Description
The upper shell is hard and domed (but relatively flat on top, seldom with evidence of a keel); the color is usually dark with yellow streaks or spots. The lower shell is transversely hinged in adults, allowing the shell to be tightly closed. Maximum straight-line length of the upper shell is about 6 inches (15.4 cm). In mature males, the innermost toe of the hind foot is thick and can be turned inward, the iris and spots on the forelimbs usually are reddish, the rear portion of the lower shell is slightly concave, and the vent is located beyond the rear edge of the upper shell when the tail is extended. In mature females, the toe does not turn inward, the iris is yellowish or brownish, the spots on the forelimbs are yellowish, the rear part of the lower shell is not concave, and the vent is at or inside the rear edge of the upper shell when the tail is extended. In juveniles, the upper shell has yellowish dots and a prominent middorsal stripe; hinge on the lower shell is not functional for the first few years of life. Hatchlings have a round upper shell with yellow spots and a yellow dorsal stripe; the ower shell is yellowish or cream, with a large dark blotch in the middle; average length is generally 1.0-1.2 inches (26-30 mm). Source: Hammerson (1999).
Habitat
Ornate or western box turtles inhabit prairie grassland, pasture, fields, sandhills, and open woodland.., especially in areas with sandy soils They are essentially terrestrial but sometimes enter slow, shallow streams and creek pools. For shelter, they burrow into soil (e.g., under plants such as yucca) (Converse et al. 2002) or enter burrows made by other species; winter burrow depth was 0.5-1.8 meters in Wisconsin (Doroff and Keith 1990), 7-120 cm (average depth 54 cm) in Nebraska (Converse et al. 2002). In Wisconsin, hatchlings often were near or under rocks in dense vegetation (Doroff and Keith 1990). Eggs are laid in nests dug in soft well-drained soil in open area (Legler 1960, Converse et al. 2002, Hughes et al. 2024).
Ecology
Maximum home range diameter in New Mexico was 32-526 m (mean 276 m) (Nieuwolt 1996). Home range in Kansas averaged about 2 ha (Legler 1960). Home range in Texas averaged about 100 m in diameter (Blair 1976). In Wisconsin, home range was 0.2-58.1 ha (average 9 ha) for adults, average of 1.5 ha for 3-7-year-olds, 16 sq m for hatchlings; adult annual survival rate 81%; major source of adult mortality was vehicles (Doroff and Keith 1990). Annual adult survivorship was 0.81-0.96 in Texas, 0.83 in Kansas (see Iverson 1991). Annual survival was 97% in an isolated habitat in Illinois (Bowen et al. 2004).
Reproduction
Mating occurs in spring or late summer/fall. Nesting occurs from May to August (mostly late May to mid-June in Nebraska (Converse et al. 2002), peaks in June in Kansas and southern Wisconsin (Doroff and Keith 1990), apparent peaks in July in New Mexico). Adult females lay 1-2 clutches of 1-8 eggs. Eggs hatch in 9-12 weeks, depending on temperature, in August or September in much of the range. In Kansas, most males are sexually mature in 8-9 years, females in 10-11 years (Legler 1960); in Texas sexual maturity is attained in 7-8 years (Blair 1976). In Wisconsin, 50-63% of adult females laid eggs in a particular year (Doroff and Keith 1990).