Desert box turtle

Desert box turtle
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Terrapene
Species:	T. ornata
Subspecies:	T. o. luteola
Trinomial name
	Terrapene ornata luteola; H.M. Smith & Ramsey, 1952
Synonyms
	Terrapene ornata luteolaH.M. Smith & Ramsey, 1952;

Last updated April 23, 2024

The desert box turtle, also known as the Sonoran box turtle, (Terrapene ornata luteola) is a subspecies of box turtle which is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They are generally terrestrial but occasionally take to the water and are most known for their boxy shell and its structural integrity. The desert box turtles are most active in late June or early July into early October, with greatest activity in July and August.^[2]

Features

The most obvious morphological feature of box turtles is their bony boxy shell that consists of scutes covering the carapace. The scutes are used to enhance structural support and give the box turtles their sculpted appearance. In box turtles, the bones in their shell fuse together unlike in other turtles. Their ribs and vertebral column are fused with their bony shell.^[3]

The box turtle also has the ability to create a tight seal by closing the plastron upward to fit snugly against the carapace through a movable hinge between its pectoral and abdominal structures assuring the closure of the shell (Figure 1).^[3]

Other characteristics include a continuous middorsal yellow line on its carapace and the plastron is solid brown with yellow spots and has mottling on its head and legs. Although, some males can have an entirely green head.^[4] Their colors are muted for camouflage in the desert and mature turtles are lighter and more muted than the juvenile. Most, but not all male turtles have red irises. Male box turtles also include concave plastrons, thicker tails with the cloaca closer to the tip, and longer rear legs with larger curved claws which are used to grip the female shell during mating. They also have a similar internal anatomy to freshwater turtles except for the fact that they lack a degenerative cloacal bursae because they do not need to hibernate in water.^[3]

Most adults have about a 125–130 mm carapace length, in where the females were significantly longer than males. It has also been seen that the number of years they can live up to is between 30 and 40 years old.^[2]

Geographic range

The desert box turtle is native to the arid regions of the southwestern United States and the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico, with their range predominantly straddling the Mexico-United States border.

The western extent of their distribution is likely Tucson, Arizona, and the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, in Pima County; they have been sighted as far north in the state as Apache Junction, as well as outside of Phoenix. Like most of the desert box turtle population, their numbers are highest, seemingly, along the Mexican border with the U.S.

In New Mexico, desert box turtles are known from as far north as Albuquerque and Roswell, and from such protected areas as the Bosque del Apache, San Andres and the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuges. They are found commonly throughout most of the southern half of the state, extending their range into Chihuahua, Mexico (where they can be found as far south as Chihuahua City).

In Texas, desert box turtles are mostly found in the Trans-Pecos and Big Bend areas of West Texas (and within Big Bend National Park).^[5]

Habitat

The desert box turtle is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It lives in desert grasslands/shrublands and may face a drier, more severe environment compared with other box turtles in North America. They prefer arid, open prairie areas but have also been found in grassland regions where there is an abundance of yucca around.^[2] They prefer small defined areas where they can be well aware of their surroundings and the locations of their food, shelter and overwintering sites.^[3] Desert box turtles have relatively small home territories, and they exhibit strong site fidelity, seeming to show an affinity to the area of their hatching.^[6]

Breeding habitat

Desert box turtles usually prefer to breed during wetter spring seasons, as egg production is increased, rather than drier springtimes. Precipitation in the spring may subsequently increase the number of summer-laying females; in years with drier springs, female desert box turtles may delay laying eggs outright, rather than reducing annual output during a drought period.^[7] Due to the seasonality and unpredictable nature of rainfall in the desert southwest, it is likely that the desert box turtle's growth, maturation and reproductive behaviors are distinct from other box turtle species found elsewhere, such as in the central and eastern U.S., southern Mexico or into Central America.^[2]

