Download Florida Box Turtle

Terrapene carolina bauri
Florida Box Turtle
Class: Reptilia. Order: Anapsida. Family: Emydidae.
Other names:
Physical Description: A “land turtle” with a high-domed and
keeled carapace. In the Florida box turtle, the carapace is
brightly patterned with light radiating lines, two characteristic
stripes are present on each side of the head, and three toes are usually present on the hind feet. These are
the main morphological differences that distinguish the Florida box turtle from the Eastern box turtle. As in
all box turtles, the plastron, or bottom shell, is hinged in the front and is often as long as, or longer than,
the carapace, and has movable hinges which allow the lower shell to close tightly against the carapace. In
many individuals, not even a knife blade can be inserted between them. Males usually have red eyes and a
concave plastron, whereas females have yellowish-brown eyes and have a flat or slightly convex plastron.
As adults they measure 4-8½” in length, and weigh 1-2 pounds.
One of the most unique features of turtles and tortoises is their protective shell. Because of the shell,
flight, running, and climbing are not evolutionary options! But some adaptive radiation occurs within the
order. Turtles and tortoises inhabit marshes, lakes, rivers, and the open sea, as well as forests, grasslands
and deserts. The top shell is called the carapace and the bottom shell the plastron. The carapace develops
from a layer of skin and the backbone and ribs are fused to the carapace. The plastron is developed from
the bones of the shoulder girdle. The shell is so successful that it is the cornerstone of turtle design and
lends to the lineage’s longevity, while at the same time limiting species diversity.
Diet in the Wild: Box turtles are omnivorous, feeding on any plant, insect, fruit, worm, and grub they can
find. Types of food eaten include slugs, snails, earthworms, crayfish, spiders, millipedes, frogs,
salamanders, lizards, snakes, small mammals, wild berries, fruit and mushrooms (both poisonous and nonpoisonous), insects, carrion. Young box turtles are primarily carnivorous, becoming more herbivorous with
age.
Diet at the Zoo: Turtle diet, apple sweet potato, mealworms, grapes, carrots, pinkie mice, crickets,
romaine, earthworms.
Habitat & Range: Moist forested areas, wet meadows, pastures, and floodplains in Florida and the Florida
Keys.
Life Span: Average life span in the wild is 25-30 years, but may live up to 50 years. Some individuals have
been thought to live more than 100 years, but this has not been well documented.
Perils in the wild: The automobile is one of the box turtle’s greatest perils. Many turtles are crushed
inadvertently or deliberately as the slow-moving creatures attempt to cross busy streets and highways.
Humans, habitat loss and alteration, pollution, and the pet trade are all contributing to declining turtle
populations in the wild. Adults have few natural predators.
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Physical Adaptations:
Against natural predators, box turtles are capable of closing their hinged plastron tightly against the
carapace for complete protection of their head and fore-limbs.
Box turtles have short legs and stout feet for walking and digging for food and to create burrows for
protection and egg laying.
Thick scales on the head and limbs provide protection from injury while on the go.
Sharp beak-like mouth aids in grasping and tearing vegetation and other food sources.
Camouflaged carapace helps box turtles avoid detection by possible predators.
Behavioral Adaptations:
Box turtles are generally solitary and show no parental protection.
Box turtles are diurnal and scoop out a shallow indentation in the group in which to spend the
night.
Reproduction and Development:
A female can lay fertile eggs up to 4 years after a successful mating. This is a fortuitous ability given
that males of the species sometimes fall on their backs following mating and cannot get enough
leverage to right themselves, resulting in their death.
Females lay three to eight elliptical, white, thin-shelled eggs, averaging about 1 and 3/8” in length,
in 3-4” deep flask-shaped nests.
Box turtles have a low reproductive rate because females do not reach sexual maturity until 7-10
years old and they lay only 3-5 eggs per year.
Young, small box turtles are very secretive and are rarely seen in the wild.
It is estimated that over a lifetime of reproduction only a handful of offspring ever reach sexual
maturity.
Young box turtles grow ½ to ¾ of an inch yearly for about five or six years (after which they are
sexually mature), then grow about ¼” a year until they reach their adult size at about twenty years
of age.
Additional Information:
Although essentially terrestrial, these turtles sometimes soak themselves for hours in mud or water.
During the warmest months of the year, box turtles are active mostly in the morning and evening,
but a sudden summer shower will bring them out of hiding. Even though they superficially
resemble the gopher tortoise, they are more closely related to some of the water turtles.
There is no question that these benign, gentle, quiet creatures have played an integral role in
human cultures throughout time. Basically seen as protectors, symbols of strength and endurance,
good luck and long life, it is a tragic and sad commentary that those of us alive today will see the
demise of many species of these ancient travelers from another time.
Because box turtles sometimes consume mushrooms which are poisonous to man, death could
result if their flesh is eaten. Otherwise, they are benign.
Conservation Status: (IUCN Status)
The IUCN has not yet assessed the Florida Box Turtle, although the Eastern Box Turtle is classified as
“Vulnerable” (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
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Conservation Efforts:
Habitat fragmentation is a major problem for box turtle populations. As habitat shrinks the animals are put
in harms way due to human activity. In the wild they do not have a wary nature and will not hide from
man, as some fresh water species do.
Crossing roads is dangerous for box turtles, which are frequently hit by cars. Being injured by lawn
mowers, farm machinery, and people’s pets are all threats to the slow moving turtle. Habitat loss also
reduces food availability for the turtles and may contribute to breeding problems such as inbreeding and
the inability to find a mate.
Collection of wild animals for pets is also a problem for box turtles. Several studies have indicated that
thousands of animals are collected each year, causing wild populations to decline. Several states, including
Indiana, have enacted laws protecting turtles from collection of animals and eggs, or harming them in any
way.
Glossary: List of definitions of the most important recurrent technical terms used in the text.
Carapace - The top shell of a turtle. The carapace develops from a layer of skin and the backbone and ribs
are fused to the carapace.
Diurnal – Active during daytime hours.
Omnivorous - feeding on both plants and animals.
Plastron - The lower shell of a turtle, developed from the bones of the shoulder girdle.
Scute - Any enlarged scale on a reptile; sometimes called a “plate”.
Vulnerable (VU) – IUCN status which defines a “High risk of endangerment in the wild”.
Sources:
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Florida_Box_Turtle_Digon3.jpg
Hickman, C.P. Roberts, L.S. 1994. Biology of Animals
Halliday, T. Adler, K. 1986. The Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians.
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