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(Terrapene ornata)
| Identification: Upper shell hard, domed, dark
with yellow streaks or spots; lower shell transversely hinged in adults,
allowing the shell to be tightly closed; upper shell up to about 14.6 cm
(5.7 inches) long.
Mature male: Innermost toe of hind foot thick and turned inward; iris and spots on forelimbs usually reddish; rear portion of lower shell slightly concave; vent located beyond rear edge of upper shell when tail is extended. |
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Mature female: Toe not turned inward; iris yellowish or brownish; spots on front legs yellowish; rear part of lower shell not concave; vent at or inside rear edge of upper shell.
Juvenile: Upper shell with yellowish dots and a prominent stripe along the middle; hinge on lower shell not functional for the first few years of life.
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Hatchling: Upper shell round, average length
generally 26–30 mm (1.0-1.2 inches), with yellow spots and a yellow stripe
along the middle; lower shell yellowish or cream, with large dark blotch
in middle.
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Colorado
Distribution: Eastern Colorado. Common in
favorable habitat. Often picked up by people and released in areas outside the
natural range, which usually results in the turtle’s
death.
Habitat: Prairie grassland and sandhills.
Land dwelling, but sometimes soaks in pools.
Life History:
Nests in soft, well-drained soil,
mostly May-July. Hatchlings may emerge in August or September, or they
overwinter in the nest and emerge the following spring. Under natural
conditions, some individuals live 30 years or more.