Arrau

Arrau
/euh row'/; Sp. /ahrdd rddow"/, n.
Claudio /klaw"dee oh'/; Sp. /klow"dhyaw/, 1903-91, Chilean pianist.

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turtle
(Podocnemis expansa) , also called  arran  or  giant South American river turtle 

      large and somewhat flat freshwater turtle with a neck that does not retract but instead can be tucked to the side and concealed beneath the shell (see side-necked turtle). Of the several South American Podocnemis species, arrau generally refers to the largest, P. expansa of northern South America.

      This species, known in Brazil as tartaruga da Amazonia, can attain a shell length of 90 cm (35 inches) and a weight of 60 kg (130 pounds). These dark-coloured river turtles have pointy snouts, big black eyes, smooth shells, and strong, scaly legs. The back of the shell is shortened and does not fully cover the base of the tail. They inhabit freshwater rivers and lakes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, eating leaves, fruit, and seeds; hunting fish, shrimp, and crabs; and scavenging dead fish. They were formerly common along riverbanks, but people who live near these turtles relish the meat and also collect the eggs and even the hatchlings, a practice that continues even in areas where it is illegal.

      The females are often captured on traditional nesting beaches on sandy islands amid rivers. Each female digs a hole and deposits 80–200 eggs. The sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature at which the eggs incubate. Those eggs shaded by vegetation (25° C [77° F]) yield males, and those laid under open sand attain higher temperatures (30° C [86° F]) and yield females. The eggs destined to be females are preferentially harvested because they are easier to collect.

      Arrau and other side-necked turtles belong to the Pelomedusidae family of reptiles. These unusual turtles represent an ancient lineage stretching back to the Cretaceous Period, 144–66.4 million years ago.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • ARRAU (C.) — Claudio ARRAU 1903 1991 Un des derniers représentants de la tradition lisztienne, le pianiste américain d’origine chilienne Claudio Arrau naît à Chillán, au Chili, le 6 février 1903; sa mère lui donne les bases de sa formation musicale avant de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Arrau — (Emys expansa), Art der Flußschildkröte, s.d …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Arrau — Arrau, Claudio …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Arrau — Claudio Arrau (* 6. Februar 1903 in Chillán, Chile; † 9. Juni 1991 in Mürzzuschlag, Österreich) war ein chilenischer Pianist. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Repertoire 3 Aufnahmen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Arrau — Taxobox name = Arrau status = LR/cd status system = IUCN2.3 regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Reptilia ordo = Testudines familia = Podocnemididae genus = Podocnemis species = P. expansa binomial = Podocnemis expansa binomial authority …   Wikipedia

  • Arrau — Podocnemis expansa Pour les articles homonymes, voir Arran et Claudio Arrau …   Wikipédia en Français

  • arrau — ˈäˌrau̇, əˈrau̇, əˈräü noun ( s) Etymology: American Spanish & Portuguese, from Maipure arráu : a large turtle (Podocnemis expansa) of the group Pleurodira found in the Amazon river and valued for its edible eggs and as a source of oil * * * /euh …   Useful english dictionary

  • Arrau Medal — The Arrau Medal was established by The Robert Schumann Society to memorialize its first honorary member, Claudio Arrau, who died in 1991. The medal is awarded to a pianist who is especially committed to the spirit and tradition of Claudio Arrau s …   Wikipedia

  • Arrau, Claudio — ▪ American musician born Feb. 6, 1903, Chillán, Chile died June 9, 1991, Mürzzuschlag, Austria  Chilean born American pianist, regarded as one of the 20th century s most renowned performers.       After studying privately in Santiago for two… …   Universalium

  • Arrau — biographical name Claudio 1903 1991 American (Chilean born) pianist …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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