Eastern box turtle : North Carolina wildlife profiles

Ф Eastern Box Turtle North Carolina Wildlife Profiles Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina) This small, charismatic terrestrial turtle is seen frequently in fields, forests and neigh¬ borhoods throughout North Carolina. The Eastern Box T urtle is one of four sub-species of box turtles found east of the Mississippi and is the most common terrestrial turtle in the eastern United States. The box turtle was named for its ability to completely box up inside its shell when it feels threatened. Description Eastern Box Turtles are characterized by their highly domed top shell, called the carapace, which can be brightly colored with a middorsal keel down the center. Car¬ apace color varies greatly between individuals, containing smudges, streaks, blotches, or mottling that can be yellow, reddish, orange, or brown. The single hinge on their plastron, or lower shell, allows complete closure and is located just behind their front legs. Plastrons are usually dark brown with some yellow or orange blotches. Skin color is usually brown or black with yellow, reddish, or orange patterns. They have four toes, without webbing, located on each hind foot. Male and female box turtles arc sexually dimorphic as adults. Adult males are most often larger than females and the marginal scutes along the rear of the carapace are usually flared. Males have larger, blockier heads with brighter coloration than females. Usually, but not always, males have orange or red eyes w'hile females have brown eyes. Males have a concave indention in the rear lobe of their plastron that is useful during breeding when mounting females. Females may have a slight indentation, too, but more often have a flat plastron. Females have smaller, less curved rear claws than the males who have distinctively stout, curved rear claws History and Status Eastern box turtles are the only terrestrial turtle found in North Carolina, and in 1979 they w'ere selected as North Carolina's State Reptile. Box turtle sightings are common throughout North Carolina, but with continual loss of habitat, propensity to get hit by cars, and a slow maturation and low' reproductive rate, box turtles populations are believed to be diminishing. Areas of heavy development and road coastruction are likely areas where box turtle populations will no longer thrive. Eastern box turtles are not listed in a category of special protection in North Carolina. However, a law' passed in 2003 prohibits the commercial collection of this spe¬ cies and other turtles from the family Emydidae. They are listed as a priority species in the North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan. Mark recapture monitoring projects have recently been initiated throughout the state that will enable biologists to gather baseline popula¬ tion information and alert them to changes in eastern box turde populations. Habitats and Habits The Eastern Box Turtle can be found across the state and is most common in or near W'ooded habitats. Although a highly terrestrial species, during hot and dry weather, turtles will seek refuge in moist or shallow aquatic habitats such as flood plains, bogs. The box turtle is named for its ability to completely box up inside its shell when it feels threatened. Range and Distribution Eastern box turtles are found across the eastern and midwestern parts of the United States. Along the East Coast, they range from southern Maine to northern Florida. Their western boundaries range from Ala¬ bama northward into Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Intergradations with other box turtle subspecies occur along its western and southern range boundaries, sometimes making identification difficult. The eastern box turtle is found commonly throughout North Carolina except along the Outer Banks. Because of relatively few specimens documented, populations on the Outer Banks remain uncertain. Range Map