Geographic Range
Malayan box turtles are found only in lowland tropical rainforest areas of Southeast
Asia. Four subspecies of
Cuora amboinensis
occupy different areas within this region. These are
C. a. couro, C. a. kamarona, C. a. lineata,
and
C. a. amboinensis
. This habit of extreme habitat-specificity is unique in Asian box turtles, as most
also range into alpine regions or areas north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Habitat
Unlike most box turtles, Malayan box turtles are extremely aquatic and prefer a warm,
wet environment. They are specific to tropical rainforest areas, with a constant
temperature between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and are never found where temperatures
dip below 70 degrees.
C. amboinensis
are the most aquatic of box turtles in the world, and because they prefer still,
warm water, Malayan box turtles are found quite often in rice paddies, marshes, and
shallow ponds in these tropical areas.
- Habitat Regions
- tropical
- terrestrial
- freshwater
- Aquatic Biomes
- lakes and ponds
- temporary pools
- Wetlands
- marsh
- Other Habitat Features
- agricultural
Physical Description
Cuora amboinensis are most easily recognized by their dark olive or black colored head, with three yellow stripes running along each side. Adult turtles can reach a maximum size of 8". The carapace is uniform in coloring, also expressing a dark olive to black hue, with varying degrees of doming and shape among the different subspecies. C. a. kamarona has a high-domed shell, while C. a. amboinensis and C. a. couro have more elongated and shallow carapaces. C. a. lineata has a distinguishable light colored line running along the the center keel. Juveniles have a flattened carapace with three prominent keels. Adults gradually lose these keels and the carapace becomes more domed.
Sexual dimorphism between males and females is not obvious. Differences between genders
are slight and not expressed until the turtle reaches maturity, at 4 or 5 years of
age. Generally, males posses a slightly more concave plastron, longer, thicker tails,
and larger claws when mature. Females have short, stubby tails and shorter claws.
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes shaped differently
Reproduction
Cuora amboinensis
achieves fertilization internally by means of copulation between sexes. Mating occurs
in the water. After copulation, females find a moist, well-drained area and dig a
nest with their hind feet to lay the eggs in, which usually number from 1 to 5 spherical
eggs per nest. The constant, warm temperature is beneficial for more frequent reproduction,
and these turtles are capable of laying several nests per year. The incubation time
is roughly 76 days between fertilization and hatching. A turtle is able to reproduce
once it reaces the age of sexual maturity, which is at 4 or 5 years old.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- year-round breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- oviparous
After finding a safe nesting spot and laying their eggs, these turtles do not provide
any further parental care.
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
-
pre-fertilization
- provisioning
-
protecting
- female
-
pre-hatching/birth
-
provisioning
- female
-
provisioning
Lifespan/Longevity
The longevity of
Cuora amboinensis
is usually from 25 to 30 years. One specimen was reported to have lived for 38 years.
Behavior
Due to their tropical habitat, these turtles never hibernate and are active all year
long.
Food Habits
Malayan box turtles are very similar in diet to other box turtles, preferring an omnivorous
meal. A wide variety of greens are eaten, including vegetables, some fruits, mushrooms,
and various aquatic plants. They also feed on waxworms, crickets, fish, and many
types of insects. Feeding occurs in the water and accomodates their highly aquatic
lifestyle. They do not require food on a daily basis, Malayan box turtles eat twice
a week without detrimental effects.
- Primary Diet
- omnivore
- Animal Foods
- fish
- insects
- terrestrial non-insect arthropods
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- Other Foods
- fungus
Predation
Malayan box turtles use the typical anti-predatory behavior characteristic of box
turtles - tucking their entire body inside their protective shell. This is possible
because of their hinged plastron, which allows the bottom to close very tightly against
the top, preventing a predator from harming the vulnerable areas of their arms, legs,
and head. They can also swim very well, so the first line of defense used is to flee
from perceived danger and hide along the pond or lake bottom.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Cuora amboinensis
are a very popular species of turtle for the pet trade because of their hardiness
and current availability; however, this species and many other asian box turtles are
being over-exploited at an alarming rate. Malayan box turtles are also harvested
to be made into souvenirs in Asian countries. Another benefit to humans is that Malayan
box turtles, as with most Asian box turtles, are used extensively as a gourmet food
in the Oriental. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a high demand to harvest many
wild turtles for human consumption.
Conservation Status
Malayan box turtle populations are declining due to the current over-exploitation
of turtles for national and international trade in Asian countries. Conservation
plans are underway to devise a strategy to stablize this decline. Currently, the
American Zoological Association is finalizing plans for a master studbook for the
genus
Cuora
and is considering including private breeders and collectors as suppliers of male
turtles. Captive reproduction has been very inconsistent; however, a few husbandry
and breeding techniques have been developed for many Asian turtle species, including
Cuora amboinensis
. Currently, all subspecies of
C. amboinensis
have been bred successfully in captivity in zoos or private collections. Unfortunately,
many of these are isolated instances and the future is uncertain.
Other Comments
Other common names include Malaysian box turtle, Celebes box turtle, Indonesian box
turtle, water box turtle, Siamese box turtle, Vietnamese box turtle, Java box turtle,
and Southeast Asian box turtle.
Additional Links
Contributors
Lisa Slepetski (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Phil Myers (editor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
- oriental
-
found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- freshwater
-
mainly lives in water that is not salty.
- marsh
-
marshes are wetland areas often dominated by grasses and reeds.
- agricultural
-
living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- year-round breeding
-
breeding takes place throughout the year
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- solitary
-
lives alone
- pet trade
-
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.
- food
-
A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.
- omnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
References
Barbour, R., C. Ernst. 1992. Turtles of the World . 280 pp.: Smithsonian Institute Press.
Barkzyk, J. 2000. "Turtles in Crisis: The Asian Food Markets" (On-line). Accessed March 5, 2000 at http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/asia.html .
Hall, G. 1995. Asian Box Turtles. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine , May/June: 110-116.