Cuora yunnanensis
Encyclopedia
The Yunnan Box Turtle is a species
of turtle
in the family
Geoemydidae
(formerly Bataguridae). It is believed to be endemic to China
(Yunnan
) and was suspected to be extinct since the early 20th century; the last verified specimen was collected in 1940 (Blanck, 2005, Blanck et al. 2006)
In 2004, a living female appeared from the pet trade in Kunming
, one year later a male from the same source and again one year later another female was found there. The validity of these specimens was doubted and many believed that they were intentionally produced hybrids (see IUCN 2006), a common technique in China to produce turtles that get high prices.
In 2007, He et al. sampled the three living specimens and gave the genetic proof that all three living specimens are indeed Cuora yunnanensis and not hybrids. The distribution of this species remains unclear, but due to its value, it is heavily sought after. Protection measures are needed to save this probably highly endangered species from its return onto the IUCN list of extinct animals.
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 turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
(formerly Bataguridae). It is believed to be endemic to 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...
(Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
) and was suspected to be extinct since the early 20th century; the last verified specimen was collected in 1940 (Blanck, 2005, Blanck et al. 2006)
In 2004, a living female appeared from the pet trade in Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
, one year later a male from the same source and again one year later another female was found there. The validity of these specimens was doubted and many believed that they were intentionally produced hybrids (see IUCN 2006), a common technique in China to produce turtles that get high prices.
In 2007, He et al. sampled the three living specimens and gave the genetic proof that all three living specimens are indeed Cuora yunnanensis and not hybrids. The distribution of this species remains unclear, but due to its value, it is heavily sought after. Protection measures are needed to save this probably highly endangered species from its return onto the IUCN list of extinct animals.
External links
- World Chelonian Trust: Cuora Gallery. Contains C. yunnanensis museum specimen photos. Retrieved 2007-SEP-01.