Amboina box turtle

Amboina box turtle
Adult C. a. amboinensis from Sulawesi
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Subfamily:	Geoemydinae
Genus:	Cuora
Species:	C. amboinensis
Binomial name
Cuora amboinensis Daudin, 1802

The Amboina box turtle (Cuora amboinensis), or southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle.

It is found in the Nicobar Islands, eastern India (Assam), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, central and southern Vietnam, West Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines (Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Panay, etc.), Indonesia (Sulawesi, Ambon, Sumatra, Borneo, East Malaysia, Brunei, Nias, Enggano, Simeulue, Java, Sumbawa, Halmahera, Ceram, Seram, Buru, East Timor, Bali, Palawan and Maluku), and possibly Sri Lanka.

The type locality is "Amboine" (or "Amboina") Island, today Ambon in Indonesia.

Description

These turtles have blackish-brown to olive brown colored shells that are not as ornate as many other box turtles. All have a blackish olive head with three yellow stripes on the side. The male can be identified by the slightly concave shape to its plastron. There is no specific pattern to what the underbellies may look like, for either sex. The only true way of telling age is to guess by the texture of the shell, as growth rings form irregularly.

There are four subspecies which are primarily differentiated by differences in the color and shape of the carapace:^[1]

• Cuora amboinensis amboinensis – eastern Indonesian islands: Ambon, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, Buru, Seram and East Timor and smaller islands in the region.

For individuals suspected to be of this subspecies: Ratio of carapace length / height: 3.08. Average ratio dimensions of plastron spots: 1.21 (almost circular)

• Cuora amboinensis couro (Schweigger, 1812)^{[verification needed]} – south Indonesian islands: Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sumbawa.

Darker, more oval black spots on plastron, flatter carapace.

• Cuora amboinensis kamaroma (Rummler & Fritz, 1991)^{[verification needed]} – Malayan box turtle. Mainland Indochina (South and Central Vietnam, southern Laos & Cambodia), Thailand (Phang Nga Province etc.), Singapore and mainland Malaysia.

More domed carapace and smaller, more elongated spotting of black pigments of plastron. Average ratio of carapace length / height: 2.82. Average ratio dimensions of plastron spots: 2.14 (small and elongated)

• Cuora amboinensis lineata (McCord & Philippen, 1998)^{[verification needed]} – Myanmar.

Light stripe along keel of carapace.

Several distinct populations are believed to represent up to 4 more subspecies, or at least striking varieties.^[2]

• Nicobar Islands
• Eastern India (Assam), Bangladesh and possibly Sri Lanka
• Borneo, the Malaysian Islands, Brunei and Palawan
• Philippines (Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Panay etc.)

• 

  C. a. kamaroma from Thailand

• 

  Plastron of C. a. kamaroma

• 

  C. a. lineata from Myanmar

• 

  C. amboinensis 'Philippines population' from Leyte

C. a. kamaroma has hybridized in captivity with the Vietnamese pond turtle - a species nearly extinct in the wild - and with males of the Chinese pond turtle (Chinemys reevesii)^[3]. Other hybrids are known, like C. amboinensis × Cuora trifasciata^[2].

Ecology and status

They are omnivorous, with younger turtles tending towards more meat consumption and older turtles eating a more herbivorous diet.

Although Cuora amboinensis is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN^[4], they are able to thrive in some areas of the world. For example, they can be found in the storm drains of Brunei. These are seriously polluted, and yet seem to be extremely popular habitat for these turtles and other animals that can withstand eutrophication. In some places, this species is hunted for use in folk medicine^[5].

Cuora amboinensis can be quite difficult to breed in captivity, compared with other box turtles. These turtles have a mating ritual very similar to that of other box turtles. No courtship occurs, the male simply climbs upon the female. He then snaps at her head, so that she closes to front half of her shell, opening the back.

Pet care

Adult C. amboinensis ssp.

Juvenile Malayan box turtles (Cuora amboinensis kamaroma)

Any individual considering a turtle as a pet should thoroughly research both general care and the care of the particular species in which they are interested. Individuals considering a Cuora amboinensis as a pet should keep in mind that it is a tropical, non-hibernating species who needs much warmer water (about 82 degrees F) than many other semi-aquatic species. The adult Cuora amboinensis is small in comparison to more well-known species such as the red-eared slider or cooter, but a fully grown adult will generally need at least a 55-gallon tank and this habitat should be semi-aquatic, not terrestrial.

