Terrapene ornata is a species of North American box turtle sometimes referred to as the western box turtle or ornate box turtle.
Taxonomy
There are two subspecies of T. ornata:
Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata (Agassiz, 1857)
Desert Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola (Smith & Ramsey, 1952)
Description
T. ornata have a shell that is less domed than other species of box turtle, appearing to be slightly flattened. Their coloration is generally black or dark brown, with yellow striping. T. o. luteola tends to have more striping than T. o. ornata.
Range
T. ornata ornata is found in the central United States from eastern Indiana, to eastern Texas and into Louisiana. T. ornata luteola inhabits the driest areas of all the box turtle species, and is found in western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and adjoining areas of northern Mexico.
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