CRCritically Endangered

Ranacephala hogei

Local name: Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

Hoge's sideneck turtle (Ranacephala hogei) is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. It is the only member of the genus Ranacephala. The species is endemic to the eastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil, primarily in the Carangola River of Minas Gerais and Paraíba do Sul River, Rio de Janeiro. The most documented population resides in the midsection of the Carangola River with an estimated population of less than 2000.

Ranacephala hogei faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development within its extremely limited range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human activities. Mining operations and infrastructure development pose additional pressures on the remaining suitable habitat patches.
Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits specific microhabitats within tropical montane regions, typically associated with particular soil types and vegetation communities. It requires undisturbed areas with specific moisture and temperature conditions that are increasingly rare due to human encroachment.

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in CHELIDAE

White-bellied Snapping Turtle

Elseya branderhorsti

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle classified as Critically Endangered?

Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Ranacephala hogei faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development within its extremely limited range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human activities. Mining operations and infrastructure development pose additional pressures on the remaining suitable habitat patches.

Where does Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle live?

Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.

What are the main threats to Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle?

The main threats to Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle are 5.1, 5.1.1, 5.3, and 9.3.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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