Common box turtles are official state reptiles of three U.S. states.

Common box turtle numbers are declining because of habitat loss, roadkill, and capture for the pet trade.

The common box turtle has a small to moderately sized head and a distinctive hooked upper jaw.

Development brings with it an additional threat in the form of increased infrastructure, as common box turtles are frequently killed on roads and highways.

An example of this occurs in the eastern Mississippi valley where this species is difficult to distinguish from the common box turtle.

The life history characteristics of the common box turtle (long lifespan and slow reproductive rate) make it particularly vulnerable to such threats.

Three U.S. states name subspecies of the common box turtle as their official reptile.

The majority of adult male common box turtles have red irises, while those of the female are yellowish-brown.

In the northern parts of its range, the common box turtle may enter hibernation in October or November.

Common box turtle, Terrapene carolina (type species)

Courtship in the common box turtle, which usually takes place in spring, begins with a "circling, biting and shoving" phase.

The Common box turtle has been known to attain the greatest lifespan of any vertebrate outside of the tortoises.

The common box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a species of box turtle with six existing subspecies.

The common box turtle inhabits open woodlands, marshy meadows, floodplains, scrub forest and brushy grasslands.

Although the common box turtle has a wide range and was once considered common, many populations are in decline as a result of a number of diverse threats.

In the warmer summer months, common box turtles are more likely to be seen near the edges of swamps or marshlands, possibly in an effort to stay cool.

The common box turtle is therefore classified as a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List.

Long Life, High-Domed Shell The wood turtle is not to be confused with the common box turtle, an even more familiar sight in the Northeast.

The common box turtle occurs in much of the eastern United States-from Maine and Michigan to eastern Texas and south Florida.

Conservation recommendations for the common box turtle include establishing management practices during urban developments that are sympathic to this species, as well as further research into its life history and the monitoring of populations.

Common box turtles are predominantly terrestrial reptiles that are often seen early in the day, or after rain, when they emerge from the shelter of rotting leaves, logs, or a mammal burrow to forage.

If common box turtles do become too hot, (when their body temperature rises to around 32 C), they smear saliva over their legs and head; as the saliva evaporates it leaves them comfortably cooler.

There are six living subspecies of the common box turtle, each differing slightly in appearance, namely in the colour and patterning of the carapace, and the possession of either three or four toes on each hind foot.

WHILE not exactly the American eagle or the Bengal tiger, the common box turtle, one of the most familiar and benign animals in the United States, may have a stronger hold on the memories and affections of millions of Americans.

Common box turtle, Terrapene carolina (type species)

The common box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a species of box turtle with six existing subspecies.

Florida box turtles (Terrapene carolina bauri)

Terrapene carolina yucatana 1895 (Yucatán Box Turtle)

The Florida box turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri) is a subspecies of turtle belonging to the family Emydidae.

Mississippi and North Carolina appeared in scientific names: Alligator mississippiensis and Terrapene carolina carolina.

The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies within a group of hinge-shelled turtles, normally called box turtles.

The Gulf Coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) is the largest subspecies of the North American box turtle (Terrapene carolina).

Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in the path of the ICC will be located with the aid of dogs trained to find them by scent and moved to other locations in Montgomery County near Boyds and Brookeville.