Prehistoric Period

The fossil record shows that the Cuora flavomarginata, or Chinese box turtle, has been around for a very long time. As a group, turtles have been around for more than 220 million years, making them among the most ancient groups of reptiles that are still around today. Turtles in their contemporary form evolved from more primitive cousins that first emerged about 220 million years ago, during the Triassic era, according to fossil evidence.

Throughout the Mesozoic period, which began about 252 million years ago and ended around 66 million years ago, turtles adapted to a broad variety of habitats and ecological niches. Due to a lack of turtle fossils from certain areas, there are few direct fossil evidence connecting Cuora flavomarginata. However, turtle evolution suggests that East Asia was likely home to their ancestors.

Turtles' evolutionary history is illuminated by fossils and other geological artifacts, which attest to their tenacity and capacity for adaptation across eons of time. Around 100 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous era, turtles were abundant in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, having dispersed to other continents. The greatest variation in turtle shell form and size occurred during this time, when many different species evolved to adapt to their specific habitats.

Around 56 to 33.9 million years ago, during the Eocene period, current turtle groups like the Emydidae family—to which Cuora flavomarginata belongs—emerged. During the Miocene and Pliocene periods, turtle species continued to diversify and specialize, eventually giving rise to the modern-day species we know today.

It is quite probable that Cuora flavomarginata became a separate species not long ago, during the last few million years, when the landscapes of East Asia were formed due to changes in climate and geology. Its biological niche has evolved throughout time to fit certain environmental requirements, such as wooded regions close to water sources.