Post by Karen R Quinn on Aug 3, 2009 14:09:30 GMT -7
Florida Box Turtle:
Their shell is relatively narrow and elongated. There are usually streaks of thin light yellow radiating lines. The plastron is usually a brownish yellow, and will sometimes have brown streaks. The head and neck area are dark brown in color with yellow streaks. The male has brown eyes, unlike the other subspecies where the male has red eyes.
Eastern Box Turtle:
Their color pattern is extremely variable. The carapace is predominately dark brown to black and keeled. It is most commonly streaked with yellow. Though it can have red and orange blotches as well. The plastron ranges from yellow to black...with or without patterns. The skin is dark with yellow or almost red colored spots. Some males have a reddish coloring. They usually have four toes on the hind feet, but at times have three. They sometimes mate with other subspecies making a positive identification almost impossible.
Three-Toed Box Turtle:
The carapace is usually a uniform olive color and keeled, with the plastron a lighter shade. However, like the Eastern Box Turtle there are many variations, some carapaces are dark and almost a brown color. Typically they have very few yellow markings. The plastron can also have some black blotches. The head neck and legs have yellow, red and orange blotches on them. The males are usually more colorful....but I have seen some females with bright colors too. They are typically more domed than Eastern box turtles with the highest point near the rear of the shell. They usually have three toes on their hind feet...sometimes four.
Ornate Box Turtle:
These are a small species that are four to five inches in length, with a flat, domed shell and no central keel. The carapace and plastron are dark brown or black with distinctive yellow striations. Ornate Box Turtles have a hinged plastron enabling it to encase its head, limbs, and tail completely inside the shell. This box turtle has a defined pattern of radiating lines on its plastron. The central keel on the carapace is defined by a yellow line.
Desert Box Turtle:
Is very similar in appearance to the Ornate Box Turtle. The main difference is the number of radiating lines on the second pleural scute.....as many as 11 to 14 radiating lines on the 2nd pleural that are lighter in color than the Ornate Box Turtle which has 5-9 radiating lines.
Gulf Coast Box Turtle:
This is one of the larger species. It is elongated and the carapace is keeled. The marginal scutes are flared. The carapace is dark brown to black with dull scattered spots or radiating lines. The plastron is deep brown to black...with or without patterns. Males can have white patches on their head, and in some cases the head may be almost white.
Mexican Box Turtle:
This species is rare in the pet trade. The carapace is domed and elongated. There is a hump on the 3'rd vertebral scute. The carapace is brown with dark brown at the sutures giving the appearance of an outline. The head and neck are greyish brown with an occasional light spot on the sides of its head.
Coahulian Box Turtle:
This is another rare species in the pet trade. The carapace is elongated and very narrow. It is dark brown or almost olive in color, with most having a worm-like pattern of light yellow. The plastron is yellow to dark occasionally with dark seams and speckles. Its head, neck and legs are a uniform grey or olive color, and lack any patterned markings.