Gulf Coast box turtle
The Gulf Coast box turtle is the largest subspecies of the common box turtle.
Taxonomy and systematics
T. c. major is the most closely related subspecies to the Pleistocene fossil subspecies †T. c. putnami. Indeed, T. c. major likely came about as a result of hybridization between T. c. putnami and various other T. carolina subspecies. No physical differences between the two have been found other than T. c. putnamiIntergrading with other subspecies of the common box turtle that it shares its range with is not uncommon.
Distribution
The Gulf Coast box turtle is found only along the Gulf Coastal Plain, in the U.S. states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.Habitat
They are often found around estuaries and swampy regions, near shallow, permanent bodies of water.Description
The Gulf Coast box turtle has the largest body size out of all the common box turtle subspecies, possibly as a result of its close relation to the extinct giant box turtle. Males are larger than females, and have a concavity in the plastron to aid with mounting during mating. Large males may have a midline carapace length of over.Gulf Coast box turtles exhibit a very high degree of morphological variability, which may hinder distinguishing them from sympatric subspecies such as T. c. carolina, T. c. bauri, and T. c. triunguis.
It is generally dark brown or black in color, with yellow striping or blotching, the amount of blotching or striping can vary greatly.
Behaviour
Males are territorial, and fight each other by biting and attempting to flip each other over. Gulf Coast box turtles frequent bodies of water more often than other T. carolina subspecies.Females roam further and more frequently than males, making them more susceptible to human threats such as vehicle collisions, collection, and land use.