| Gulf Coast box turtle | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
| Family: | Emydidae |
| Genus: | Terrapene |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | T. c. major |
| Trinomial name | |
| Terrapene carolina major (Agassiz, 1857) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
The Gulf Coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) is the largest subspecies of the common box turtle (Terrapene carolina).
Gulf Coast box turtles have a domed shell which can grow to 8 inches (20 cm) in shell length. It is generally dark brown or black in color, with yellow striping or blotching, the amount of blotching or striping can vary greatly.
The Gulf Coast box turtle can be found along the Gulf of Mexico from the state of Louisiana to the state of Florida.
Intergrading with other subspecies of the common box turtle that it shares its range with is not uncommon.
They are often found around estuaries and swampy regions, near shallow, permanent bodies of water.
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 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.
The Indian flapshell turtle is a freshwater species of turtle found in South Asia. The "flap-shelled" name stems from the presence of femoral flaps located on the plastron. These flaps of skin cover the limbs when they retract into the shell. It is unclear what protection the flaps offer against predators. Indian flapshell turtles are widespread and common in the South Asian provinces. It is morphologically an evolutionary link between the softshell and hardshell aquatic turtles. Exploitation for profit and habitat change are threats to their survival.
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 Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle, a subspecies in the Trionychidae family of softshell turtles, is endemic to the south-eastern United States.
The Mexican box turtle is a species of box turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Terrapene carolina.
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 spotted box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is endemic to the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico.
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 Vietnamese three-striped box turtle or green rice turtle is a species of the Southeast Asian genus Cuora. It is distributed from the extreme southern part of the Chinese Guangxi province southwards to central Vietnam and central Laos. This species reaches up to 30 cm straight carapace length and is thus the largest Cuora species. Due to demand of traditional Chinese medicine, this species is nearly extinct in the wild, but is readily bred on Chinese turtle farms. Extremely high prices are paid for this species in China. It can be distinguished from Cuora trifasciata by its larger size and generally more oval or rounder shell, which is usually also flatter, a white, pink, or orange chin, and head coloration with an orange-brownish-olive dorsal head pattern and less black pigment.
The desert box turtle, also known as the Sonoran box turtle, 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.
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 Yucatán box turtle is a species of box turtle endemic to Mexico. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Terrapene carolina.
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.
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