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Baur's Box Turtle
- Colouration
- In its general colouration, this turtle appears to be quite distinct. The carapace is dark brown, with many narrow, greenish, or greenish-yellow radiating lines. With the greater number of specimens the plastron is immaculate, greenish-yellow.
- Dimensions
- The measurements given are of a specimen taken in Marion County, Florida:
- Distribution
- Southern Georgia and Florida.
- Habits
- This box turtle frequents the pine barrens. In habits it resembles the common species. Captive specimens are very hardy and live for indefinite periods.
- Distribution
- South Carolina to Florida; westward to western Texas.
- Distribution
- Deserts of Arizona and southern California.
- Distribution
- Southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Like the preceding species, this box turtle is characterised by three claws on the hind foot. The shell is very high and narrow--considerably more globular than that of the preceding species. There is a distinct keel on the central portion of the carapace, and but a slight tendency to flare upwards on the rear margin.
The head markings are fairly constant and distinct. Male specimens have the head dark brown or black, with the exception of the mandibles, which are yellowish, and an indistinct band, extending from behind the eye to the neck. This pale shade on the mandibles is frequently absent from female specimens, although the throat is speckled with a pale hue and several indistinct and broken bands appear on the head. The young are strongly marked, having vivid, sharply delineated, radiating lines. Combine these markings with an extremely high carapace and the make-up is markedly grotesque.
Height of Combined Shell. . . . .2 3/4 inches.
Length of Carapace. . . . .5 1/2 inches.
Width of Carapace. . . . .3 3/4 inches.
Length of Plastron, open. . . . .5 1/4 inches.
Width of Head. . . . .1 1/8 inches.
Strictly Terrestrial Chelonians. Represented in North America by Three Species
THE greater number of the true Tortoises inhabit the Old World. They comprise four very closely allied genera. The largest genus is Testudo, which is made up of about thirty-eight species. All of the New World species belong to this genus. Three occur in North America proper (in the extreme southern portions of the United States); three inhabit Mexico, Central America and northern South America, and a number are confined to the Galapagos Islands. The latter are huge tortoises, whose generations are supposed to have survived the Age of Giant Reptiles.
The Tortoises are easily distinguished from the turtles, by the club-shaped feet of the former, in place of the webbed feet of the latter, and the high, dome-like shell. The skin is dry and wrinkled. Their method of placing the hind feet, when walking, and the peculiar formation of these appendages, at once suggest (in miniature) the feet of an elephant.
All of the Tortoises are strictly terrestrial and if forcibly thrown into water, are clumsy and almost helpless. A large number of species frequent arid situations--some, the deserts proper. Many dig deep burrows, in which they retire during the great heat of mid-day. The larger part of the food of these creatures consists of vegetation and fruit.
The three species of Tortoises inhabiting the United States are remarkably similar in colouration, all being of a dull, brown hue. They evince similar habits in selecting dry, barren areas, and digging long burrows in which to shelter. A key to assist in their identification is given:
A. Shell much longer than wide.
Some greatly enlarged scales on inner surface of forearm. Front lobe of plastron bent abruptly upward.
GOPHER TORTOISE, Testudo polyphemus.
No enlarged scales on inner surface of forearm.
Front lobe of plastron but slightly directed upward.
AGASSIZ'S TORTOISE, Testudo aggassizi.
B. Shell nearly as wide as long.
Front lobe of plastron nearly straight.
BERLANDIER'S TORTOISE, Testudo berlandieri.
Detailed descriptions of these species follow: