Head to head
Golden Coin Turtle vs Box Turtle
Golden Coin Turtle
VS Box Turtle
The golden coin turtle of Asia and the box turtles of North America are two groups of hinged-shell turtles that can close themselves tightly inside their shells.
| Golden Coin Turtle | Box Turtle | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cuora trifasciata | Terrapene (a genus of several species) |
| Relationship | An Asian box turtle, in a different genus from the American box turtles | American box turtles, in a different genus from the Asian box turtles |
| Hinged shell | A hinged plastron that can close tightly over its head and limbs | A flexible hinge across the middle of the plastron, which closes tightly when the head, legs, and tail are drawn in |
| Diet | Fruit, plants, snails, worms, and insects | Young are more carnivorous, eating earthworms, slugs, snails, and insects, while adults take more plant matter, including berries |
| Range | Forest streams and wet ground in southern China and northern Vietnam | The eastern and central United States and northern Mexico, in woodland, meadows, and floodplains |
| Threats | Collected so heavily for traditional medicine that it is now extremely rare in the wild | Collected for the pet trade, killed on roads, and losing habitat to development and farming |
| Notable fact | A single turtle can be worth thousands of dollars, which drives poaching of the few that remain | Routinely lives 30 to 50 years, with many passing 80, and credible records of individuals over 100 |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, and decreasing | Vulnerable |
Golden Coin Turtle vs Box Turtle: common questions
Why is the golden coin turtle so valuable?
It is highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine and believed by some to cure illness, which has made individual turtles worth huge sums.
How long do box turtles live?
Box turtles routinely live 30 to 50 years, with many passing 80, and credible records of individuals over 100.
Are the Asian and American box turtles related?
They are in different genera, but both have a hinged plastron that lets them close up tightly inside the shell.