Hibernation

Desert box turtles hibernate in the winter and are naturally freeze tolerant. This is due to the fact that they are greatly affected by air temperature and the weather. As soon as November hits, hibernation begins and lasts until late May and early June. They usually hibernate at temperatures between 1 and 15 degrees, the desert box turtles have designated overwintering or hibernation sites that are closely within their home range. The desert box turtles burrow themselves into the ground for about 35 cm with their hind sticking out. They stay burrowed until the temperature increases and certain factors like warming of the ground temperature, precipitation and ground moisture are present. They attain a 5-month dormancy until they emerge and become active again.^[8]

Reproduction

Their overall activity when it comes to mating or laying eggs is completely correlated to the air temperature and not the precipitation.^[2] Male desert box turtles are normally sexually mature by the time they are 8–9 years of age, but in captivity have been known to breed as young at the age 2. Females normally require 10–11 years to reach sexual maturity and their breeding season lasts between March and May, and nesting sites will be chosen from May to July. Males will be sexually active from the time they emerge from hibernation until September or October. Males often fight aggressively with other males over females when looking for a mate. The mean number of eggs in a clutch varied from 2.67 to 3.55, there was no indication of multiple clutches being produced, and variation in egg numbers was only weakly explained by the cloaca of the female. Clutch size was positively correlated with the maternal body size, but egg width was not related to the maternal body size but was related to the maternal mass. Pelvic width was significantly correlated with the egg width and maternal body size. Egg size varied very little while incubation lasted about seventy days.^[2]

Diet

Desert box turtles are omnivores, eating native vegetation that surrounds their habitat and also eating insects and smaller animals. Considering that they inhabit plain grasslands or mesquite grasslands, their diet consists of largely ground-living insects that include grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. The one important element in their diet are dung beetles, and they are in exploitable quantities due to great numbers of herbivores in the population. As the population of dung beetles decreases, the number of box turtles decreases with it as well.^[9]

Conservation

Box turtles in North America are increasingly becoming a conservation concern because of habitat loss and because they are being harvested for the pet trade.^[2] The destruction of prairies due to land renovations has led to the decline of the desert box turtles (Terrapene ornata luteola) across much of their geographical range. These sites showed high fidelity and were used for overwintering habitats. But efforts have been placed by land management organizations by considering the use of translocation programs in order to restore the desert box turtle's population to areas specifically reserved for them. But they are faced with the problem of long term post-translocation monitoring because they have to establish new home ranges that are unfamiliar to the box turtles. Plus, they are notorious for returning to their site of origin and have very small home ranges where they exhibit high fidelity and used it as overwintering sites.^[10]

Related Research Articles

Emydidae is a family of testudines (turtles) that includes close to 50 species in 10 genera. Members of this family are commonly called terrapins, pond turtles, or marsh turtles. Several species of Asian box turtles were formerly classified in the family; however, revised taxonomy has separated them to a different family (Geoemydidae). As currently defined, the Emydidae are entirely a Western Hemisphere family, with the exception of two species of pond turtle.

The chicken turtle is a turtle native to the southeastern United States. It is the only extant member of the genus Deirochelys and is a member of the freshwater marsh turtle family Emydidae. The chicken turtle's scientific name refers to its extremely long neck and distinctive net-like pattern on its upper shell. There are three regionally distinct subspecies, which are thought to have evolved when populations became separated during periods of glaciation. These subspecies can be distinguished by their appearance; the western chicken turtle displays dark markings along the seams of its plastron, while the plastron of the Florida subspecies is a bright yellow or orange color. Fossil records show that the chicken turtle has been present in the region for up to five million years.

North American box turtles are turtles of the genus Terrapene. Although box turtles are superficially similar to tortoises in terrestrial habits and overall appearance, they are actually members of the American pond turtle family (Emydidae). The 12 taxa which are distinguished in the genus are distributed over seven species. They are largely characterized by having a domed shell which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to retract its head and legs and close its shell tightly to protect itself from predators.

The African helmeted turtle, also known commonly as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae. The species naturally occurs in fresh and stagnant water bodies throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, and in southern Yemen.

