Cuora
Encyclopedia
Asian box turtles are turtle
s of the genus
Cuora in the family Geoemydidae
comprising 10–11 species
with about the same number of subspecies
. The keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii / Cuora mouhotii) is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus (Pyxidea). The genus occurs from Assam
throughout Southeast Asia
and central to southern China
northeastwards to Japan
, and southeastwards to the borders of the Wallacea
and onto Indonesia
and the Philippines
.
) to high (e.g. Cuora picturata
) dome
d shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace
. They are red
dish, yellowish, brown
grey
and/or black
in color. Some species have bright yellow
, black
, orange
or white
stripes down the length of the keels. Their body color is highly variable, but usually very intense. Most species show stripes of variable color down either side of the head, which usually meet at the nose.
, but carnivores do occur.
Asian box turtles are turtle
s of the genus
Cuora in the family Geoemydidae
comprising 10–11 species
with about the same number of subspecies
. The keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii / Cuora mouhotii) is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus (Pyxidea). The genus occurs from Assam
throughout Southeast Asia
and central to southern China
northeastwards to Japan
, and southeastwards to the borders of the Wallacea
and onto Indonesia
and the Philippines
.
) to high (e.g. Cuora picturata
) dome
d shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace
. They are red
dish, yellowish, brown
grey
and/or black
in color. Some species have bright yellow
, black
, orange
or white
stripes down the length of the keels. Their body color is highly variable, but usually very intense. Most species show stripes of variable color down either side of the head, which usually meet at the nose.
, but carnivores do occur.
Asian box turtles are turtle
s of the genus
Cuora in the family Geoemydidae
comprising 10–11 species
with about the same number of subspecies
. The keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii / Cuora mouhotii) is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus (Pyxidea). The genus occurs from Assam
throughout Southeast Asia
and central to southern China
northeastwards to Japan
, and southeastwards to the borders of the Wallacea
and onto Indonesia
and the Philippines
.
) to high (e.g. Cuora picturata
) dome
d shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace
. They are red
dish, yellowish, brown
grey
and/or black
in color. Some species have bright yellow
, black
, orange
or white
stripes down the length of the keels. Their body color is highly variable, but usually very intense. Most species show stripes of variable color down either side of the head, which usually meet at the nose.
, but carnivores do occur.
Yellow-margined box turtle, Chinese box turtle or snake-eating turtle, Cuora flavomarginata (2 subspecies)
Indochinese (flowerback) box turtle, Cuora galbinifrons
(1 subspecies)
Southern Vietnamese box turtle, Cuora picturata
McCord's box turtle, Cuora mccordi
Pan's box turtle, Cuora pani
= "Cuora chriskarannarum" (1 "possible" subspecies)
Chinese three-striped box turtle, Cuora trifasciata
Yunnan box turtle, Cuora yunnanensis
- rediscovered in 2004, verified in 2007.
Zhou's box turtle, Cuora zhoui
= "Cuora pallidicephala"
Cuora serrata
, originally described as Cuora galbinifrons
serrata by Iverson & Mccord and later considered a distinct species by Obst & Fritz are hybrids of the keeled box turtle
and taxa of the Indochinese box turtle
complex as shown by the genetic studies of Parham et al. and Stuart & Parham (2004). A single specimen of Cuora serrata
has been found in the wild, lending credence to the possibility that other specimens arose through natural hybridization or even form wild populations. No Chinese turtle farm is known to produce C. serrata like specimens. The occurrence of wild hybrids is often regarded as "evolution in progress", a terminology and point of view that is not always accepted. It has yet to be confirmed, whether all C. serrata from the wild have originated by direct hybridization of C. mouhotii and C. galbinifrons, or also by "hybridisation" of C. serrata × C. serrata.
Unnamed hybrids of several other Cuora taxa are also known, as are intergeneric hybrids like Mauremys iversoni, a hybrid between Cuora trifasciata
and Mauremys mutica
which are intentionally produced in Chinese turtle farms.
in size – and specimens of unknown provenance and/or without sufficient CITES documentation may be illegal to keep. They are not often captive-bred, due to the high care requirements, but acclimatized captive-bred individuals can be quite hardy. It is also very important – as with Geoemydidae
in general – to properly identify taxa and keep them separate, as the risk of putting considerable effort into breeding them only to end with sterile hybridas is otherwise very real. Especially Cuora trifasciata
males have a reputation of attempting to mate with any anatomically roughly compatible turtle.
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Cuora in the family Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
comprising 10–11 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
with about the same number of subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. The keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii / Cuora mouhotii) is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus (Pyxidea). The genus occurs from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and central to southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
northeastwards to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and southeastwards to the borders of the Wallacea
Wallacea
Wallacea is a biogeographical designation for a group of Indonesian islands separated by deep water straits from the Asian and Australian continental shelves. Wallacea includes Sulawesi, the largest island in the group, as well as Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Halmahera, Buru, Seram, and...
and onto Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Description
Cuora species are characterized by a low (e.g. Cuora paniCuora pani
Pan's box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . The yellow-headed box turtle is sometimes included herein as a subspecies Cuora pani aurocapitata...
) to high (e.g. Cuora picturata
Cuora picturata
The Southern Vietnamese Box turtle is endemic to the southern mountainous regions of Vietnam possibly also occurring in extreme eastern Cambodia and southern Laos. This species was initially described as a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons but was shown to be genetically distinct...
) dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
. They are red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
dish, yellowish, brown
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
grey
Grey
Grey or gray is an achromatic or neutral color.Complementary colors are defined to mix to grey, either additively or subtractively, and many color models place complements opposite each other in a color wheel. To produce grey in RGB displays, the R, G, and B primary light sources are combined in...
and/or black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
in color. Some species have bright yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
, orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
or white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
stripes down the length of the keels. Their body color is highly variable, but usually very intense. Most species show stripes of variable color down either side of the head, which usually meet at the nose.
Behavior
Asian box turtles are terrestrial, semi-aquatic or mainly aquatic, most spending much of their time on the edge of shallow swamps, streams or pond that are dense with vegetation. Most are omnivorousOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, but carnivores do occur.
Taxonomy and systematics
- Amboina box turtle, Cuora amboinensisCuora amboinensisThe Amboina box turtle , or southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle.It is found in the Nicobar Islands, eastern India , Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, central and southern Vietnam, West Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines , Indonesia The Amboina box turtle (Cuora...
(3 subspecies)- Javanese box turtle, Cuora amboinensis couro
- Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis kamaroma
- Lineated amboina box turtle, Cuora amboinensis lineata
- Vietnamese three-striped box turtle, Cuora cyclornataCuora cyclornataThe Vietnamese three-striped box turtle also known as green rice turtle in China, is a species of the southeast Asian Genus Cuora . It is distributed from the extreme southern part of the Chinese Guangxi Province southwards to central Vietnam and central Laos People's Democratic Republic...
(1 subspecies)
Asian box turtles are turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Cuora in the family Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
comprising 10–11 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
with about the same number of subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. The keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii / Cuora mouhotii) is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus (Pyxidea). The genus occurs from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and central to southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
northeastwards to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and southeastwards to the borders of the Wallacea
Wallacea
Wallacea is a biogeographical designation for a group of Indonesian islands separated by deep water straits from the Asian and Australian continental shelves. Wallacea includes Sulawesi, the largest island in the group, as well as Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Halmahera, Buru, Seram, and...
and onto Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Description
Cuora species are characterized by a low (e.g. Cuora paniCuora pani
Pan's box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . The yellow-headed box turtle is sometimes included herein as a subspecies Cuora pani aurocapitata...
) to high (e.g. Cuora picturata
Cuora picturata
The Southern Vietnamese Box turtle is endemic to the southern mountainous regions of Vietnam possibly also occurring in extreme eastern Cambodia and southern Laos. This species was initially described as a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons but was shown to be genetically distinct...
) dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
. They are red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
dish, yellowish, brown
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
grey
Grey
Grey or gray is an achromatic or neutral color.Complementary colors are defined to mix to grey, either additively or subtractively, and many color models place complements opposite each other in a color wheel. To produce grey in RGB displays, the R, G, and B primary light sources are combined in...
and/or black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
in color. Some species have bright yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
, orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
or white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
stripes down the length of the keels. Their body color is highly variable, but usually very intense. Most species show stripes of variable color down either side of the head, which usually meet at the nose.
Behavior
Asian box turtles are terrestrial, semi-aquatic or mainly aquatic, most spending much of their time on the edge of shallow swamps, streams or pond that are dense with vegetation. Most are omnivorousOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, but carnivores do occur.
Taxonomy and systematics
- Amboina box turtle, Cuora amboinensisCuora amboinensisThe Amboina box turtle , or southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle.It is found in the Nicobar Islands, eastern India , Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, central and southern Vietnam, West Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines , Indonesia The Amboina box turtle (Cuora...
(3 subspecies)- Javanese box turtle, Cuora amboinensis couro
- Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis kamaroma
- Lineated amboina box turtle, Cuora amboinensis lineata
- Vietnamese three-striped box turtle, Cuora cyclornataCuora cyclornataThe Vietnamese three-striped box turtle also known as green rice turtle in China, is a species of the southeast Asian Genus Cuora . It is distributed from the extreme southern part of the Chinese Guangxi Province southwards to central Vietnam and central Laos People's Democratic Republic...
(1 subspecies)
Asian box turtles are turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Cuora in the family Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
comprising 10–11 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
with about the same number of subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. The keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii / Cuora mouhotii) is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus (Pyxidea). The genus occurs from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and central to southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
northeastwards to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and southeastwards to the borders of the Wallacea
Wallacea
Wallacea is a biogeographical designation for a group of Indonesian islands separated by deep water straits from the Asian and Australian continental shelves. Wallacea includes Sulawesi, the largest island in the group, as well as Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Halmahera, Buru, Seram, and...
and onto Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Description
Cuora species are characterized by a low (e.g. Cuora paniCuora pani
Pan's box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . The yellow-headed box turtle is sometimes included herein as a subspecies Cuora pani aurocapitata...
) to high (e.g. Cuora picturata
Cuora picturata
The Southern Vietnamese Box turtle is endemic to the southern mountainous regions of Vietnam possibly also occurring in extreme eastern Cambodia and southern Laos. This species was initially described as a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons but was shown to be genetically distinct...
) dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
. They are red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
dish, yellowish, brown
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
grey
Grey
Grey or gray is an achromatic or neutral color.Complementary colors are defined to mix to grey, either additively or subtractively, and many color models place complements opposite each other in a color wheel. To produce grey in RGB displays, the R, G, and B primary light sources are combined in...
and/or black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
in color. Some species have bright yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
, orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
or white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
stripes down the length of the keels. Their body color is highly variable, but usually very intense. Most species show stripes of variable color down either side of the head, which usually meet at the nose.
Behavior
Asian box turtles are terrestrial, semi-aquatic or mainly aquatic, most spending much of their time on the edge of shallow swamps, streams or pond that are dense with vegetation. Most are omnivorousOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, but carnivores do occur.
Taxonomy and systematics
- Amboina box turtle, Cuora amboinensisCuora amboinensisThe Amboina box turtle , or southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle.It is found in the Nicobar Islands, eastern India , Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, central and southern Vietnam, West Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines , Indonesia The Amboina box turtle (Cuora...
(3 subspecies)- Javanese box turtle, Cuora amboinensis couro
- Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis kamaroma
- Lineated amboina box turtle, Cuora amboinensis lineata
- Vietnamese three-striped box turtle, Cuora cyclornataCuora cyclornataThe Vietnamese three-striped box turtle also known as green rice turtle in China, is a species of the southeast Asian Genus Cuora . It is distributed from the extreme southern part of the Chinese Guangxi Province southwards to central Vietnam and central Laos People's Democratic Republic...
(1 subspecies) - Northern Vietnamese or Meiers three-striped box turtle Cuora cyclornata meieri
- Ryukyu yellow margined box turtle, Cuora flavomarginata evelynae
- Chinese yellow margined box turtle, Cuora flavomarginata sinensis
Cuora galbinifrons
The Indochinese box turtle or Vietnamese box turtle or Flowerback box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle from China , northern and central Vietnam, Laos and possibly northeastern Cambodia....
(1 subspecies)
- Central Vietnamese or Annam box turtle, Cuora (galbinifrons) bourreti
Cuora picturata
The Southern Vietnamese Box turtle is endemic to the southern mountainous regions of Vietnam possibly also occurring in extreme eastern Cambodia and southern Laos. This species was initially described as a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons but was shown to be genetically distinct...
Cuora mccordi
McCord's box turtle is a species of the southeast Asian genus Cuora . Described by Ernst in 1988 from the Chinese pet trade, this turtle lacked distribution data for 19 years until Zhou et al. were able to report it from the wild. This species is highly endemic to Chinese Guangxi province...
Cuora pani
Pan's box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . The yellow-headed box turtle is sometimes included herein as a subspecies Cuora pani aurocapitata...
= "Cuora chriskarannarum" (1 "possible" subspecies)
- Yellow-headed or golden-headed box turtle, Cuora (pani) aurocapitata
Cuora trifasciata
Golden coin turtle or Chinese three-striped box turtle is a species of turtle endemic to southern China.The species is distributed in China...
