The box turtle is one of several species of turtles. It can refer to either those of the genera 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 domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators. Otherwise the two genera are very different in habitat, behaviour, and appearance, and as such are not even classified in the same family. Even though box turtles have become very popular pets, their needs in captivity are complex and the capture of turtles can have serious detrimental effects on the wild population. For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Turtle (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ... Species Around 11, see article. ... Binomial name Cuora mouhotii Gray, 1862 Synonyms Pyxidea mouhotii Keeled Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii) is a species of turtle found in China (Hainan), Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and India. ... Species Terrapene carolina Terrapene coahuila Terrapene nelsoni Terrapene ornata See text for subspecies. ... North American redirects here. ... For other uses, see Dome (disambiguation). ... Various seashells Danielle A shell is the hard, rigid outer covering, or integument, allanimals. ... The hierarchy of scientific classification In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is a rank, or a taxon in that rank. ... Turtles (commonly referred to as either tortoises or terrapins in British English depending on whether they are terrestrial or aquatic respectively)[1] have been quite widely kept as pets in many countries. ...

The box turtle can commonly live up to twenty years, with verified cases of lifespans as long as 40 or 50 years. There have been unverified cases of box turtles living as long as one hundred years and more.^[1]

Diet

North American box turtles are omnivores. Their sharp eyes and keen sense of smell help them in finding food such as snails, insects, berries, fungi, slugs, worms, roots, flowers, fish, frogs, salamanders, various rodents, snakes, birds, and eggs. During their first five to six years, the young are primarily carnivorous while they grow. Adults tend to be mostly herbivorous, but they do not eat green leaves.^[2] Box turtles have been known to eat road-kill. Babies and young turtles need more protein and prefer a carnivorous diet, and then include more and more plant matter as they get older.^[3] Crows are omnivores. ... This article deals with meat-eating animals. ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ...

Studies

A study by Davidson College revealed that a box turtle snapping its jaw shut can produce sounds as loud as 75 dB. This sound can be used to scare away predators or possibly even be used as a mating call.^[4] Davidson College is a private liberal arts college for 1,700 students in Davidson, North Carolina, USA. Both the town and college were named for Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, a Revolutionary War commander. ...

Mating

While it appears that most Terrapene carolina mating occurs in one-to-one encounters, there are occasions when two males will contend for access to a single female. These encounters consisting of butting, shoving, and perhaps attempting to overturn each other. One of the males eventually becomes exhausted and retires from the field while the other wins access to the female.^{[citation needed]}

Eastern box turtle mating contest 1

Eastern box turtle mating contest 2

Threats

Habitat destruction is the biggest problem facing box turtles. Woodlands converted into farmland have reduced the turtles range in many US states.^[5] Remaining land is often fragmented with roads and housing projects, breaking up the animals' habitat. As they try to cross manmade additions, turtles are often killed by cars, animals, and other dangers.^[6]

A further threat to these animals in North America is the capture and sale of wild-born box turtles. A 3-year study in Texas indicated that over 7,000 box turtles were taken from the wild for commercial trade. A similar study in Louisiana found that in a 41-month period, nearly 30,000 box turtles were taken from the wild for resale. Once captured, turtles are often kept in poor conditions where up to half of them die. Those living long enough to be sold usually suffer from conditions such as malnutrition, dehydration, and infection.^[7][8] For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Percentage of population affected by malnutrition by country, according to United Nations statistics. ... Dehydration (hypohydration) is the removal of water (hydro in ancient Greek) from an object. ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ...

Indiana and other states have laws against collecting the turtles from the wild. In many states, it is illegal to keep them without a permit. Collecting box turtles from the wild may cause irreversible damage in the populations, as these turtles have a low reproduction rate and have a hard time finding a mate.^[9]

Most turtle and tortoise societies recommend against box turtles as pets for small children. Box turtles are easily stressed by overhandling and require more care than is generally thought. Box turtles can be easily injured by dogs and cats so special care must be taken to protect them from household pets and neighborhood animals. Box turtles require an outdoor enclosure, consistent exposure to the sun and a varied diet. Without these, a turtle's growth can be stunted and its immune system weakened.

Finding box turtles in the wild and taking them as pets, even for a very short period of time, can have detrimental effects. Box turtles want to stay within the same area where they were born. If one is moved more than a half-mile from its territory, it may never find its way back; but may spend years unsystematically searching. This exposes the animal

 to danger and also disrupts the breeding cycle.[10] 

Taxonomy

Asian box turtles

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article. (Discuss)

Family Geoemydidae
Genus Cuora Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Geoemydidae, (formerly known as Bataguridae), is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines (turtles) with about 75 species. ... Species Around 11, see article. ...

• Amboina Box Turtle, Cuora amboinensis (Suckow, 1798)
• Yellow-headed Box Turtle, Cuora aurocapitata (Luo & Zong, 1988)
• Snake-eating Turtle, Cuora flavomarginata (Gray, 1863)
• Indochinese Box Turtle, Cuora galbinifrons (Bourret, 1939)
• McCord's Box Turtle, Cuora mccordi (Ernst, 1988)
• Pan's Box Turtle, Cuora pani (Song, 1987)
• Three-banded Box Turtle, Cuora trifasciata (Bell, 1825)
• Yunnan Box Turtle, Cuora yunnanensis (Boulenger, 1906)
• Zhou's Box Turtle, Cuora zhoui (Zhao, 1990)

