Golden coin turtle
| Golden Coin Turtle | |
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| File:C trifa.JPG | |
| Chinese three-striped box turtle Cuora trifasciata | |
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| Species: | C. trifasciata
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| Binomial name | |
| Cuora trifasciata
(Sternothaerus trifasciatus in org Descr.) | |
Cuora trifasciata is a species of turtle endemic to southern China, known in English as the Golden Coin Turtle or Three-striped/-banded/-lined Box Turtle.
The species is distributed in China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan and Hong Kong Provinces); populations from Lao People's Democratic Republic and Vietnam are now regarded as an own species, Cuora cyclornata[1]. In Hong Kong, the species is found in Tai Tam Reservoir area on Hong Kong Island.
It hybridizes vigorously with its relatives in captivity and in the wild, and hybrids may be fertile. Several of these have been described as new species, such as the Fujian Pond Turtle, a hybrid between (usually) males of this species and females of the Asian Yellow Pond Turtle. In addition, the Golden Coin Turtle is suspected to be a parent of the supposed species Chinese False-eyed Turtle and Philippen's Striped Turtle.[2]
Threats
The species is considered Critically Endangered with extinction by the IUCN. It is an important ingredient for making the Chinese medicinal dessert Guīlínggāo (龜苓膏) so it is under threat because of hunting. This is one of the most endangered turtle species in the world, according to a 2003 assessment by the IUCN.[citation needed]
Footnotes
References
- Template:IUCN2006 Listed as Critically Endangered (CR A1d+2d)
- Blanck, T., W.P. Mccord & M. Le (2006): On the Variability of Cuora trifasciata. Edition Chimaira. 153pp.
- Buskirk, James R.; Parham, James F. & Feldman, Chris R. (2005): On the hybridisation between two distantly related Asian turtles (Testudines: Sacalia × Mauremys). Salamandra 41: 21-26. PDF fulltext
- Parham, James Ford; Simison, W. Brian; Kozak, Kenneth H.; Feldman, Chris R. & Shi, Haitao (2001): New Chinese turtles: endangered or invalid? A reassessment of two species using mitochondrial DNA, allozyme electrophoresis and known-locality specimens. Animal Conservation 4(4): 357–367. HTML abstract Erratum: Animal Conservation 5(1): 86 HTML abstract
- "Wetlands Biodiversity of Cambodia". Retrieved 2007-05-04.