Vertebrate fauna of SE Asia
  

 

   
Home  
——————————  
SE Asia fauna ...  
   
Primates
 Carnivorans
 Large Mammals
 Small Mammals
 Mammal calls
 Bats
—————
Birds
—————
 Snakes
 Lizards & Crocodilians
 Turtles
—————
 Amphibians
 Tadpoles
 Frog calls
—————
Freshwater Fishes
 Marine & Brackish Fishes
—————
Species Lists
 





 


 
——————————  
New Guinea herptiles ...  
Snakes   Lizards   Frogs  
——————————  
SE Asia Vert Records (SEAVR) archives ...  
  Indochina Records
  Indonesia & PNG Records
 
——————————  
Philippines Vertebrate Records (PVR)  
Philippines Records  
Email :
 
——————————  
   
  New or updated pages ...
 
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
——————————  
 

Search this site ...

 
 


   

 
  ——————————  
 


Email :


Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless credited to others.
Copyright © Ecology Asia 2024

 
     
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

   
   
 
Malayan Box Terrapin
   
   


Fig 1


Fig 2


Fig 3


Fig 4


Fig 5

 

Family : GEOEMYDIDAE
Species : Cuora amboinensis
Maximum carapace length : 25 cm

The Malayan Box Terrapin inhabits lowland lakes, swamps and other water bodies. It feeds on vegetation, fallen fruits and soft invertebrates such as worms and slugs.

The plastron (the bony plates on the underside) have a hinge-line which allows the entire animal to withdraw inside the fully closed shell. The species is best identified by the arrangement of the yellow striped lines on the head.

The subspecies shown here, C. a. kamaroma, ranges from Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to Borneo. There are two other subspecies, C.a.amboinensis and C.a.couro, which inhabit the islands of Indonesia and the Philippines. Feral populations are common, as a result of deliberate release by Buddhists seeking good luck or 'merit'.


Fig 1 : Specimen in a rocky stream gully at Pulau Pinang, Penang, Peninsular Malaysia.

Fig 2 : Specimen in a shallow forest stream, Singapore.

Fig 3 : Specimen from Singapore, showing the domed carapace and arrangement of scutes.

Fig 4 : Close-up of head pattern.

Fig 5 : Dorsal view showing the hinge in the plastron.


References : H1, H3