Eastern Box Turtle Subspecies
A:Shell dark brown or black with large yellow, orange, or red blotches. Head and legs with red or orange markings. From all other states east of the Mississippi and south of the Great Lakes. See an example
Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina
B:Shell tan or olive, plain or with darker specks and dashes. Head and legs usually with red or orange blotches. From Missouri south to Texas.
Three-Toed box turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis
C:Shell with white or yellow radiating lines, stripes on head. From Florida only.
Florida Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri
D:Shell black with small orange or yellow blotches or specks. Usually has broken yellow stripe along spine. Found along coastal plain, from Florida panhandle to Louisiana.
Gulf Coast Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina major
Note: In areas where ranges overlap, intergrade zones occur and turtles may posess traits of two or more subspecies. Three-toed box turtles may also intergrade with the ornate box turtle, t. ornata ornata.
