The Florida box turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri) is a subspecies of turtle belonging to the family Emydidae and is one of six extant subspecies of the Common box turtle (T. carolina).
Like other box turtles, the Florida box turtle has a narrow and highly domed shell with a hinged plastron that allows it to close its shell tightly. However, the Florida box turtle is different in appearance from the other subspecies of Terrapene carolina. Its carapace has a distinct pattern of yellow stripes that make it easily identifiable. The coloring of the plastron can vary anywhere from solid yellow to solid black, with any number of variations in between. This turtle has sharp claws as well as a sharp beak used for catching small insects and eating fruits, vegetables, and fungi.
The Florida box turtle exhibits significant sexual dimorphism. On average, males are larger (in length and width) than females. The carapace length of females ranges from 12.1-15.8 cm while the average male carapace can be anywhere from 12.8-17.3 cm long. However, female carapaces tend to be taller than those of males. This is most likely to allow more space to accommodate eggs inside the body cavity.
Florida box turtles can be found only in the U.S. state of Florida and the extreme southeastern portion of Georgia. Their distribution is widespread throughout Florida's mainland and has also been observed in the Florida Keys and the barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico off of Florida's western coast. These turtles inhabit damp environments such as wetlands, marshlands, and areas near swamps but usually do not enter water deep enough to swim. They are often found in the flatwoods, upland, and mesophytic hammocks but are generally absent in the high pine. Within these habitats, juveniles prefer areas that contain dense cover, high amounts of leaf litter, and moist soil. Adults are more flexible in their habitat requirements and occur in more open areas.
Florida box turtles spend most of their lives buried in the underbrush or underground, and their activity varies significantly at different times of the year. During the dry, cool parts of the year (November-February) they enter a dormant stage and are inactive and difficult to find. They become more active during the warm, wet months (April-October). However, unlike other species of box turtles, Florida box turtles do not actually enter a complete state of brumation during this time of year. This is most likely due to the warm and stable temperatures throughout their Florida range. As a result, they exhibit longer annual activity than other box turtle species. They are less tolerant to colder conditions than other Common box turtle subspecies.
Florida box turtles are omnivores. Their most common food sources include gastropod species and fleshy, low-hanging fruits. They also consume leafy vegetation (shrubs, herbs, grasses, etc.), insects, crustaceans, and fungi. They may even feed on carrion and garbage.
These turtles have a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, meaning both the males and the females have multiple partners during each breeding season. The egg-laying season lasts from April to early June and females can lay as many as 4 separate clutches in a single year. On average, each clutch can contain 1-9 eggs that range in size from 35×19 mm to 38.5×21 mm. Incubation lasts an average of 60 days but can last anywhere from 45-120 days. The incubation temperature of a clutch influences the sex ratio of the hatchlings. Warm incubation temperatures produce more females, while cooler temperatures result in more males. The young hatch fully-developed (precocial) and become reproductively mature at around 12-13 years of age.
Florida box turtles suffer from the predation of eggs and juveniles (raccoons, possums, foxes, birds), habitat loss and modification, car strikes, pesticides, pollution, and collection for the pet trade and turtle racing. Seasonal fire regimes in Florida also represent a significant source of mortality for box turtles, because burns may kill off nearly half of a population.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Florida box turtle total population size. Currently, the species Common box turtle is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
Florida box turtles contribute to the seed dispersal of various plants throughout their native range.
