Nasim Bashirichelkasari and Reza Yadollahvandmiandoab
The Mauremys caspica (Gmelin, 1774) belongs to the Geoemydidae family, is a medium-sized freshwater turtle that is widespread throughout the Middle East. In Iran, the species is widely distributed in Golestan, Mazandaran, Guilan, Ardebil, East and West Azarbaijan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, Ilam, Khuzestan and Fars provinces. Despite the species is still common in many parts of its range, landscape alteration, parasites, pollution and intensification of water management in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran are increasingly threatening the survival of many populations.