Eastern Box Turtle

The eastern box turtle is one of six extant subspecies of the common box turtle. It has a high-domed, rounded, hard upper shell, called a carapace. The vivid, orange and yellow markings on its dark brown shell distinguish it from other box turtles, as do the four toes on its hind feet. Its distinct coloring camouflages it among the damp earth, fallen leaves and other debris found on the floor of moderately moist forests.
The underside of its shell, called its plastron, is dark brown and hinged. All box turtles have this bilobed plastron, which allows them to almost completely shut their shell. When threatened, the box turtle pulls its body into its shell and waits for the danger to pass. Its shell is also unique in that it can regenerate. In one reported case, the carapace of a badly burned box turtle completely regenerated.
Box turtles have a hooked upper jaw, and most have a significant overbite. Their feet are slightly webbed. There are many ways to tell a male and female box turtle apart. Males are generally larger and have shorter, thicker tails than females. Males also have short, thick, curved hind claws, while females' hind claws are long, straight and thin.
Eastern box turtles walk energetically with their heads upright and may travel about 50 meters (55 yards) in one day. A homing instinct, an innate ability to navigate to a "home base" despite being in an unfamiliar area, helps this turtle find its way back home.
Category:Reptiles
Category:Turtles
Category:Wildlife
Category:American Animals