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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.
The ornate box turtle is a relatively small turtle, measuring just 4-6″ (10-15 cm) when full-grown. Males and females generally look alike but males are often smaller; there is color variation with yellow lines from the center of the shell to the edges through gray, red-brown, or black coloration. [7]
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.
Box turtles can be injured by dogs and cats, so special care must be taken to protect them from household pets. Box turtles require an outdoor enclosure (although they can have indoor enclosures when necessary), consistent exposure to light and a varied diet. Without these, a turtle's growth can be stunted and its immune system weakened.
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.
Common box turtles are official state reptiles of three U.S. states. North Carolina and Tennessee honor the eastern box turtle, [14] [15] [16] Kansas adopted the ornate box turtle in 1986. [17] [18] In Pennsylvania, the eastern box turtle made it through one house of the legislature, but failed to win final naming in 2009. [19]
Eastern Box turtles go for $1,000 each on the Chinese black market. Getty Images. Her sentencing is scheduled for December. Ng faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
[7] [18] Three species are Near Threatened: the diamondback terrapin (Maryland), the ornate box turtle (Kansas), and the common box turtle (Missouri with the three-toed subspecies, North Carolina and Tennessee with the eastern subspecies). [22] [26] [32] All the remaining state reptile species are Least Concern.