Cuora amboinensis (Riche in Daudin 1801) – Southeast Asian Box Turtle

Abstract

The Southeast Asian Box Turtle, Cuora amboinensis (Family Geoemydidae), is a small (straight carapace length to 25 cm), semi-aquatic turtle, largely restricted to standing water bodies of Southeast Asia, from eastern India to Indonesia and the Philippines. It has four currently recognized subspecies: C. a. amboinensis, C. a. couro, C. a. kamaroma, and C. a. lineata. The species is still relatively common in most of its range, perhaps due to its ability to adapt to a variety of habitats, including rice fields and the vicinity of human settlements. Diet includes both plant and animal matter. The species lays 1[long dash]4 large (24[long dash]34 x 44[long dash]57 mm) eggs with masses of 14[long dash]31.5 g. The considerable variation in egg size, incubation period, and reproductive season, as evident from data derived from captive breeding, is thought to be reflective of geographic variation in this widespread turtle species. The species is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List due to its heavy exploitation for the international food, pet, and medicinal trade, and is also included in CITES Appendix II. There is an apparently large illegal trade in the species, and many regional populations appear to be decreasing rapidly, requiring closer monitoring.