What is the characteristics of a eastern diamondback rattlesnake?

What are the characteristics of an 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.

Is a box turtle a mammal or reptile?

Classification: Reptile. Description. Eastern box turtles are one of the most commonly seen turtles in the wild. The reptile’s carapace is dome-shaped and covers most of its body, and has ridges and furrows that develop with age. The upper part of the turtle’s mouth is slightly hooked, and its toes are slightly webbed.

What does a box turtle look like in Tennessee?

The eastern box turtle, a subspecies of the common box turtle, has a dark brown, hinged shell with yellow-orange markings. When threatened, it can pull its head, tail and limbs inside and shut its shell for protection. Eastern box turtles are the official reptiles of Tennessee and North Carolina.

What kind of shell does a box turtle have?

The eastern box turtle, a subspecies of the common box turtle, has a dark brown, hinged shell with yellow-orange markings. When threatened, it can pull its head, tail and limbs inside and shut its shell for protection.

What is the scientific name for reptile?

Reptiles (Reptilia; from Latin repere, “to creep”) are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane. Today they are represented by four surviving orders: Crocodilia (crocodiles, caimans and alligators), Sphenodontia (tuatara), Squamata (lizards, snakes and amphisbaenids), and Testudines (turtles).

How to identify male and female box turtles?

Male box turtles usually have bright red or orange colored eyes while the eyes of the females are usually dark red or brown. Male box turtles also have a slight depression in the middle of their lower shells while that of the female’s is flat. Overall length of most adult box turtles is about 5 to 6 inches. It has 4 toes on the hind foot.

What are the differences between aquatic and box turtles?

Unlike aquatic turtles, which have flattened and streamlined shells, box turtles have tall domed shells. Their exact appearance varies by species. Some box turtles have dark shells with yellow patterns, others have spots or speckles, and others are solid colored. These turtles range in size from about five inches long to seven inches long.

How do box turtles protect themselves?

There is, however, a single aquatic species of box turtle; the Coahuilan box turtle. Sealed Box – These turtles have the uncanny ability to seal themselves inside their shell. When threatened, they withdraw and close the opening using a hinge in their shell. This keeps them safe from most predators, though smaller turtles have softer shells.

What is the difference between a male&a female box turtle?

Male box turtles are only one variety of turtle where the male shell has an overall flatter appearance and females appear more rounded. Feel the bottom of your turtle’s shell. If it curves in slightly, it’s a male. The concave shape helps him balance on the female turtle during mating. Females, on the other hand, have flat-bottomed shells.

How to tell the gender of a turtle?

Some species that may reveal gender through coloring are: The American box turtle: 90 percent of the time, male box turtles have red or orange irises while the female has brown or yellow ones. Also, the female has a tendency to have a higher-domed, more rounded shell, whereas the male has a lower shell with more of an oval or oblong appearance.

Do tortoises have gender differences in their shells?

For example, poor nutrition and lack of calcium may lead to “terracing” or ridges within individual scutes. However, there are no useful or consistent differences in the shell between the genders when it comes to telling male from female. Thanks! Does this apply to tortoises as well?

How can you tell the gender of a red eared slider?

Red-eared slider gender is easy to discern as this trait is very pronounced. In some species such as box turtles, the hind claws are thicker and more curved on the male. In some species, it’s easy to tell male from female turtles just by their body shape.

What are the characteristics of a turtle?

Turtles generally live or spend lots of time in water. Turtles generally have lighter shells on their backs. With exception of box turtles, all other Turtles have shells that are relatively flat, thin and streamlined, to help them swim and dive. Turtles shed their scutes to remove old growth and make room for new scutes to grow through underneath.

Is a box turtle an aquatic turtle?

Box turtles are considered to be semi-aquatic. This is because of a few major differences between aquatic turtles and box turtles. Aquatic turtles live in the water, eat in the water, forage and sleep underwater, and rarely set foot on land.

Why is it called a box turtle?

“Box” turtles are named for their ability to withdraw their head, tail, and legs into their shell and tightly close the lid (something most other turtles can’t do). The shell is permanent, a part of their skeleton—they can’t shrug it off or crawl out of it.

Why do box turtles have colored shells?

Colors and patterns help box turtles blend into their environment. The shell grows throughout the turtle’s life and develops growth rings. If it’s injured, it can regenerate—keratin slowly grows beneath the afflicted area and eventually, the damage falls off. Box turtles have long, flexible necks. (Frank Boston / Flickr; cc by 2.0)

What do box turtles use their ears for?

They have an excellent sense of smell, which they use to help them find food, mates, and territory. As for their ears, they aren’t external. Instead, box turtles have a layer of skin, located on each side of the head well behind the eyes, that forms a tympanic membrane and protects the middle and inner ears.

What is the difference between male and female tortoises?

Females will grow larger than males in red-eared sliders and many other turtle species, but the size difference between males and females varies by species. For example, in sulcata tortoises the females can reach 100 pounds and the males can grow to 200 pounds or more.

What is the difference between a male and female box turtle?

Generally speaking, male box turtles have red eyes while females’ eyes are brown. Shell and head coloration. Male box turtles, as with many other organisms of the male persuasion, are often more brightly and distinctively colored than their female counterparts.

What is the difference between male and female red eared sliders?

The size differences between most male and female turtles may not be obvious until the turtles reach sexual maturity (and the diet can also play a role in the size of a turtle). For male red-eared sliders, sexual maturity is about the time they reach 4 inches in length (and at about two to five years old).

What causes baby turtles to be male or female?

Temperatures that fluctuate between the two extremes will produce a mix of male and female baby turtles. Researchers have also noted that the warmer the sand, the higher the ratio of female turtles.

What is the difference between male and female dragon and Turtle?

Several dragon and monitor species also have external differences, with the males often having larger heads, more obvious femoral pores, growing to a larger size, and in some cases having larger spurs at their tail base. Some species of turtles also have external differences in shell shape and tail length with the males tail generally being longer.

What are the differences between a tortoise and turtle shells?

Another different trait is that the turtles’ shells consist of scutes; these parts will eventually start overlapping as the babies grow and will begin to shed. The tortoise scutes will, however, overlap and stay in place. What Are Tortoise Shells Made of? The tortoise and turtle’s shell is an intricate design of the reptiles’ exoskeleton.

What do turtles and tortoises have in common?

Surprisingly, one of the few things turtles and tortoises have in common is their shell! Above you can see how both species share similar patterns on their shell despite a difference in coloring. A bit of a no-brainer, another common trait shared by turtles and tortoises is their characteristic shell.