Cuora cyclornata
Encyclopedia
The Vietnamese three-striped box turtle (Cuora cyclornata) also known as green rice turtle in China, is a species of the southeast Asian Genus Cuora
(family Geoemydidae
). It is distributed from the extreme southern part of the Chinese Guangxi
Province southwards to central Vietnam
and central Laos
People's Democratic Republic. This species reaches up to 30 cm straight carapace
length and is thus the largest Cuora species. Due to demand of Chinese TCM
this species is nearly extinct in the wild but is readily bred in Chinese turtle farms. Extremely high prices are paid for this species in China.
It can be distinguished from Cuora trifasciata
by its larger size and generally more oval or rounder shell, which is usually also flatter, a white, pink or orange chin and head coloration with an orange-brownish-olive dorsal head pattern and less black pigments.
and adjacent Laos
, this subspecies can easily be distinguished from Cuora trifasciata
and C.cyclornata meieri by its orange chin, its round carapace appearance, the Cuora mccordi
/ Boletus
like plastral pattern i.e. a generally large black blotch extending from the Anal scutes to the pectorals (in C.trifasciata & C.c.meieri extending to the gulars) with a thin black vertical black stripe along the pectoral-humeral suture only and two separated black longitudinal bars on the gular scutes. This subspecies can reach a carapace length of up to 25 cm, males are smaller than females (as usual in Cuora species).
Province, China
and adjacent northern Vietnam
, this subspecies
can be differentiated from the C.cyclornata cyclornata and C.trifasciata by the oval shell shape, a white to pinkish chin, rounded humeral-pectoral sutures and a filled Boletus
plastral pattern. This subspecies can reach a carapace length of up to 30 cm, males are smaller than females (as usual in Cuora species)
Cuora
Asian box turtles are turtles of the genus Cuora in the family Geoemydidae comprising 10–11 species with about the same number of subspecies. The keeled box turtle is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus...
(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:...
). It is distributed from the extreme southern part of the Chinese Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
Province southwards to central Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and central Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
People's Democratic Republic. This species reaches up to 30 cm straight 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...
length and is thus the largest Cuora species. Due to demand of Chinese TCM
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
this species is nearly extinct in the wild but is readily bred in Chinese turtle farms. Extremely high prices are paid for this species in China.
It can be distinguished from 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...
by its larger size and generally more oval or rounder shell, which is usually also flatter, a white, pink or orange chin and head coloration with an orange-brownish-olive dorsal head pattern and less black pigments.
The Central Vietnamese three-striped box turtle (Cuora cyclornata cyclornata)
Occurring in Central VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and adjacent Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, this subspecies can easily be distinguished from 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 C.cyclornata meieri by its orange chin, its round carapace appearance, the Cuora mccordi
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...
/ Boletus
Boletus
Boletus is a genus of mushroom, comprising over 100 species. The genus Boletus was originally broadly defined and described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1821, essentially containing all fungi with pores...
like plastral pattern i.e. a generally large black blotch extending from the Anal scutes to the pectorals (in C.trifasciata & C.c.meieri extending to the gulars) with a thin black vertical black stripe along the pectoral-humeral suture only and two separated black longitudinal bars on the gular scutes. This subspecies can reach a carapace length of up to 25 cm, males are smaller than females (as usual in Cuora species).
The northern Vietnamese or Meiers three-striped box turtle (Cuora cyclornata meieri)
Occurring in extreme southwestern GuangxiGuangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
Province, 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...
and adjacent northern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, this subspecies
can be differentiated from the C.cyclornata cyclornata and C.trifasciata by the oval shell shape, a white to pinkish chin, rounded humeral-pectoral sutures and a filled Boletus
Boletus
Boletus is a genus of mushroom, comprising over 100 species. The genus Boletus was originally broadly defined and described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1821, essentially containing all fungi with pores...
plastral pattern. This subspecies can reach a carapace length of up to 30 cm, males are smaller than females (as usual in Cuora species)