DESERT BOX TURTLE Terrapene ornata – Agassiz 1857 Terrapene ornata luteola – Smith & Ramsey 1952

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HABITAT: Chihuahua Grassland Habitat, Cochise Co., Arizona

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PERSONAL NOTES: I have seen this turtle twice in Sonora, Mexico. The first was in 2002 on the Cuota Hwy north of Magdalena, in an area of mixed Sinaloa Thornscrub and [...]]]>
Adult, 4,000′, Sonora, Mexico

Adult, 4,000′, Sonora, Mexico

DESERT BOX TURTLE
Terrapene ornata – Agassiz 1857
Terrapene ornata luteola – Smith & Ramsey 1952

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Chihuahua Grassland Habitat, Cochise Co., Arizona

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I have seen this turtle twice in Sonora, Mexico. The first was in 2002 on the Cuota Hwy north of Magdalena, in an area of mixed Sinaloa Thornscrub and Upper Sonoran Desert. The second individual was seen in July, 2003 on the highway about 15 miles south of Agua Prieta in a very dry Chihuahua Grassland environment. The latter turtle is pictured above.

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WESTERN MEXICO WOOD TURTLE Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima – Gray 1855 Rhinoclemmys pulcharrima rogerbarbouri – Ernst 1978

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HABITAT: Seasonal Creek Habitat, 1,700′, Sonora, Mexico

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MUD TURTLE Kinosternon sp. –

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HABITAT: Pine-Forest Habitat, 6,500′, Chihuahua, Mexico Pine-Forest Habitat, 6,500′, Chihuahua, Mexico

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YAQUI SLIDER Trachemys yaquia – Legler & Webb 1979

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HABITAT: Upper Rio Yaqui, Sonora, Mexico (2003)

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BAJA CALIFORNIA SLIDER Trachemys nebulosa – Van Denburgh 1895

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WHITE-LIPPED MUD TURTLE Kinosternon leucostomum – Dumeril & Bibron 1851 Kinosternon leucostomum leucostomum – Dumeril & Bibron 1851

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HABITAT: Flooded Field [...]]]>
Adult, 150′, Veracruz, Mexico

Close-Up of Head, Adult, 150′, Veracruz, Mexico

Plastrons for Comparison, (M – Top, F – Bottom), 150′, Veracruz, Mexico

Adult Turtle Rescued from Vendor, 50′, Veracruz, Mexico

Adult Turtle Rescued from Vendor, 50′, Veracruz, Mexico

Carapace, Rescued Turtle

Plastron, Rescued Turtle

WHITE-LIPPED MUD TURTLE
Kinosternon leucostomum – Dumeril & Bibron 1851
Kinosternon leucostomum leucostomum – Dumeril & Bibron 1851

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Flooded Field Habitat, 50′, Veracruz, Mexico

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SONORAN MUD TURTLE Kinosternon sonoriense – LeConte 1854 Kinosternon sonoriense sonoriense – LeConte 1854

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HABITAT: Permanent Stream Habitat, 4,500′, Sonora, Mexico Habitat, 5,700′, Sonora, Mexico

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ORNATE BOX TURTLE Terrapene ornata – Agassiz 1857 Terrapene ornata ornata – Agassiz 1857

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DISTRIBUTION: In Mexico this species’ occurrence is hypothetical, but probable. It is to be expected in the states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila within relatively close proximity of the Rio Grande.

HABITAT: This is primarily a turtle of prairie grassland environments, but [...]]]>
Adult, Kansas

Close-Up of Head

ORNATE BOX TURTLE
Terrapene ornata – Agassiz 1857
Terrapene ornata ornata – Agassiz 1857

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
In Mexico this species’ occurrence is hypothetical, but probable. It is to be expected in the states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila within relatively close proximity of the Rio Grande.

HABITAT:
This is primarily a turtle of prairie grassland environments, but it also occurs in transitional desert-grassland and mezquite-thornscrub-grassland in central and southern Texas.

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One subspecies is recognized, Terrapene ornata luteola, the Desert Box Turtle.

TYPE:
(Agassiz, 1857) Lectotype: MCZ 1536 “from the upper Missouri…and from Iowa.” Collector and Date Unknown. Restricted by Smith and Smith (1979) to “Burlington [Des Moines County], Iowa”.

PERSONAL NOTES:
I have no experience with Terrapene ornata ornata in Mexico, as does anyone else for that matter! My experiences with this Testudine are limited to the Central Plains of the United States – Kansas, Colorado and Texas to be exact. Normally individuals are seen while foraging in the spring and summer months. In Kansas I have flipped quite a few of these turtles from beneath large, flat limestone rocks during cold fronts in April/May. I have only encountered one hatchling Ornate Box Turtle – in Weld County, Colorado in the month of June.

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MEXICO MUD TURTLE Kinosternon integrum – LeConte 1854

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HABITAT: Desert Riparian Habitat, 5,000′, Puebla, Mexico Pond Habitat, 500′, Guerrero, Mexico Seasonal Creek Habitat, 1,700′, Sonora, Mexico

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