Cuora amboinensis is far more aquatic than many other box turtle species. Unfortunately, this has often led to pet Cuoras being incorrectly housed in terrestrial habitats. Although they are clumsy swimmers and need shallower water than other semi-aquatic turtles that are stronger swimmers, (e.g., sliders, cooters, and painteds), they tend to vastly prefer being in the water to on land. In the wild, they will often live in almost entirely in water only emerging to bask and to lay eggs. They can even mate in the water.

Footnotes

1. ^ Filella (1997); measurements taken at the LCRC 2006-SEP-20.
2. ^ ^{a b} Vetter & Van Dijk (2006)
3. ^ Fritz & Mendau (2002), Galgon & Fritz (2002), Buskirk et al. (2005)
4. ^ ATTWG (2000)
5. ^ da Nóbrega Alves et al. (2008)

References

• Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (ATTWG) (2000). Cuora amboinensis. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is vulnerable and the criteria used
• 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
• da Nóbrega Alves, Rômulo Romeu; da Silva Vieira; Washington Luiz & Gomes Santana, Gindomar (2008): Reptiles used in traditional folk medicine: conservation implications. Biodiversity and Conservation 17(8): 2037–2049. doi:10.1007/s10531-007-9305-0 (HTML abstract, PDF first page)
• Filella, Eduard (1997): Cuora amboinensis la tortuga caja del sudeste asiático y sus subespecies ["C. amboinensis, the southeast Asian box turtle, and its subspecies"]. Reptilia 13: 43-47 [Article in Spanish]^{[verification needed]}.
• Fritz, Uwe & Mendau, D. (2002): Ein Gattungsbastard zweier südostasiatischer Schildkröten: Cuora amboinensis kamaroma RUMMLER & FRITZ 1991 × Mauremys annamensis (SIEBENROCK 1903) ["An intergeneric hybrid of two Southeast Asian turtles: C. a. kamaroma × M. annamensis"]. Salamandra 38(3): 129-134 [Article in German]^{[verification needed]}.
• Galgon, Frank & Fritz, Uwe (2002): Captive bred hybrids between Chinemys reevesii (Gray, 1831) and Cuora amboinensis kamaroma Rummler & Fritz, 1991. Herpetozoa 15(3/4): 137-148.
• McCord, William P. & Philippen, Hans-Dieter (1998): A New Subspecies of box turtle, Cuora amboinensis lineata, from Northern Myanmar (Burma), with Remarks on the Distribution and Geographic Variation of the Species. Reptile Hobbyist (March issue)^{[verification needed]}: 51-58.
• Rummler, H. J. & Fritz, Uwe (1991): Geographische Variabilität der Amboina-Scharnierschildkröte Cuora amboinensis (Daudin, 1802), mit Beschreibung einer neuen Unterart, C. a. kamaroma subsp. nov. ["Geographic variation of C. amboinensis with description of a new subspecies, C. a. kamaroma"]. Salamandra 27 (1/2): 17-45 [Article in German]^{[verification needed]}.
• "Cuora amboinensis kamaroma", Rui Pessoa, May 2007, Lisbon, Portugal

Vetter, H. & Van Dijk, P.P. (2006): Turtles of the World (Vol. 4: East and South Asia) – Schildkröten der Welt (Band 4: Ost- und Südasien). Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Further reading

"Cuora amboinensis kamaroma", Rui Pessoa, May 2007, Lisbon, Portugal

• Becker, H. (1999): Ergänzende Bemerkungen zur Haltung und zur Nachzucht von Cuora flavomarginata (Gray 1863) ["Additional remarks on captive care and breeding of C. flavomarginata"]. Elaphe 7(3): 2-10 [Article in German]^{[verification needed]}.
• Ernst, C.H. (1988): Cuora mccordi, a new Chinese box turtle from Guangxi Province. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 101: 466-470.
• Pauler, I. (1980): Die Schildkrötengattung Cuora ["The turtle genus Curoa"]. Herpetofauna 2(6): 15-18 [Article in German]^{[verification needed]}.
• Praedicow, G. (1985): Langjährige Erfahrungen bei der Pflege von Cuora amboinensis (Daudin) ["Long-term experiences in captive care of C. amboinensis"]. Herpetofauna 7(36)^{[verification needed]}: 6-14 [Article in German]^{[verification needed]}.

External links

• Cuora amboinensis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
• Cuora amboinensis photo
• The ultimate turtle page article