These turtles have blackish-brown to olive brown colored shells that are not as ornate as many other box turtles. All have a blackish olive head with three yellow stripes on the side. The male can be identified by the slightly concave shape to its plastron. There is no specific pattern to what the underbellies may look like, for either sex. The only true way of telling age is to guess by the texture of the shell, as growth rings form irregularly.
There are four subspecies which are primarily differentiated by differences in the color and shape of the carapace:[1]
* Cuora amboinensis amboinensis – eastern Indonesian islands: Ambon, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, Buru, Seram and East Timor and smaller islands in the region.
For individuals suspected to be of this subspecies: Ratio of carapace length / height: 3.08. Average ratio dimensions of plastron spots: 1.21 (almost circular)
* Cuora amboinensis couro (Schweigger, 1812)[verification needed] – south Indonesian islands: Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sumbawa.
Darker, more oval black spots on plastron, flatter carapace.
* Cuora amboinensis kamaroma (Rummler & Fritz, 1991)[verification needed] – Malayan box turtle. Mainland Indochina (South and Central Vietnam, southern Laos & Cambodia), Thailand (Phang Nga Province etc.), Singapore and mainland Malaysia.
More domed carapace and smaller, more elongated spotting of black pigments of plastron. Average ratio of carapace length / height: 2.82. Average ratio dimensions of plastron spots: 2.14 (small and elongated)
* Cuora amboinensis lineata (McCord & Philippen, 1998)[verification needed] – Myanmar.
Light stripe along keel of carapace.
Several distinct populations are believed to represent up to 4 more subspecies, or at least striking varieties
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