Mexican box turtle
# Mexican box turtle

The Mexican box turtle (Terrapene mexicana) is a species of box turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Terrapene carolina (Terrapene carolina mexicana).

## Geographic range

This species is endemic to Mexico. It is found in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí.

## Habitat

It lives in areas with tropical climates within humid forests at shallow rainwater puddles.

## Description

Terrapene mexicana can reach a length of about 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in). The carapace is long and dome-shaped, with rather variable color and markings. The adult males show gray-blue nuances on the head and red or orange nuances on the front legs.

## Biology

The Mexican box turtle does not have much information on them because very few of them are domesticated (kept as pets). However, we do know that they have a lifespan of 100 years. Usually these turtles have water nearby homes and a bush to hide. Having a home by the water will attract insects, which are a big part of their diet.

## Gallery

* Terrapene mexicana at the Zoo Atlanta
* A Mexican box turtle on display in Gothenburg Natural History Museum
* Illustration from Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1848-1849
* Mexican box turtle (Terrapene mexicana) in the field in southern Tamaulipas, Mexico

### Bibliography

* Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley; Roger, Bour (2011-12-31). "Turtles of the world, 2011 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status". Chelonian Research Monographs. 5.
* Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57
* Dodd, C. Kenneth. North American Box Turtles a Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, 2002.
* Milstead, William W., and Donald W. Tinkle. "Terrapene of Western Mexico, with Comments on the Species Groups in the Genus". Copeia, vol. 1967, no. 1, 1967, p. 180., doi:10.2307/1442193
* Stone, Lynn M. Nature Watch: Box Turtles. Lynn M. Stone, 2007.
