Indochinese box turtle

Indochinese box turtle

Northern Vietnamese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons
Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
CITES Appendix I (CITES)^[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Genus:	Cuora
Species:	C. galbinifrons
Binomial name
*Cuora galbinifrons* Bourret, 1939
Synonyms^[3]
Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons Cuora galbinifrons Bourret, 1939 Cyclemus flavomarginata hainanensis Li, 1958 Cuora hainanensis Zhao, 1975 Cyclemys flavomarginata hainanensis Wermuth & Mertens, 1977 Cistoclemmys galbinifrons Bour, 1980 Cistoclemmys hainanensis Iverson, 1985 Cuora flavomarginata hainanensis Obst, 1985 Cistoclemmys flavomarginata hainanensis Groombridge, 1988 Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons Iverson & McCord, 1992 Cuora galbinifrons hainanensis Iverson & McCord, 1992 Cistoclemmys galbinifrons galbinifrons Bour, 2002 Cistoclemmys galbinifrons hainanensis Bour, 2002 Cuora galbinifrons bourreti Cuora galbinifrons bourreti Obst & Reimann, 1994 Cistoclemmys galbinifrons bourreti Bour, 2002 Cuora bourreti Stuart & Parham, 2004 Cistoclemmys bourreti Vetter, 2006 Cuora galbinifrons picturata Cuora galbinifrons picturata Lehr, Fritz & Obst, 1998 Cistoclemmys galbinifrons picturata Bour, 2002 Cuora picturata Stuart & Parham, 2004 Cistoclemmys picturata Vetter, 2006

The Indochinese box turtle, Vietnamese box turtle, or flowerback box turtle (Cuora galbinifrons) is a species of Asian box turtles from China (Hainan and Guangxi), northern and central Vietnam, Laos, and possibly northeastern Cambodia. It is found in high altitude woodland where it tends to hide in the undergrowth. There is considerable confusion as to the taxonomy of this species with several subspecies being recognised by some authorities. and not by others. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered".

Taxonomy

The northern Vietnamese box turtle C. g. galbinifrons was described by Bourret in 1939, but it took nearly 40 years until the first specimens were imported to Europe and the United States. This subspecies occurs in extreme southern Guangxi Province, China, northern Vietnam, and probably northern Laos and on Hainan Island (China). The population from Hainan was once considered to represent a distinct species^[4] or at least subspecies,^[5] C. (galbinifrons) hainanensis.^[6] Li, 1958, was not aware of the description from Bourret (1939) of C. galbinifrons and thus believed to have a new subspecies of Cuora flavomarginata the only Cuora species known at this time with at least some similarities. According to some, specimens from Hainan do not always have fully black plastrons (always the case in mainland C. g. galbinifrons), but sometimes lighter parts. Furthermore, their carapaces show more red pigmentation and brown spots. Genetic and morphologic studies believe it to be a synonym of C.g. galbinifrons, however.

The central Vietnamese flowerback box turtle (Cuora (galbinifrons) bourreti) occurs in central Vietnam and adjacent Laos, and possibly in northeastern Cambodia. The most notable difference to the nominate race is the distinct plastral pattern, where only smaller black blotches (sometimes none at all) occur.

Described as a subspecies^[7] of C. galbinifrons, genetic studies^[8] have shown it to be quite distinct, possibly to the extent of a separate species, i.e., Cuora bourreti as is the case with Cuora picturata,^[9] once also considered a subspecies of C. galbinifrons. However, osteologic studies^[10] have shown that C. g. bourreti probably better remains as a subspecies of C. galbinifrons. This is also substantiated by the finding of intergradation zones in north-central Vietnam, where hybrid populations of C. g. galbinifrons and C. g. bourreti are known to exist.^[11] The status of C. picturata is uncertain, while this is the morphologically and phenotypically the most distinct variety, authors^[12] treat it as a subspecies of C. galbinifrons again. Herein, it is treated as a separate but closely related species.

Specimens of at least the northern and central Vietnamese taxa hybridize—apparently in the wild—with keeled box turtle males to produce the turtles once considered a separate species or subspecies, Cuora serrata.

Status

All populations of Indochinese box turtle are in decline and the conservation situation is made more acute by the diversity of subspecies. Without trying to resolve these taxonomic issues, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the conservation status of the species as "critically endangered".^[1]

Gallery

C. g. galbinifrons, dorsal view (Hainan)
C. g. galbinifrons, plastral view (Vietnam)
C. g. bourreti, lateral view, light-colored variety (Cambodia/Laos)
C. g. bourreti, plastral view of the dark-colored Vietnamese variety
C. g. bourreti, lateral view of the dark-colored Vietnamese variety

References

^ ^a ^b Li, P.; McCormack, T.; Rao, D.-Q.; Shi, H.; Stuart, B.L.; Wang, L. (2020). "Cuora galbinifrons". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T97357437A123816666. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T97357437A123816666.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 216–217. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895.
^ Zhao, 1975
^ Iverson & McCord, 1992
^ Li, 1958: org desc. Cyclemys flavomarginata hainanensis)
^ Obst & Reimann, 1994
^ Stuart & Parham 2004
^ Lehr et al. 1998
^ Fritz et al.. 2006
^ Fritz et al.. 2003
^ Fritz & Havas (2006)

Fritz, Uwe; Auer, Markus & Petzold, Antje (2006). "Osteology in the Cuora galbinifrons complex suggests conspecificity of C. bourreti and C. galbinifrons, with notes on shell osteology and phalangeal formulae within the Geoemydidae". Amphibia-Reptilia. 27 (2): 195–205. doi:10.1163/156853806777240029.
Fritz, U., Ziegler, T., Herrmann, H.-W., Lehr, E., 2002. Intergradation between subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons Bourret, 1939 and Pyxidea mouhotii (Gray, 1862) in southern North Vietnam. Faun. Abh. Mus. Tierk. Dresden, 23: 59–74.
Obst, F.J., Reimann, M., 1994. Bemerkenswerte Variabilität bei Cuora galbinifrons Bourret, 1939, mit Beschreibung einer neuen geographischen Unterart: Cuora galbinifrons bourreti subsp. nov. Zool. Abh. Mus. Tierk. Dresden, 48: 125–138.
Stuart, Bryan L & Parham, James Ford (2004). "Molecular phylogeny of the critically endangered Indochinese box turtle (Cuora galbinifrons)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 31 (1): 164–177. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00258-6. PMID 15019617.

