Description:T. ornata has a shell that is less domed than other species of box turtle, appearing to be slightly flattened. Their coloration is generally black or dark brown, with yellow striping. T. o. luteola tends to have more striping than T. o. ornata.
T. o. ornata are generally more bold in their approach to predators, often stretching their legs and head out in an attempt to look big. T. o. luteola are more likely to close up into their shell and utilize their hinged plastron as protection.
Both sub-species, although they live in dry, arid environments, will dig deep burrows to escape the heat and allow access to higher humidity content.
Habitat: The western box turtle, also called the Ornate Box turtle,6500 primarily lives in grasslands at altitudes ranging from sea level to21,200 feet, but are typically found around 5000 feet. This species is also commonly found within the burrows of sand dunes. On hot summer days they are often found in small underground burrows called forms, 0.65 to 1.65 feet below the surface, averaging 1.15 feet deep. During winter hibernation, they are found deeper, at 1.65 to 6 feet below the surface, depending on ambient temperatures.
Generally, these box turtles are more common in micro-habitats with high ambient temperature, and lower moisture and soil temperatures. Uncommonly, they are also found in ponds and wetlands. Their home ranges generally have a great deal of leaf coverage. Common vegetation surrounding habitat locations include various cacti (Opuntia, Echinocereus), yucca (Yucca glauca), creosote bushes (Larrea divericata), mesquite (Prosopis jusiflora), and various other small shrubs.
Range:T. ornata ornata is found in the central United States from western Indiana, to eastern Texas, and into Louisiana; it can also be found in Northeastern New Mexico. T. ornata luteola inhabits the driest areas of all the box turtle species, and is found in western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and adjoining areas of northern Mexico.
Diet:Terrapene ornata is an omnivore, and changes eating habits based upon availability of food. Young western box turtles tend to eat a greater percentage of insects than adults. The most common foods that western box turtles feed on include earthworms, grasshoppers, beetles, slugs, fruits, and plants. Plants and fruits are generally eaten half as often as animal food types. Of the available plants, the most commonly consumed are mulberries (Morus alba), dandelion (Taraxacum) flowers, and prickly pear cacti (Opuntia humifusa). They have also been recorded feeding on small fish, carrion, and feces.
Reproduction: This species mates during the majority of its active season, between the months of April and October. Males and females may mate with several members of the opposite sex in one mating season. However, through the practice of sperm storage, in which a female turtle may mate with several males and hold their sperm for an extended period of time, only one or two clutches are generally laid per year.
Males usually pursue females. Their courtship behavior generally consists of staring in the direction of the female, following her around, and rubbing up against her. Male physical contact can include nudging the lower end of the female's carapace, bumping shells, and positioning himself on top of the female with his forelimbs. The female, on the other hand, often runs from the male, leaving him behind to fight other males and chase after her. Chasing after the female lasts about half an hour, and eventually the female will mate with the winning male.
Once the male positions himself on top of the female he may squirt fluid from his nostrils across the length of her carapace, often multiple times. This is thought to be from bumping of their shells against each other, which causes the water from the male's stomach to be forced out of his nostrils. During copulation, the male grasps the female with all four forelimbs. The front two forelimbs grasp the female much more loosely to allow him to be in an erect position, while the back forelimbs are used to lift his body and bump against the female's shell.
Western box turtles begin their mating season in late April and end in late July. However, their mating season is often postponed during dry years and ova may even be re-absorbed in extremely dry seasons when food supply is insufficient. The females are generally about 8 years old and have a carapace length of 3.95 inches or greater at sexual maturity. Males reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age, with a carapace length of 3.95 inches or less. For this reason, it is not uncommon to see a smaller male attempting to mate with a larger female.
Courtship and mating begin in the early spring and continue throughout the summer. After being fertilized, eggs are not released from the female for about 50 days. Nesting occurs mostly in July and eggs are laid by the end of July. Nests are usually built in sandy soil, 4 inches underneath rocks or vegetation. Females lay their eggs two hours after sunrise or two hours before sunset. Parental care is nonexistent beyond the nesting effort. Not surprisingly, hatchling mortality is common.
These turtles generally have only one or two clutches per mating season, bearing 1 to 8 eggs. Each of these eggs weighs approximately 0.35 ounces. Terrapene ornata luteola clutch size is smaller than T. ornata ornata, due to their increased egg width compared to >T. o. ornata. Terrapene o. ornata have clutch averages of 4.7 eggs, about 0.85 inches wide. On the other hand, T. o. luteola have average clutch sizes of 2.7 eggs, about 1 inch wide. If a female bears a large clutch one season, she may not reproduce the following year.
Western box turtles may store several males' sperm at once internally. Although sperm storage does not have any direct effect on the female, it allows her to re-use the same sperm or hold the sperm over an extended period of time. This benefits the western box turtle population because it allows them to reproduce during preferred environmental factors.
Status: The western box turtle population is considered threatened according to both the IUCN Red List and Appendix II of CITES. Automobiles are one of the leading causes of T. ornata deaths due to their home range overlap with highways. Due to the loyalty of T. ornata to its home range, loss of prairie habitats in the development of houses and croplands also contributes substantially to the decline of this species. Because this species spends the majority of their lives inactive in underground burrows, they are also easily preyed upon. To a lesser extent, fatalities caused by human activity can also be attributed to farming machinery and lawn mowers. Slow maturity to reproductive age and high mortality of juveniles may also jeopardize the recovery of the western box turtle population.
Terrapene ornata is protected under several state laws in the U.S. However, this species is still subjected to pet trade in other states that have not yet made it illegal, which makes it difficult for this population to recover from its rapid decline. Educating the public about the decline of this species and how human activity contributes to this decline may keep this population from going extinct.
Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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