Cuora

Taxobox
name = "Cuora"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Testudines
subordo = Cryptodira
superfamilia = Testudinoidea
familia = Geoemydidae
subfamilia = Geoemydinae
genus = "Cuora"
genus_authority = Gray, 1856
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =Around 10-11, see article.
synonyms ="Cistoclemmys"

"Pyxiclemmys"

"Cuora", the Asian box turtle is a genus of the family Geoemydidae comprising some 10-11 species with about the same number of subspecies. The Keeled Box Turtle/Pyxidea mouhotii is now often included in this genus but half of the authors still place it into its own Genus (Pyxidea), see discussion there.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.

Description

"Cuora" species are characterized by a low (eg. Cuora pani) to high (eg. Cuora picturata) domed shell, which usually has three keels on the carapace. They are reddish, 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.

Behaviour

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 omnivorous, but carnivores do occur.
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thumb|right|Head Portrait of the different Cuora species, subspecies and varieties (from left to right/top to bottom):
Cuora amboinensis amboinensis (Sulawesi), Cuora amboinensis kamaroma (Thailand), Cuora amboinensis ssp. (unknown), Cuora amboinensis ssp (Philippines);
Cuora trifasciata (Guangdong, China), Cuora (pani) aurocapitata (Anhui, China), Cuora pani pani (Shaanxi, China), Cuora yunnanensis (Yunnan, China);
Cuora cyclornata cyclornata (Annam, central Vietnam), Cuora cyclornata meieri (north Vietnam), Cuora mccordi (Guangxi, China), Cuora zhoui (unknown);
Cuora flavomarginata sinensis (Sichuan,China), Cuora flavomarginata evelynae (Ryukyu Islands, Japan), Cuora flavomarginata flavomarginata (Taiwan), Cuora picturata (southern Annam, south Vietnam);
Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons (north Vietnam), Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons (Hainan, China); Cuora (galbinifrons) bourreti (Annam, central Vietnam), Cuora (galbinifrons) bourreti (Laos);
Cuora cyclornata cyclornata x Cuora amboinensis kamaroma hybrid, Cuora cyclornata x Pyxidea mouhotii, Cuora trifasciata x Pyxidea mouhotii, Cuora galbinifrons x Pyxidea mouhotii = "Cuora serrata".]

Taxonomy and systematics

*Amboina Box Turtle, "Cuora amboinensis" (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 cyclornata" (1 subspecies)