External links

Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons - Visual Determination of Subspecies by Chris Tabaka, DVM. Retrieved 2007-SEP-1.

Family Geoemydidae

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Geoemydidae

Genera

Species of the family Geoemydidae

†Banhxeochelys

†Banhxeochelys trani

Batagur

Cuora

Cyclemys

†Echmatemys

†Echmatemys septaria
†Echmatemys stevensoniana
†Echmatemys wyomingensis

Geoclemys

Black pond turtle

Geoemyda

Hardella

Brahminy river turtle

Heosemys

Leucocephalon

Sulawesi forest turtle

Malayemys

Mauremys

Melanochelys

Morenia

Notochelys

Malayan flat-shelled turtle

Orlitia

Malaysian giant turtle

Pangshura

Rhinoclemmys

Sacalia

Siebenrockiella

Vijayachelys

Cane turtle

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=Extinct.

Testudines

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Diapsida
Order: Testudines

Genus

Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)

Cheloniidae	†Allopleuron Caretta †Carolinochelys Chelonia †Eochelone Eretmochelys †Gigantatypus †Glarichelys †Itilochelys Lepidochelys †Mexichelys †Miocaretta Natator †Pacifichelys †Syllomus †Tasbacka
Dermochelyidae	†Arabemys †Corsochelys †Cosmochelys Dermochelys †Eosphargis †Mesodermochelys †Psephophorus
	†Euclastes †Peritresius †Procolpochelys †Protosphargis †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae	Dermatemys
Kinosternidae	Claudius †Hoplochelys Kinosternon Staurotypus Sternotherus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae	†Acherontemys Chrysemys Clemmys Deirochelys Emys Actinemys Emydoidea Glyptemys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Terrapene Trachemys †Wilburemys
Geoemydidae	Batagur †Banhxeochelys Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Rhinoclemmys Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys
Platysternidae	Platysternon
Testudinidae	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Centrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis †Cymatholcus †Floridemys Geochelone Gopherus †Hadrianus †Hesperotestudo Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria †Megalochelys †Oligopherus Psammobates Pyxis †Solitudo Stigmochelys †Stylemys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae	†Allaeochelys †Anosteira Carettochelys
Trionychidae	Amyda Apalone †Axestemys Chitra Cyclanorbis Cycloderma †Drazinderetes Dogania †Gilmoremys †Hutchemys †Khunnuchelys Lissemys Nilssonia Palea †Palaeoamyda Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx
	†Basilochelys †Sinaspideretes

Chelydridae	Chelydra †Chelydrops †Chelydropsis †Emarginachelys †Macrocephalochelys Macrochelys †Planiplastron †Protochelydra
†Nanhsiungchelyidae	†Anomalochelys †Basilemys †Jiangxichelys
†Protostegidae	†Alienochelys †Archelon †Atlantochelys †Bouliachelys †Calcarichelys †Cratochelone †Desmatochelys †Iserosaurus †Notochelone †Ocepechelon †Pneumatoarthrus †Protostega †Rhinochelys †Santanachelys †Terlinguachelys
	†Adocus †Argillochelys †Bashuchelys †Ctenochelys †Prionochelys †Toxochelys

Pleurodira

†Araripemydidae	†Araripemys
†Bothremydidae	†Araiochelys †Arenila †Azabbaremys †Bothremys †Cearachelys †Chedighaii †Chupacabrachelys †Eotaphrosphys †Foxemys †Galianemys †Ilatardia †Inaechelys †Itapecuruemys †Jainemys †Kinkonychelys †Kurmademys †Labrostochelys †Nigeremys †Phosphatochelys †Polysternon †Puentemys †Rosasia †Rhothonemys †Sankuchemys †Taphrosphys †Ummulisani †Zolhafah
Chelidae	Acanthochelys Chelodina Chelus Elseya Elusor Emydura Hydromedusa †Lomalatachelys Mesoclemmys Myuchelys Phrynops Platemys †Prochelidella Pseudemydura Rheodytes Rhinemys †Yaminuechelys
Pelomedusidae	Pelomedusa Pelusios
Podocnemididae	†Albertwoodemys †Bauruemys †Brontochelys †Caninemys †Carbonemys †Cerrejonemys †Cordichelys Erymnochelys †Lapparentemys †Latentemys Peltocephalus Podocnemis †Stupendemys
†Sahonachelyidae	†Sahonachelys †Sokatra

	†Caribemys †Caririemys †Tacuarembemys

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

See also List of Testudines families

Taxon identifiers	Wikidata: Q304965 Wikispecies: Cuora galbinifrons ADW: Cuora_galbinifrons ARKive: cuora-galbinifrons BOLD: 28785 CoL: 6C3PF EoL: 1056710 Fossilworks: 373875 GBIF: 2443503 iNaturalist: 73733 IRMNG: 10866000 ITIS: 551910 IUCN: 97357437 NCBI: 204968 Observation.org: 98628 RD: galbinifrons Species+: 10210

This page was last edited on 23 February 2024, at 10:58

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Taxonomy

Status

Gallery

References

External links