Keeled box turtle

Keeled box turtle

C. m. mouhotii
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Subfamily:	Geoemydinae
Genus:	Cuora
Species:	C. mouhotii
Binomial name
*Cuora mouhotii* Gray, 1862
Synonyms^[1]
C. m. mouhotii Cyclemys mouhotii Gray, 1862 Pyxidea mouhotii — Gray, 1863 Emys mouhotii — Strauch, 1865 Cyclemys mouhoti Boulenger, 1890 (ex errore) Pyxidea mouhoti — M.A. Smith, 1931 Emys mouhoti — Bourret, 1941 Pyxidea mouboti H.M. Smith & James, 1958 (ex errore) Geoemyda mouhoti — McDowell, 1964 Cyclemys mouheti Tikader & Sharma, 1985 (ex errore) Geoemyda mouhotii — Artner, 1995 Pyxidea mouhotii mouhotii — Fritz, Andreas & Lehr, 1998 Pyxidea mouhotti Hallermann, Dirksen & Uetz, 1999 (ex errore) Cuora mouhotii mouhotii — Artner, 2003 C. m. obsti Pyxidea mouhotii obsti Fritz, Andreas & Lehr, 1998 Pyxidea mouhotti obsti — Hallermann, Dirksen & Uetz, 1999 Cuora mouhotii obsti — Artner, 2003

The keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii syn. Pyxidea mouhotii ) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae.

Geographic range

C. mouhotii is native to Asia, where it occurs in China, India, Laos, Burma, Vietnam,^[2] Thailand, and Bhutan.^[3]

Common names

Other common names for C. mouhotii include keel-backed terrapin, jagged-shelled turtle,^[2] and Mouhot's turtle.^[4]

Etymology

The specific name, mouhotii, is in honor of Alexandre Henri Mouhot, a French naturalist and explorer.^[4]

Taxonomy

C. mouhotii is sometimes treated as the sole species of the monotypic genus Pyxidea.^[2]^[5]^[6] Phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA has provided evidence that the species is part of the "Cuora group", a monophyletic group of Asian box turtles, and the name Pyxidea should probably be synonymized with Cuora, making the keeled box turtle part of that genus.^[7] Other phylogenetic studies of Cuora support this conclusion.^[8] In addition, its morphology is not distinct enough from that of Cuora species to keep it separate, and it is known to hybridize with Cuora galbinifrons.^[8]

There are two subspecies, C. m. mouhotii and C. m. obsti.^[2]^[3]^[9]

The Southern Vietnamese population of Cuora mouhotii lives alongside Cuora picturata. Since Cuora mouhotii is known to hybridize with the closest living relatives of Cuora picturata (Cuora galbinifrons and Cuora bourreti) there is a possibility of hybridization in the wild between these two populations.^[10]

Description

The keeled box turtle's upper shell (carapace) has three large, raised ridges and is serrated on the back end. The lower shell (plastron) is different variations of brown in color, ranging from light brown to dark brown. The upper jaw is strong, while the snout is short and curved. The feet are only partially webbed, which suggest a terrestrial lifestyle as opposed to an aquatic one.

Male and female keeled box turtles can be distinguished by the color of their eyes as well as their nails. A male generally has longer and thicker nails than a female, and eyes that are either black or brown. A female generally has shorter, thinner nails, and eyes that are orange or red.^[11]

Biology

The biology of C. mouhotii is not well known.^[12]

In one survey, males and females had an average carapace length around 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in).

The breeding season is in May through September. The average clutch size was four eggs, which are smooth, white, and about 4.4 cm (1.7 in) long. On average they typically lay two clutches in a breeding season. Like many other turtles the keeled box turtle does not care for its young. Females have been noted to dig nests with their rear legs and cover the clutches with soil, and also to lay eggs under fallen leaves.^[12]

The male keeled box turtle is very aggressive during the act of mating. In some instances the male turtle will chase and injure a female. The male will often persist until the female allows its advances.

Diet

Keeled box turtles are herbivorous, and eat wide variation of vegetation in the natural environment, with a preference for wild fallen fruits. They will also occasionally eat worms snails and other meat.^[12]

Habitat

The keeled box turtle is a terrestrial species, and can be frequently found in small caves and rock crevices. It can also be found in forests, in deep layers of leaves.

Conservation status

C. mouhotii is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).^[2]

The population of the keeled box turtle has been on a steep decline in some areas, particularly Vietnam. This can be attributed to people capturing them for food and pets, as well as Vietnam legally exporting large numbers. Although there are other possible reasons behind this population decline, deforestation and hunting have proven to be a major threat to these turtles especially.

Threats include habitat destruction and degradation during deforestation. In parts of its range it is threatened by overexploitation as it is collected from the wild, especially for food.^[13] It is also used in traditional medicine.^[14] It is consumed locally and traded internationally for in the food market and the pet trade.^[13]

In China the species is bred in captivity on a small scale for the pet trade.^[13]

