Phil Bendle Collection:Turtle (Chinese Box) Cuora flavomarginata

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Family: Geoemydidae
Genus: Cuora
Species: C. flavomarginata
Binomial name: Cuora flavomarginata
Synonyms: Cistoclemmys flavomarginata, Cyclemys flavomarginata sinensis, Terrapene culturalia, C. f. evelynae, Cuora evelynae
Common names: Chinese Box Turtle, Yellow-margined box turtle, Golden-headed turtle, Snake-eating Turtle. 

Cuora flavomarginata is a species of Asian box turtle found in China, Taiwan and Japan. 
In New Zealand, in 2018 there were five males at Napier's National Aquarium. There are probably some in private collections
. 
C. flavomarginata has a highly domed shell, the carapace and plastron of which are a dark brown with a cream-yellow stripe on the vertebral keel. The edge of the plastron is lightly pigmented due to the marginal scutes' and plastral scutes' lighter pigmentation near their edges. The skin on the limbs is brown, while the top of the head is pale green. Each side of the head has a yellow line extending from behind the eye backward. The skin beneath the head and between the limbs is a light pinkish colour. This species average length is 160 mm. 
The name box turtle refers to its ability to bring the plastron to the edges of the carapace. This is enabled by a hinge on the plastron and ligaments connecting the carapace and plastron, which allows for limited movement. 
The forefeet have five claws, while the rear having four. 
The external difference between male and female C. flavomarginata is slight. Males have a broader tail than females that is almost triangular in shape. C. flavomarginata is omnivorous and eats a large variety of foods. 

 

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

---