| Keeled box turtle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| C. m. mouhotii | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
| Family: | Geoemydidae |
| Genus: | Cuora |
| Species: | C. mouhotii |
| Binomial name | |
| Cuora mouhotii Gray, 1862 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
The keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii; syn. Pyxidea mouhotii) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to Asia.
C. mouhotii occurs in Burma, China, India, Laos, and Vietnam, [3] and also in Bhutan and Thailand. [4]
Other common names for C. mouhotii include keel-backed terrapin, jagged-shelled turtle, [3] and Mouhot's turtle. [5]
The specific name, mouhotii, is in honor of Alexandre Henri Mouhot, a French naturalist and explorer. [5]
The subspecific name, obsti, is in honor of Fritz Jürgen Obst (1939–2018), a German herpetologist. [5]
C. mouhotii is sometimes treated as the sole species of the monotypic genus Pyxidea. [3] [6] [7] Phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA has provided evidence that the species is part of the "Cuora group", a monophyletic group of Asian box turtles, and the name Pyxidea should probably be synonymized with Cuora, making the keeled box turtle part of that genus. [8] Other phylogenetic studies of Cuora support this conclusion. [9] In addition, its morphology is not distinct enough from that of Cuora species to keep it separate, and it is known to hybridize with Cuora galbinifrons . [9]
There are two subspecies which are recognized as being valid. [3] [4] [10]
Nota bene : A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Cuora.
The southern Vietnamese population of Cuora mouhotii lives alongside Cuora picturata. Since Cuora mouhotii is known to hybridize with the closest living relatives of Cuora picturata ( Cuora galbinifrons and Cuora bourreti ) there is a possibility of hybridization in the wild between these two populations. [11]
The keeled box turtle's upper shell (carapace) has three large, raised ridges and is serrated on the back end. The lower shell (plastron) is different variations of brown in color, ranging from light brown to dark brown. The upper jaw is strong, while the snout is short and curved. The feet are only partially webbed, which suggest a terrestrial lifestyle as opposed to an aquatic one.
Male and female keeled box turtles can be distinguished by the color of their eyes as well as their nails. A male generally has longer and thicker nails than a female, and eyes that are either black or brown. A female generally has shorter, thinner nails, and eyes that are orange or red. [12]
The biology of C. mouhotii is not well known. [13]
In one survey, males and females had an average straight carapace length around 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in).
The breeding season is in May through September. The average clutch size was four eggs, which are smooth, white, and about 4.4 cm (1.7 in) long. On average they typically lay two clutches in a breeding season. Like many other turtles the keeled box turtle does not care for its young. Females have been noted to dig nests with their rear legs and cover the clutches with soil, and also to lay eggs under fallen leaves. [13]
The male keeled box turtle is very aggressive during the act of mating. In some instances the male turtle will chase and injure a female. The male will often persist until the female allows its advances.
The keeled box turtle is herbivorous, and eats a wide variety of vegetation in the natural environment, with a preference for wild fallen fruits. It will also occasionally eat worms, snails, and other meat. [13]
The keeled box turtle is a terrestrial species, and can be frequently found in small caves and rock crevices. It can also be found in forests, in deep layers of leaves.
C. mouhotii is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). [3]
The population of the keeled box turtle has been on a steep decline in some areas, particularly Vietnam. This can be attributed to people capturing it for food and pets, as well as Vietnam legally exporting large numbers. Although there are other possible reasons behind this population decline, deforestation and hunting have proven to be a major threat to this turtle especially.
Threats include habitat destruction and degradation during deforestation. In parts of its range it is threatened by overexploitation as it is collected from the wild, especially for food. [14] It is also used in traditional medicine. [15] It is consumed locally and traded internationally for the food market and the pet trade. [14]
In China the species is bred in captivity on a small scale for the pet trade. [14]
The Geoemydidae are one of the largest and most diverse families in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species. The family includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles. Members of this family are commonly called Leaf turtle.
The northern river terrapin is a species of riverine turtle native to Southeast Asia. It is classified Critically Endangered by the IUCN and considered extinct in much of its former range.
The Amboina box turtle or Southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle.
The Asian leaf turtle is a species of turtle found in Southeast Asia. They are quite common in the pet trade; their carapaces resemble that of a Cuora amboinensis hybrid.
Oldham's leaf turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae.
The black pond turtle, also known as the spotted pond turtle or the Indian spotted turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to South Asia. It belongs to the monotypic genus Geoclemys.
The brahminy river turtle or crowned river turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to South Asia.
The brown roofed turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to South Asia. Two subspecies are recognized.
The golden coin turtle, also known commonly as the Chinese three-banded box turtle and the Chinese three-striped box turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is native to southern China. There are two recognized subspecies.
Asian box turtles are turtles of the genus Cuora in the family Geoemydidae. About 12 extant species are recognized. The keeled box turtle is often included in this genus, or separated in the monotypic genus Pyxidea. Genus Cuora is distributed from China to Indonesia and the Philippines, throughout mainland Southeast Asia, and into northern India and Bhutan.
The Indochinese box turtle, Vietnamese box turtle, or flowerback box turtle is a species of Asian box turtles from China, northern and central Vietnam, Laos, and possibly northeastern Cambodia. It is found in high altitude woodland where it tends to hide in the undergrowth. There is considerable confusion as to the taxonomy of this species with several subspecies being recognised by some authorities. and not by others. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered".
The Chinese box turtle, also known as the yellow-margined box turtle, or golden-headed turtle, is a species of Asian box turtle. Taxonomically, it is called Cuora flavomarginata.
Mauremys reevesii, commonly known as the Chinese pond turtle, the Chinese three-keeled pond turtle, or Reeves' turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae, a family which was formerly called Bataguridae. The species is native to East Asia.
Bourret's box turtle, also known commonly as the central Vietnamese flowerback box turtle and the Indochinese box turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.
Cuora serrata, originally described as Cuora galbinifrons serrata and later considered a distinct species, are hybrid turtles as shown by genetic studies. These hybrids are bred in the wild and were documented for the first time in the wild in 2005, but not in captivity as "novelty" pets as suggested by James Parham and Bryan Stuart, between the keeled box turtle and taxa of the Indochinese box turtle complex. 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.
Cyclemys is a genus of freshwater turtles, commonly referred to as Asian leaf turtles, from the family Geoemydidae. The genus occurs throughout Southeast and South Asia, and currently contains seven species.
The Assam leaf turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
The Myanmar brown leaf turtle is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in Myanmar.
Box turtle is the common name for several species of turtle. It may refer to those of the genus Cuora or Pyxidea, which are the Asian box turtles, or more commonly to species of the genus Terrapene, the North American box turtles. They are largely characterized by having a shell shaped like a dome, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators. Furthermore, the two genera are very different in habitat, behavior and appearance, and are not even classified in the same family. Even though box turtles became very popular pets, their needs in captivity are complex and the capture of turtles can have serious detrimental effects on the wild population.
Family Geoemydidae | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Genera |
|  | ||
| † Banhxeochelys | ||||
| Batagur | ||||
| Cuora | ||||
| Cyclemys | ||||
| † Echmatemys | ||||
| Geoclemys | ||||
| Geoemyda | ||||
| Hardella | ||||
| Heosemys | ||||
| Leucocephalon | ||||
| Malayemys | ||||
| Mauremys | ||||
| Melanochelys | ||||
| Morenia | ||||
| Notochelys | ||||
| Orlitia | ||||
| Pangshura | ||||
| Rhinoclemmys | ||||
| Sacalia | ||||
| Siebenrockiella | ||||
| Vijayachelys | ||||
Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=Extinct. | ||||
