4 species were soft-shelled turtles such as Lissemys punctata , Aspideretes hurum , Aspideretes gangeticus and Chitra indica. Among all, Lissemys punctata was recorded as widely distributed and most abundant species. Ethno-medicinal uses of turtle by Satar , an indigenous ethnic community of southern Jhapa for human and domestic animals have been documented. Most of the diseases are treated by the use of turtle shell of Lissemys punctata. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njbs.v2i0.7500 Nepalese Journal of Biosciences 2 : 126-133 (2012)