Melanistic Box Turtle

[blueboost68]

Found this guy out in the field never seen a black box turtle what do you think.

 

[yagyujubei]

Very interesting, and unusual. Any color on the skin? Is this a Gulf Coast?

 

[blueboost68]

Very interesting, and unusual. Any color on the skin? Is this a Gulf Coast?

His skin is gray and black what I can see of it he is very shy yes a gulf coast

 

[lisa127]

Where do you live? Often Gulf Coast box turtles are completely black....and have a flaring shell like that as well.

 

[blueboost68]

Where do you live? Often Gulf Coast box turtles are completely black....and have a flaring shell like that as well.

The gulf coast I have seen well over 500 in the field and never seen one even close to it.

 

[blueboost68]

As soon as he decides to coperate, I will get some get some better pictures up. I spend an average of 20 hours a week in the field, and have done so for the last 20 years. I have not seen anything like him, but they may be more common in other areas. Just something a little diffrent that I haven't seen on the Gulf Coast before.

 

[lisa127]

It depends on what part of their range you are in. Where are you located? From certain parts of their range they are more tan colored, and from other parts of their range they are very dark brown to black. I had one almost 20 years ago that was very large and just as black as this picture.

 

[Saloli]

I've seen several melanistic EBTs though mostly in this one park that is near my sister's house there are also black squirrels there. It is a very interesting turtle. What part of the gulf are you located? The majority of turtles have some color on them but it isn't surprising to see one like this. Is it male or female?

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Are you planning on keeping the turtle? If so are you planning on breeding it? I am trying to build data bases for each species/subspecies of Terrapene. These databases are to act like the stud books for other genera. If you are interested let me know.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Neat!

 

[Tccarolina]

I would guess that pure black is quite rare, not unheard of but quite rare. I would be far more interested in a totally pure black individual than a mostly black individual.

Nice find!

Steve

 

[lisa127]

when it comes to gulf coasts from certain regions, I don't think it's as rare as you think.

 

[Tccarolina]

when it comes to gulf coasts from certain regions, I don't think it's as rare as you think.

you're right, I don't know the gulf coast population well at all, so entirely pure black individuals might be very common.

Steve

 

[blueboost68]

If they are that common, why is there not more pictures of them? I am 44 and have been in the field most of my life from one end of the U.S. to the other. Not saying they are rare, but I can tell you they are very uncommon.

 

[lisa127]

Gulf Coasts from the panhandle of Florida can be all black. I'm not saying a huge percentage of them are, but it is definetely not uncommon. As I said earlier, years ago I had an all black one myself.

 

[blueboost68]

Lisa thanks for the info. and I know we all agree that boxies are the coolest terrapins found in the states I sure do.