Zhou's box turtle (''Cuora zhoui'') is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Geoemydidae
The Geoemydidae (formerly known as Bataguridae) are one of the largest and most diverse families in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species. The family includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles. Memb ...
(formerly Bataguridae). The species is apparently
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''zhoui'', is in honor of Chinese herpetologist
Zhou Jiufa.
Geographic range
''C. zhoui'' is only known from Chinese food market specimens, and from a relatively small number of individuals that are part of captive breeding programs in China, Germany (notably the
Münster Zoo
The Allwetterzoo Münster is a Zoo in Münster in Westfalen, Germany.
The Zoo origins in the 1875 founded, and 1973 closed ''Zoologische Garten zu Münster'', replaced by the 1974 founded Allwetterzoo Münster, which was built in a tree-rich area ...
), and the United States.
[ In December 2018, the known captive population numbered about 140 individuals, including 80 hatched at the Münster Zoo.][Zooborns (26 December 2018)]
Allwetterzoo Provides Haven for Endangered Turtles
/ref> It may be found in the forests of southeastern Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...
or western Guangxi
Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...
, although it has never been recorded in the wild.
Conservation Status
The over-collection of turtles in Asia for food, medicinal purposes, and the pet trade industry are the primary causes of the decimation of this turtle's population. As of 2012, this species is considered to be critically endangered and in the middle of a conservation crisis.
References
Further reading
* Zhao, "Er-mi"; Zhou, Ting; Ye, Ping (1990). "A new Chinese box turtle (Testudinata: Emydidae) — ''Cuora zhoui'' ". pp. 213–216. ''In'': Zhao, "Ermi" (editor) (1990). ''From Water Onto Land''. Beijing: Chinese Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. ("''Cuora zhoui'' Zhao sp. nov.", pp. 213, 216). (in Chinese and English).
External links
* Listed as Critically Endangered (CR A1d+2d)
*
*Lee DS, Levine LM (2004). First captive breeding of Zhou's Box Turtle, ''Cuora zhoui'', in North America
*Spinks, P. Q., Thomson, R. C., Zhang, Y., Che, J., Wu, Y., & Shaffer, H. B. (2012). Species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in the critically endangered Asian box turtle genus Cuora. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63(3), 656–667
*Struijk RPJH, Woldring LA. ''Cuora'' Studbooks, an overview
*CITES Proposal 11.36 – status and biological information on ''Cuora'' species
Reptiles of China
Cuora
Reptiles described in 1990
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Taxa named by Zhao Ermi
Critically endangered fauna of China
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