Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle

{{Short description|Species of turtle}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Geoemyda japonica by OpenCage.jpg

| status = EN

| status_system = IUCN2.3

| status2 = CITES_A2

| status2_system = CITES

| status2_ref = {{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}

| genus = Geoemyda

| species = japonica

| authority = Fan, 1931

| synonyms =

• Geoemyda spengleri japonica Fan, 1931
• Geoemyda japonica Yasukawa, Ota & Hikida, 1992
• Geoemyda japonicus Joseph-Ouni, 2004

| synonyms_ref = {{Cite journal | journal = Vertebrate Zoology | title = Checklist of Chelonians of the World | date = 2007 | author = Fritz Uwe | author2 = Peter Havaš | volume = 57 | issue = 2 | page = 222 | doi = 10.3897/vz.57.e30895 | doi-access = free | issn = 1864-5755 }}

}}

The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle or Ryukyu leaf turtle (Geoemyda japonica) is a species of turtles in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae) endemic to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan. In 1975, the species was designated a National Natural Monument of Japan.{{cite journal | first1=Yuichirou | last1=Yasukawa | first2=Hidetoshi | last2=Ota | title=Geoemyda Japonica Fan 1931 – Ryukyu Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle, Okinawa Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle | journal=Chelonian Research Monographs | publisher=Chelonian Research Foundation | issue=5 | issn=1088-7105 | doi=10.3854/crm.5.002.japonica.v1.2008 | pages=002.1–6 | date=2008-05-15 | volume=5 | doi-access=free }} It grows to about 5–6 inches long. In captivity, it feeds on worms, snails, insects, and fruit. Due to its rarity and very attractive appearance, this species is highly coveted by turtle collectors worldwide.{{Cite web |title=Smuggled Ryukyu Black-breasted Leaf Turtles Head Home to Japan |url=https://www.kfbg.org/en/press-release/article/Smuggled-Ryukyu-Black-breasted-Leaf-Turtles-Head-Home-to-Japan |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden::嘉道理農場暨植物園 |language=en-US}}

At first it was considered a subspecies of Geoemyda spengleri, and named Geoemyda spengleri japonica. It was redescribed as a separate species and given its current binomial name in 1992.

Hybrids between different genera of Geoemydidae are rather commonplace. This species is known to hybridize with Cuora flavomarginata males in captivity and in the wild.Buskirk et al. (2005).