Species intro
Gold Coin Turtle (Cuora trifasciata)
This turtle is from S China, Hong Kong, N Vietnam and N Laos. Seen upside down the underside edge of the carapace presents a pale yellow ring against a dark plastron. The head has a large yellow patch on top, yellow strips along the jaw and a red chin. Critically endangered due to over harvesting for food, traditional medicine and the pet trade. In parts of China the proceeds from an adult turtle is enough to build a house.
Golden coin turtle or Chinese three-striped box turtle is a species of turtle endemic to southern China and northern Vietnam.
The species is distributed in China and northern Vietnam. The populations from other parts of Vietnam and Laos are now regarded a separate species, the Vietnamese Three-striped Box Turtle .
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.. more