The eastern box turtle is a subspecies within a group of hinge-shelled turtles normally called box turtles. T. c. carolina is native to the Eastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keeled box turtle</span> Species of turtle

The keeled box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

The Amboina box turtle or Southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle widely distributed across Southeast Asia. It is native to the Asian mainland from northeast India, through Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand, across Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. It is also found on the archipelagos of Indonesia and the Philippines.

The common box turtle is a species of box turtle with six existing subspecies. It is found throughout the Eastern United States and Mexico. The box turtle has a distinctive hinged lowered shell that allows it to completely enclose itself. Its upper jaw is long. The turtle is primarily terrestrial and eats a wide variety of plants and animals. The females lay their eggs in the summer. Turtles in the northern part of their range hibernate over the winter.

Terrapene ornata is a species of North American box turtle sometimes referred to as the western box turtle or the ornate box turtle. It is one of two recognized species of box turtle in the United States, having two subspecies. The second recognized species of box turtle is the eastern box turtle,Terrapene carolina. T. carolina has six subspecies, two of which are endemic to Mexico.

The three-toed box turtle is a species within the genus of hinge-shelled turtles commonly referred to as box turtles. This species is native to the south-central part of the United States and is the official reptile of the state of Missouri.

The spiny softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, spinifera (spine-bearing), refer to the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of the carapace, which are not scutes (scales).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wood turtle</span> Species of turtle

The wood turtle is a species of turtle endemic to North America. It is in the genus Glyptemys, a genus which contains only one other species of turtle: the bog turtle. The wood turtle reaches a straight carapace length of 14 to 20 centimeters, its defining characteristic being the pyramidal shape of the scutes on its upper shell. Morphologically, it is similar to the bog turtle, spotted turtle, and Blanding's turtle. The wood turtle exists in a broad geographic range extending from Nova Scotia in the north to Minnesota in the west and Virginia in the south. In the past, it was forced south by encroaching glaciers: skeletal remains have been found as far south as Georgia.

The yellow-footed tortoise, also known as the Brazilian giant tortoise, is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae and is closely related to the red-footed tortoise. It is found in the Amazon Basin of South America. The species name has often been misspelled as denticulata, an error introduced in the 1980s when Chelonoidis was elevated to genus and mistakenly treated as feminine, an error recognized and fixed in 2017.

The Coahuilan box turtle, also known commonly as the aquatic box turtle, is an endangered species of turtle in the family Emydidae. Unlike the other members of the genus Terrapene, this turtle spends roughly 90% of its time in water.

The northern map turtle, also known as the common map turtle, is an aquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. It is endemic to North America.

The ornate box turtle is one of only two terrestrial species of turtles native to the Great Plains of the United States. It is one of the two different subspecies of Terrapene ornata. It is the state reptile of Kansas and Nebraska. It is currently listed as threatened in Illinois and is of concern and protected in six Midwestern states.

The smooth softshell turtle is a type of North American softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. This freshwater species is endemic to the United States, where it inhabits the Mississippi River system, along with other adjoining waterways, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Florida box turtle is a subspecies of turtle belonging to the family Emydidae and is one of six extant subspecies of the common box turtle

The Arizona mud turtle is a species of mud turtle in the family Kinosternidae found in the deserts of Arizona and Sonora (Mexico). It is a semi-aquatic turtle. It lives in impermanent puddles, and avoids permanent rivers and lakes.

Box turtle is the common name for several species of turtle. It may refer to those of the genus Cuora or Pyxidea, which are the Asian box turtles, or more commonly to species of the genus Terrapene, the North American box turtles. They are largely characterized by having a shell shaped like a dome, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators. Furthermore, the two genera are very different in habitat, behavior and appearance, and are not even classified in the same family. Even though box turtles became very popular pets, their needs in captivity are complex and the capture of turtles can have serious detrimental effects on the wild population.

