Cuora galbinifrons
Encyclopedia
The Indochinese box turtle(Cuora galbinifrons) or Vietnamese box turtle or Flowerback box turtle is a species
of Asian box turtle from China
(Hainan and Guangxi), northern and central Vietnam
, Laos
and possibly northeastern Cambodia
.
The northern Vietnamese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons was described by Bourret in 1939, but it took nearly 40 years until the first specimens where imported to Europe and the United States. This subspecies occurs in extreme southern Guangxi
Province, China
, in northern Vietnam
and probably northern Laos
and on Hainan
Island (China). The population from Hainan was once considered to represent a distinct species (Zhao, 1975) or at least subspecies (Iverson & Mccord, 1992), Cuora (galbinifrons) hainanensis (Li, 1958 : org desc. Cyclemys flavomarginata hainanensis). Li, 1958 was not aware of the description from Bourret (1939) of C. galbinifrons and thus believed to have something new of which he believed it is a 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 a fully black plastron (always the case in mainland C.g. galbinifrons) but sometimes lighter parts. Furthermore, the carapace shows 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 (Obst & Reimann, 1994) of Cuora galbinifrons, genetic studies (Stuart & Parham 2004) have shown it to be quite distinct, possibly to the extent of an own species, i.e., Cuora bourreti as is the case with Cuora picturata (Lehr et al. 1998), once also considered a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons. However, ostelogic studies (Fritz et al. 2006) 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 (Fritz et al. 2003). The status of C. picturata is uncertain, while this is the morphologically and phenotypically most distinct variety, authors like Fritz & Havas (2006) treat it as 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
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of Asian box turtle from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(Hainan and Guangxi), northern and central Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and possibly northeastern Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
The northern Vietnamese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons was described by Bourret in 1939, but it took nearly 40 years until the first specimens where imported to Europe and the United States. This subspecies occurs in extreme southern Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, in northern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and probably northern Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and on Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
Island (China). The population from Hainan was once considered to represent a distinct species (Zhao, 1975) or at least subspecies (Iverson & Mccord, 1992), Cuora (galbinifrons) hainanensis (Li, 1958 : org desc. Cyclemys flavomarginata hainanensis). Li, 1958 was not aware of the description from Bourret (1939) of C. galbinifrons and thus believed to have something new of which he believed it is a subspecies of Cuora flavomarginata the only Cuora
Cuora
Asian box turtles are turtles of the genus Cuora in the family Geoemydidae comprising 10–11 species with about the same number of subspecies. The keeled box turtle is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus...
species known at this time with at least some similarities. According to some, specimens from Hainan do not always have a fully black plastron (always the case in mainland C.g. galbinifrons) but sometimes lighter parts. Furthermore, the carapace shows 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 (Obst & Reimann, 1994) of Cuora galbinifrons, genetic studies (Stuart & Parham 2004) have shown it to be quite distinct, possibly to the extent of an own species, i.e., Cuora bourreti as is the case with Cuora picturata (Lehr et al. 1998), once also considered a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons. However, ostelogic studies (Fritz et al. 2006) 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 (Fritz et al. 2003). The status of C. picturata is uncertain, while this is the morphologically and phenotypically most distinct variety, authors like Fritz & Havas (2006) treat it as 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
Cuora serrata
Cuora serrata, originally described as Cuora galbinifrons serrata by Iverson & Mccord and later considered a distinct species by Obst & Fritz are hybrids as shown by the genetic studies of Stuart & Parham . These hybrids are bred in the wild as mentioned Buskirk et al. ad documented for the...
.
External links
- Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons - Visual Determination of Subspecies by Chris Tabaka, DVM. Retrieved 2007-SEP-1.