Interesting Box Turtle

[MichaelaW]

I have this female box turtle that almost appears to be a hybrid. She is a LTC from central Illinois where the ranges of ornates and easterns overlap. Her shell is flatter like an ornate but her markings resemble an eastern or possibly a three-toed. What do you all think?

 

[cmacusa3]

Very pretty, definitely looks like some kind of hybrid

 

[Ciri]

She looks like a female three-toed. See pic of mine:

 

[Yvonne G]

She could be a lutiola. I have several three toed that look like yours, but they have 3 toes on their back feet, and yours has 4.

 

[cmacusa3]

She could be a lutiola. I have several three toed that look like yours, but they have 3 toes on their back feet, and yours has 4.

I was guessing hybrid because of the 4 toes but what do you mean by Lutiola?

 

[Yvonne G]

Terrapene ornata lutiola (desert box turtle).

 

[cmacusa3]

Terrapene ornata lutiola (desert box turtle).

Gotcha! Thanks

 

[Eric Phillips]

I was guessing hybrid because of the 4 toes but what do you mean by Lutiola?

Terrapene ornata lutiola (desert box turtle).

If it is a Terrapene ornata luteola I would love to see its parents Whether its a Desert or a Hybrid, sure is a keeper!

 

[MichaelaW]

If it is a Terrapene ornata luteola I would love to see its parents Whether its a Desert or a Hybrid, sure is a keeper!

She's a LTC so unfortunately I don't have photos of the parents.

 

[MichaelaW]

I'm pretty sure she's not a luteola though because they come from the Texas area and she is from Illinois.

 

[Ciri]

She's not a desert box turtle (terrepene ornata luteola) - I have several. This is a photograph of an adult female:

 

[lisa127]

She looks like a three toed, but with 4 toes on the back feet.

 

[MichaelaW]

She looks like a three toed, but with 4 toes on the back feet.

Some three toeds have 4 toes, but then they also have very doomed carapaces and hers is more flattened like an ornate. Where I live we also don't get three toed box turtles.

 

[Nanchantress]

Doesn't the raised ridge (keel) down the midline of the carapace indicate a three-toed? I can see it in the pic I think.

 

[MichaelaW]

Doesn't the raised ridge (keel) down the midline of the carapace indicate a three-toed? I can see it in the pic I think.

Only ornate box turtles lack the keel on the carapace.

 

[mtdavis254817]

I have seen alot of easterns that look like her

 

[HermanniChris]

Not all Three Toed box turtles will have only 3 toes. This is one without a doubt has heavy Eastern box influence and I have seen several pure examples that resemble it very closely. However, there could very well be Three Toe or even Louisiana Gulf Coast in her hence the tans and yellows.

 

[Eric Zukowski]

Looks to me to be a 3toed eastern hybred.

 

[lisa127]

Not all Three Toed box turtles will have only 3 toes. This is one without a doubt has heavy Eastern box influence and I have seen several pure examples that resemble it very closely. However, there could very well be Three Toe or even Louisiana Gulf Coast in her hence the tans and yellows.

I have a three toed/Louisiana Gulf Coast boxie. She has 4 toes on her back feet as well but does not look as much 3 toed as this one. She has a lot of the gulfie influence.