References

↑ Fritz, Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 201. doi: 10.3897/vz.57.e30895 .
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Germano, David J. (2014). Activity, Growth, Reproduction and Population Structure of Desert Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata luteola) at the Northern Edge of Chihuahuan Desert. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol 13: Iss 1. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
1 2 3 4 Dodd, C. Kenneth. (2001). North American Box Turtles: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press. Vol 6. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
↑ Ward, Joseph P. (1978). Terrapene ornata (Agassiz) Ornate box turtle. The Society for the study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Vol. 217. Archived from the original. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
↑ Germano, David J. (2014). Activity, Growth, Reproduction and Population Structure of Desert Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata luteola) at the Northern Edge of Chihuahuan Desert. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol 13: Iss 1. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
↑ Refsnider, Jeanine M., Strickland Jeramie, and Janzen, Fredric J. (2011). Home Range and Site Fidelity of Imperiled Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata) in Northwestern Illinois. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol. 11: pp. 78–83. Archived from original 9 June 2018.
↑ Nieuwolt-Dacanay, Pimmy M. (1997). Reproduction the Western Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). Vol 1997: No. 4, pp. 819–826. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
↑ Plummer, Michael V. (2004). Seasonal Inactivity of the Desert Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola, at the Species’ Southwestern Range Limit in Arizona. Journal of Herpetology. Vol 38: No. 4, pp. 589–593. Archived from original 10 June 2018.
↑ Moodie, Kevin B. and Van Devender, Thomas R. (1978). Fossil Box Turtles (Genus Terrapene) from Southern Arizona. The Herpetologists’ League. Vol 34: No. 2, pp. 172–174. Archived from the original 8 June 2018.
↑ Refsnider, Jeanine M., Strickland Jeramie, and Janzen, Fredric J. (2011). Home Range and Site Fidelity of Imperiled Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata) in Northwestern Illinois. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol. 11: pp. 78–83. Archived from original 9 June 2018.

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[Fritz2007-1] Fritz, Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 201. doi: 10.3897/vz.57.e30895 .

[Germano-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Germano, David J. (2014). Activity, Growth, Reproduction and Population Structure of Desert Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata luteola) at the Northern Edge of Chihuahuan Desert. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol 13: Iss 1. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

[Dodd-3] 1 2 3 4 Dodd, C. Kenneth. (2001). North American Box Turtles: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press. Vol 6. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

[4] Ward, Joseph P. (1978). Terrapene ornata (Agassiz) Ornate box turtle. The Society for the study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Vol. 217. Archived from the original. Retrieved 8 June 2018.

[Germano2-5] Germano, David J. (2014). Activity, Growth, Reproduction and Population Structure of Desert Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata luteola) at the Northern Edge of Chihuahuan Desert. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol 13: Iss 1. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

[Refsnider22-6] Refsnider, Jeanine M., Strickland Jeramie, and Janzen, Fredric J. (2011). Home Range and Site Fidelity of Imperiled Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata) in Northwestern Illinois. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol. 11: pp. 78–83. Archived from original 9 June 2018.

[7] Nieuwolt-Dacanay, Pimmy M. (1997). Reproduction the Western Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). Vol 1997: No. 4, pp. 819–826. Archived from the original. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

[8] Plummer, Michael V. (2004). Seasonal Inactivity of the Desert Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola, at the Species’ Southwestern Range Limit in Arizona. Journal of Herpetology. Vol 38: No. 4, pp. 589–593. Archived from original 10 June 2018.

[9] Moodie, Kevin B. and Van Devender, Thomas R. (1978). Fossil Box Turtles (Genus Terrapene) from Southern Arizona. The Herpetologists’ League. Vol 34: No. 2, pp. 172–174. Archived from the original 8 June 2018.

[Refsnider-10] Refsnider, Jeanine M., Strickland Jeramie, and Janzen, Fredric J. (2011). Home Range and Site Fidelity of Imperiled Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata) in Northwestern Illinois. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. Vol. 11: pp. 78–83. Archived from original 9 June 2018.

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