Ernst, 1988b
McCord's box turtle
Recognition
The elliptical carapace (to 13.4 cm) is domed, widest at the level of the 8th marginals and highest at the seam separating the 2nd and 3rd vertebrals. The marginals are flared anteriorly and posteriorly, laterally somewhat downturned with reverted rims, and only slightly serrated posteriorly. A low, blunt medial keel is present, best developed from posterior vertebral 2 to vertebral 4. The 1st vertebral is flared anteriorly, vertebral 2 is longer than wide, vertebrals 3-5 are broader than long, and the 5th is flared. The cervical scute is longer than broad. Carapacial color is reddish brown with dark seams, a dark wedgelike mark on each marginal, and a yellow border. The well-developed plastron is yellow with an extensive medial black mark and two black blotches on the yellow bridge. Undersides of the marginals are yellow. The plastral hindlobe is posteriorly notched, and broad enough to cover most of the retracted hindlimbs. The plastral formula is: abd > pect > an > gul > fem > hum; the interanal seam is complete. The head is narrow and pointed; its snout does not project, and the upper jaw has neither a hook nor notch. Smooth yellow skin covers the dorsal surface of the head, the iris is yellow to greenish yellow, and a bright, narrowly black-bordered, yellow stripe extends backward from the snout through the orbit to the neck. Jaws, chin, and neck are yellow. Large brown to reddish brown scales cover the anterior surface of the forelegs, and the hind feet are brown. Other limb coloration is yellow. A brown to olive stripe occurs dorsally on the yellow tail.
Males have concave plastra and long, thick tails with the vent beyond the carapacial rim. Females have flat plastra and small tails.
Distribution
Cuora mccordi is known only from Guangxi, China.
IUCN Red List Status (1996)
Data deficient.