Cuora amboinensis

Taxobox | name = Southeast Asian Box Turtle


image_width = 240px
image_caption = Portrait of adult C.a.amboinensis from Sulawesi
status = VU
status_system = iucn2.3
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Testudines
subordo = Cryptodira
superfamilia = Testudinoidea
familia = Geoemydidae
subfamilia = Geoemydinae
genus = "Cuora"
species = "C. amboinensis"
binomial = "Cuora amboinensis"
binomial_authority = Daudin, 1802
synonyms =
range_

range_map_width = 250px
range_map_caption =

Amboina Box Turtle or Southeast Asian Box Turtle "Cuora amboinensis" is a species of box turtle.

Description

These turtles have blackish-brown to olive brown colored shells that are not as ornate as many other box turtles. There are three subspecies which are primarily differentiated from the nominate subspecies ("Cuora amboinensis amboinensis") by differences in the color and shape of the carapace. All have a blackish olive head with three yellow "racing stripes" on the side:

*"Cuora amboinensis couro" (Schweigger, 1812)
*"Cuora amboinensis kamaroma" (Rummler & Fritz, 1991)
*"Cuora amboinensis lineata" (McCord & Philippen, 1998)

"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. [Fritz & Mendau (2002), Galgon & Fritz (2002), Buskirk "et al." (2005).] Other hybrids are known, like "C. amboinensis" x "Cuora trifasciata" (See Vetter & Van Dijk, 2006)

subspecies differences are as follows: [ [http://www.turtlepuddle.org/coura/amboinensis.html The Ultimate Turtle page] ] [Filea, Eduard 1997. Coria amboinensis la tort igucaju (the South eastern asian turtle and its subspecies) Reptilia 3(13) :43-47.]

* "C. a. lineata" is easily distinguishable by light stripe along keel of carapace.
* "C. a. kamarona" has a more domed carapace and smaller, more elongated spotting of black pigments of plastron.The difficult to separate races are
* "C. a. amboinensis"
* "C. a. couro" is darker more oval black spots on plastron, flatter carapace.

Measurements of these subspecies (measured at the LCRC- 09/20/06) are as follows:

"kamarona"
* Average ratio of carapace length / height: 2.82
* Average ratio dimensions of plastron spots: 2.14 (small and elongated)

"amboinensis"?
* Average ratio of carapace length / height: 3.08
* Average ratio dimensions of plastron spots: 1.21 (almost circular)

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

Although "Cuora amboinensis" is supposedly a "vulnerable" species, 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 animal habitats! "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. The male turtle can be identified by the slightly concave shape to its plastron. In the wild, this may even form into a shape almost like a crater. 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.

Distribution

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

*"C. a. amboinensis" is found on the eastern Indonesian Islands of Ambon, Sulawesi/Celebes, the Moluccas, Buru, Seram and East Timor and smaller Islands in the region.
*"C. a. kamaroma" is found on mainland Indochina (South and Central Vietnam, southern Laos & Cambodia), Thailand (Phang-Nga etc.), Singapore and mainland Malaysia.
*"C. a. couro" is found on the south Indonesian Islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sumbawa.
*"C. a. lineata" is found in Myanmar.
* Populations from the A: Nicobar Islands B: eastern India i.e. Assam, Bangladesh and possibly Sri Lanka, C: Borneo, Malaysia Islands, Brunei and Palawan and D: from the Philippines (Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Panay etc.) are believed to represent further possibly distinct subspecies r at least striking varieties (see Vetter & Van Dijk, 2006).

Type locality: "Amboine" Island (or "Amboina" = Ambon), Indonesia.

Pet care

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 turles 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

References

*|year=2000|id=5958|title=Cuora amboinensis|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is vulnerable and the criteria used
* (1999): Ergänzende Bemerkungen zur Haltung und zur Nachzucht von "Cuora flavomarginata" (Gray 1863). "Elaphe" 7(3): 2-10. [Article in German] Verify source|date=September 2007
*aut|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. [http://cc.usu.edu/~crfeldman/Buskirk_et_al_05.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (1988): "Cuora mccordi", a new Chinese box turtle from Guangxi Province. "Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington" 101: 466-470.
* (1997): "Cuora amboinensis" la tortuga caja del sudeste asiático y sus subespecies. "Reptilia" (13)Verify source|date=September 2007: 43-47. [Article in Spanish] Verify source|date=September 2007
* (2002): Ein Gattungsbastard zweier südostasiatischer Schildkröten: "Cuora amboinensis kamaroma" RUMMLER & FRITZ 1991 × "Mauremys annamensis" (SIEBENROCK 1903). "Salamandra" 38(3): 129-134. [Article in German] Verify source|date=September 2007
* (2002): Captive bred hybrids between "Chinemys reevesii" (Gray, 1831) and "Cuora amboinensis kamaroma" Rummler & Fritz, 1991. "Herpetozoa" 15(3/4): 137-148.
* (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)Verify source|date=September 2007: 51-58.
* (1980): Die Schildkrötengattung "Cuora". "Herpetofauna" 2(6): 15-18. [Article in German] Verify source|date=September 2007
* (1985): Langjährige Erfahrungen bei der Pflege von "Cuora amboinensis" (Daudin). "Herpetofauna" 7(36)Verify source|date=September 2007 : 6-14. [Article in German] Verify source|date=September 2007
* (1991): Geographische Variabilität der Amboina-Scharnierschildkröte "Cuora amboinensis" (Daudin, 1802), mit Beschreibung einer neuen Unterart, "C. a. kamaroma" subsp. nov.. "Salamandra" 27 (1/2): 17-45. [Article in German] Verify source|date=September 2007
* VETTER, H. & VAN DIJK. P.P. 2006. Turtles of the World Vol. 4: East an South Asia; Schildkröten der Welt Band 4: Ost- und Südasien. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, 2006. 160 pp.

External links

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* [http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Cuora_amboinensis1.jpgCuora amboinensis photo]