Wildlifeof India
Keeled Box Turtle
Tortoises & Freshwater Turtles
Photo: (c) rohanmenzies, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Cuora mouhotii
Basic stats
Diet
Herbivorous: wild fallen fruits and other vegetation; occasionally worms and snails
Range
Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, India, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan and Thailand
Clutch size
Average four eggs; about two clutches a season
Size
Carapace averaging 15–17cm
The keeled box turtle is a turtle of the family Geoemydidae. The plastron is light to dark brown, the upper jaw strong and the snout short and curved. Males and females can be told apart by eye colour and nails: males generally have longer, thicker nails and black or brown eyes, females shorter, thinner nails and orange or red eyes. In one survey average carapace length was about 15–17 cm (Wikipedia, general species account).
The feet are only partly webbed, which suggests a mainly land-dwelling life. The species is herbivorous, with a preference for wild fallen fruits, and occasionally eats worms and snails. Breeding is from May to September; the average clutch is four smooth white eggs about 4.4 cm long, and two clutches are typical in a season. The Reptile Database lists Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in eastern India.
Quick answers
- What does the Keeled Box Turtle eat?
- Herbivorous: wild fallen fruits and other vegetation; occasionally worms and snails
- Where is the Keeled Box Turtle found?
- Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, India, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan and Thailand
- How many eggs does the Keeled Box Turtle lay?
- Average four eggs; about two clutches a season
- How big is the Keeled Box Turtle?
- Carapace averaging 15–17cm