Cuora yunnanensis
The Yunnan Box Turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . It is believed to be endemic to China and was suspected to be extinct since the early 20th century; the last verified specimen was collected in 1940 The Yunnan Box Turtle (Cuora yunnanensis) is a species of turtle in the...
- rediscovered in 2004, verified in 2007.
Cuora zhoui
Zhou's box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . Apparently endemic to China and/or Vietnam, it is only known from pet trade specimens to date....
= "Cuora pallidicephala"
Cuora serrata
Cuora serrata
Cuora serrata, originally described as Cuora galbinifrons serrata by Iverson & Mccord and later considered a distinct species by Obst & Fritz are hybrids as shown by the genetic studies of Stuart & Parham . These hybrids are bred in the wild as mentioned Buskirk et al. ad documented for the...
, originally described as Cuora galbinifrons
Cuora galbinifrons
The Indochinese box turtle or Vietnamese box turtle or Flowerback box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle from China , northern and central Vietnam, Laos and possibly northeastern Cambodia....
serrata by Iverson & Mccord and later considered a distinct species by Obst & Fritz are hybrids of the keeled box turtle
Pyxidea mouhotii
The Keeled box turtle is a species of the turtle family Geoemydidae found in China , northern and Central Vietnam, Laos, northern Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Assam in India.It is considered an endangered species by the IUCN and in its native range hunted for use in...
and taxa of the Indochinese box turtle
Cuora galbinifrons
The Indochinese box turtle or Vietnamese box turtle or Flowerback box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle from China , northern and central Vietnam, Laos and possibly northeastern Cambodia....
complex as shown by the genetic studies of Parham et al. and Stuart & Parham (2004). A single specimen of Cuora serrata
Cuora serrata
Cuora serrata, originally described as Cuora galbinifrons serrata by Iverson & Mccord and later considered a distinct species by Obst & Fritz are hybrids as shown by the genetic studies of Stuart & Parham . These hybrids are bred in the wild as mentioned Buskirk et al. ad documented for the...
has been found in the wild, lending credence to the possibility that other specimens arose through natural hybridization or even form wild populations. No Chinese turtle farm is known to produce C. serrata like specimens. The occurrence of wild hybrids is often regarded as "evolution in progress", a terminology and point of view that is not always accepted. It has yet to be confirmed, whether all C. serrata from the wild have originated by direct hybridization of C. mouhotii and C. galbinifrons, or also by "hybridisation" of C. serrata × C. serrata.
Unnamed hybrids of several other Cuora taxa are also known, as are intergeneric hybrids like Mauremys iversoni, a hybrid between Cuora trifasciata
Cuora trifasciata
Golden coin turtle or Chinese three-striped box turtle is a species of turtle endemic to southern China.The species is distributed in China...
and Mauremys mutica
Mauremys mutica
The Yellow pond turtle , is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . It is found in China , Japan , Taiwan, and northern and central Vietnam and possibly adjacent Laos.It is a parent of several...
which are intentionally produced in Chinese turtle farms.
In captivity
Wild caught C. amboinensis were frequently available in the exotic animal trade but are getting rarer now, other species are rare to commercially extinct. Most species' need for a semi-aquatic environment can make them a challenge to house properly. These turtles are not suitable for beginners – the cute babies usually sold will rapidly grow to adulthood and in some species become hefty animals, no less than a Herman's tortoiseHerman's Tortoise
Hermann's tortoise is one of five tortoise species traditionally placed in the genus Testudo, which also includes the well-known Marginated tortoise , Greek tortoise , and Russian tortoise , for example. Three subspecies are known: the Western Hermann's tortoise Hermann's tortoise (Testudo...
in size – and specimens of unknown provenance and/or without sufficient CITES documentation may be illegal to keep. They are not often captive-bred, due to the high care requirements, but acclimatized captive-bred individuals can be quite hardy. It is also very important – as with Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
in general – to properly identify taxa and keep them separate, as the risk of putting considerable effort into breeding them only to end with sterile hybridas is otherwise very real. Especially Cuora trifasciata
Cuora trifasciata
Golden coin turtle or Chinese three-striped box turtle is a species of turtle endemic to southern China.The species is distributed in China...
males have a reputation of attempting to mate with any anatomically roughly compatible turtle.
Further reading
- "Cuora amboinensis kamaroma", Rui Pessoa, 2007, Lisbon, Portugal
- Buskirk, James R.; Parham, James F. & Feldman, Chris R. (2005): On the hybridisation between two distantly related Asian turtles (Testudines: Sacalia × Mauremys). Salamandra 41: 21-26. PDF fulltext