Vietnamese Box Turtle

[Kirkie]

Hi Alan
Vietnamese Box Turtle seems to be a bit of a generic name for several sub species. I think these are also referred to as Flowerback Box Turtle's. I put box turtles out on their own as a genus not really a tortoise or a turtle (terrapin). They come from two distinct regions, North America and Asia. North America is home to the Genus Terrapane which includes the Three Toed, Ornate, Florida Box Turtle and a few others. The Asiatic box turtles are Cuora (though this has been taxanomically fragmented with several sub species and renamed genus (I've seen the Flowerback box turtle referred to as Cistoclemmys Galbinifrons for instance, was Cuora Galbinifrons). Given the huge area "Asia" covers the requirements of the various asian box turtles can vary. This is from Tess Cook's book on Box Turtles and is a brief summary of environmental requirements for 3 of the Cuora:

C. Amboinensis (Malayan Box turtle) - Tropical,Semi aquatic, primarily herbivorous.
C Trifasciata ( Chinese three striped box turtle - Temperate, semi aquatic, primarily carnivorous.
C Flavomarginata ( Chinese or yellow marginated box turtle) - subtropical to temperate,semi terrestrial, omnivore.
I've kep Cuora amboinensis (which would now be Cuora amboinensis kamaroma!) they are very nice animals.

The defining characteristic of both Terrapane and Cuora is the ability to close the hinged shell (so that the carapace and plastron meet front and back) to completely protect the head and legs.

Wikipedia has quite a good entry on Asian box turtles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuora


North and Central America also have the Wood Turtles, similar to the Box Turtles but without the ability to close the shell. The Ornate Wood Turtle is particularly spectacular and is becoming available in the UK.

[egyptiandan64]

They are back in Cuora again Dave.
There are 3 subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons
C.g.galbinifrons from northern Vietnam and southern China
C.g.bourreti from central Vietnam and Laos
C.g.picturata from southern Vietnam, southeastern Laos, and eastern Cambodia

Danny

[Kirkie]

Glad to hear it, back where they belong.

[Paulg1]

I've never understood why box "turtles" are classed as turtles. They are undoubtably land and not even semi aquatic animals. To me they are no different as the species of red/yellow foots. I've always thought they should be classed as tortoises.

[Alan1]

That was what I thought as well

[egyptiandan64]

Geneticly they are a turtle Paul and Alan, also they have a back foot. Tortoises have an elephantine back leg (no foot). Thats the easy way to tell the 2 groups apart.

Danny

[Alan1]

I never knew that, thanks Dan

[Alan1]

A box turtle in the extreme...

[Geomyda]

http://www.terrapintank.co.uk/forum/...hp?f=34&t=2248
Care sheet, for this species and the Chinese Box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata).
Might be a useful reference to their care?

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by anna m

They are so colourful and pretty.
However do they survive in a place like Vietname being so colourful?

Unfortunately, Vietnamese Box Turtles are being collected and sent too China, at an unsustainable rate and all species are now very vunerable to extinction in the Wild.
As you say, they are indeed very colourful, Pic's attached, are two species found in Vietnam:


Golden coin Box turtle (Cuora trifasciata)


Flower back Box Turtle (Cuora galbinifrons bouretti)