Indo-Chinese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons

Genus Pyxidea Binomial name Cuora amboinensis (Suckow, 1798) Juvenile Malayan Box Turtles (Cuora amboinensis kamaroma) Amboina Box Turtle or Southeast Asian Box Turtle Cuora amboinensis is a species of turtle. ... Year 1798 (MDCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Binomial name Luo & Zong, 1988 Synonyms See text. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Binomial name C. flavomarginata Gray, 1863 The Chinese box turtle is a species of box turtle with several names. ... John Edward Gray. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Binomial name Cuora galbinifrons Bourret, 1939 The Indo-Chinese box turtle is a species of box turtle. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Binomial name Song, 1984 Synonyms Cuora chriskarannarum (a nomen nudum) and see text Pans Box Turtle (Cuora pani) is a proposed species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae). ... This article is about the year 1987. ... Binomial name Cuora trifasciata Bell, 1825 Cuora trifasciata is a species of turtle native to south-east Asia, known in English as the Golden Coin Turtle or Three-striped/banded/lined Box Turtle. ... Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Binomial name (Boulenger, 1906) The Yunnan Box Turtle (Cuora yunnanensis) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae). ... George Boulenger. ... Year 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Binomial name Zhao, 1990 Synonyms Cuora pallidicephala (a nomen nudum) Zhous Box Turtle (Cuora zhoui) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae). ... This article is about the year. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1735x1312, 726 KB) Indo-Chinese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons at Bristol Zoo, England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1735x1312, 726 KB) Indo-Chinese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons at Bristol Zoo, England. ... Binomial name Cuora mouhotii Gray, 1862 Synonyms Pyxidea mouhotii Keeled Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii) is a species of turtle found in China (Hainan), Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and India. ...

• Keeled Box Turtle, Pyxidea mouhotii (Gray, 1862)

Binomial name Cuora mouhotii Gray, 1862 Synonyms Pyxidea mouhotii Keeled Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii) is a species of turtle found in China (Hainan), Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and India. ... John Edward Gray. ... This article is about 1862 . ...

North American box turtles

Family Emydidae
Genus Terrapene Subfamilies  Emydinae  Deirochelyinae Emydidae is a family of box and water turtles, including the common Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) and the European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis). ... Species Terrapene carolina Terrapene coahuila Terrapene nelsoni Terrapene ornata See text for subspecies. ...

• Terrapene carolina
  • Florida Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri (Taylor, 1894)
  • Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Gulf Coast Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina major (Agassiz, 1857)
  • Three-toed Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis (Agassiz, 1857)
  • Mexican Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina mexicana (Gray, 1849)
  • Yucatan Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina yucatana (Boulenger, 1895)
• Coahuilan Box Turtle, Terrapene coahuila (Schmidt & Owens, 1944)
• Spotted Box Turtle, Terrapene nelsoni (Stejneger, 1925)
• Terrapene ornata
  • Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata (Agassiz, 1857)
  • Desert Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola (Smith & Ramsey, 1952)

Binomial name Terrapene carolina Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies See text. ... Taylor is an English surname, originally an occupational surname meaning tailor. [1] Taylor has also been commonly used as a given name in English-speaking countries. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Trinomial name Terrapene carolina carolina Linnaeus, 1758 The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies within a group of hinge-shelled turtles, normally called box turtles. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 13, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Year 1758 (MDCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Trinomial name Terrapene carolina major Agassiz, 1878 The Gulf Coast Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina major) is the largest species of North American box turtle. ... Louis Agassiz After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Stanford President David Starr Jordan wrote, Somebody—Dr. Angell, perhaps—remarked that Agassiz was great in the abstract but not in the concrete. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Trinomial name Terrapene carolina triunguis Agassiz, 1857 The Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) is a subspecies within the group of hinge-shelled turtles commonly referred to as box turtles. ... Louis Agassiz After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Stanford President David Starr Jordan wrote, Somebody—Dr. Angell, perhaps—remarked that Agassiz was great in the abstract but not in the concrete. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Trinomial name Terrapene carolina mexicana Gray, 1849 Categories: | ... John Edward Gray. ... Year 1849 (MDCCCXLIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... George Boulenger. ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Binomial name Schmidt & Owens, 1944 The Aquatic Box Turtle, Coahuila Box Turtle, Coahuila Turtle, or Water Box Turtle (Terrapene coahuila) is a species of turtle in the Emydidae family. ... Karl Patterson Schmidt (born June 19, 1890 in Lake Forest, Illinois, died September 26, 1957 in Chicago) was a notable American herpetologist. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Leonhard Hess Stejneger (October 30, 1851 - February 28, 1943) was a zoologist. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Binomial name Terrapene ornata Agassiz, 1857 Terrapene ornata is a species of North American box turtle sometimes referred to as the western box turtle or ornate box turtle. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Louis Agassiz After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Stanford President David Starr Jordan wrote, Somebody—Dr. Angell, perhaps—remarked that Agassiz was great in the abstract but not in the concrete. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Hobart Muir Smith (born Frederick William Stouffer, on September 26, 1912 in Stanwood, Iowa, USA) is an American herpetologist. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Reptile Database
• Integrated Taxonomic Information Service
• The Snakes Found in Indiana with Informal Box Turtle information

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Golden Coin Box Turtle hatches A newborn golden coin box turtle at the Chester Zoo in Chester, England. The baby, one of three to be born at the zoo, is the first of the critically-endangered species ever to hatch in the United Kingdom.
• Ornate Box Turtle - Terrapene ornata Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide
• The Snakes of Indiana, with informal information about box turtles
• Article on box turtle natural history and care