Gallery

C. m. mouhotii, plastron.
C. m. obsti, plastron.
Male C. m. obsti.

References

↑ Fritz U, Havaš P (2007). Checklist of chelonians of the world. Vertebrate Zoology 57 (2) 149-368.
1 2 3 4 5 Asian Turtle Trade Working Group. 2000. Cuora mouhotii. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. Downloaded on 20 October 2013.
1 2 Cuora mouhotii. The Reptile Database.
1 2 Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cuora mouhotii, p. 183).
↑ Pyxidea mouhotii. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
↑ Zhang, L., et al. (2008). The complete mitochondrial genome of the keeled box turtle Pyxidea mouhotii and phylogenetic analysis of major turtle groups. Journal of Genetics and Genomics 35(1), 33-40.
↑ Honda, M., et al. (2002). Phylogenetic relationships of the Asian box turtles of the genus Cuora sensu lato (Reptilia: Bataguridae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences. Zoological Science 19, 1305-12.
1 2 Stuart, B. L. and J. F. Parham. (2004). Molecular phylogeny of the critically endangered Indochinese box turtle (Cuora galbinifrons). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31(1), 164-77.
↑ Fritz, U., et al. (1998). Eine neue Unterart der Dreikiel-Scharnierschildkröte, Pyxidea mouhotii (Gray, 1862). Zool. Abh. Mus. Tierkd. Dresden 50, 33-43
↑ Ly, Tri, Huy Duc Hoang, and Bryan L. Stewart. "Occurrence of the endangered keeled box turtle, Cuora mouhotii, in Southern Vietnam." bioone.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. <http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.2744/CCB-0964.1>.
↑ "Keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii)." Keeled box turtle videos, photos and facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://www.arkive.org/keeled-box-turtle/cuora-mouhotii/>."
1 2 3 Ji-Chao, W., et al. (2011). Reproduction and nesting of the endangered keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii) on Hainan Island, China. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 10(2), 159-64.
1 2 3 Inclusion of Pyxidea mouhotii in Appendix II in accordance with Article II 2(a) of the Convention, and satisfying Resolution Conf. 9.24, Annex 2a, Criteria A and Bi). Proposal 28. CITES. Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. Santiago, Chile, 3-15 November 2002.
↑ da Nóbrega Alves, R. R., et al. (2008). Reptiles used in traditional folk medicine: conservation implications. Biodiversity and Conservation 17(8), 2037-49.

External links

Photo gallery: Pyxidea. World Chelonian Trust.

Turtle family Geoemydidae

Genus	Species of the family Geoemydidae

Batagur	Burmese roofed turtle Northern river terrapin Painted terrapin Red-crowned roofed turtle Southern river terrapin Three-striped roofed turtle

Cuora	Amboina box turtle Bourret's box turtle Indochinese box turtle McCord's box turtle Keeled box turtle Pan's box turtle Southern Vietnamese box turtle Chinese three-striped box turtle Yellow-headed box turtle Yellow-margined box turtle Yunnan box turtle Zhou's box turtle

Cyclemys	Asian leaf turtle Assam leaf turtle Eastern black-bridged leaf turtle Enigmatic leaf turtle Myanmar brown leaf turtle Oldham's leaf turtle Western black-bridged leaf turtle

Geoclemys	Black pond turtle

Geoemyda	Black-breasted leaf turtle Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle

Hardella	Brahminy river turtle

Heosemys	Arakan forest turtle Giant Asian pond turtle Spiny turtle Yellow-headed temple turtle

Leucocephalon	Sulawesi forest turtle

Malayemys	Malayan snail-eating turtle Mekong snail-eating turtle

Mauremys	Balkan pond turtle Caspian turtle Chinese pond turtle Chinese stripe-necked turtle Japanese pond turtle Red-necked pond turtle Spanish pond turtle Vietnamese pond turtle Yellow pond turtle

Melanochelys	Indian black turtle Tricarinate hill turtle

Morenia	Burmese eyed turtle Indian eyed turtle

Notochelys	Malayan flat-shelled turtle

Orlitia	Malaysian giant turtle

Pangshura	Assam roofed turtle Brown roofed turtle Indian roofed turtle Indian tent turtle

Rhinoclemmys	Black river turtle Brown wood turtle Colombian wood turtle Furrowed wood turtle Large-nosed wood turtle Maracaibo wood turtle Mexican spotted wood turtle Painted wood turtle Spot-legged turtle

Sacalia	Beal's eyed turtle Four-eyed turtle

Siebenrockiella	Black marsh turtle Philippine forest turtle

Vijayachelys	Cane turtle

Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist.

Extant turtle taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Chelonii or Testudines

Suborder

Superfamily

Family

Subfamily	Genus

Cryptodira

Chelydridae

	Chelydra Macrochelys

Chelonioidea

Cheloniidae

Carettinae	Caretta Lepidochelys

Cheloniinae	Chelonia Eretmochelys Natator

Dermochelyidae

	Dermochelys

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae

	Dermatemys

Kinosternidae

Kinosterninae	Kinosternon Sternotherus

Staurotypinae	Claudius Staurotypus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae

Deirochelyinae	Chrysemys Deirochelys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Trachemys

Emydinae	Clemmys Emys Glyptemys Terrapene

Geoemydidae

Geoemydinae	Batagur Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys

Rhinoclemmydinae	Rhinoclemmys

Platysternidae

	Platysternon

Testudinidae

	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Stigmochelys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae

	Carettochelys

Trionychidae

Cyclanorbinae	Cyclanorbis Cycloderma Lissemys

Trionychinae	Amyda Apalone Chitra Dogania Nilssonia Palea Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx

Pleurodira

Chelidae

Chelinae	Acanthochelys Chelus Mesoclemmys Phrynops Platemys Rhinemys

Chelodininae	Chelodina Elseya Elusor Emydura Flaviemys Myuchelys Pseudemydura Rheodytes

Hydromedusinae	Hydromedusa

Pelomedusidae

	Pelomedusa Pelusios

Podocnemididae

	Erymnochelys Peltocephalus Podocnemis

Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2012 update: annotated checklist. Extinct turtles not included.

Portal Book See also List of Testudines families

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