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Hot: 29 to 32 °C
Cold: -3 to 4 °C
500 to 1K USD
1 to 15 PSI
Jump: 0.1-0.3 Feet
Swimming: 0-0 Miles per hour (0.08-0.4 km/h)
Animal Type: Omnivores
One subspecies of the ornate box turtle that has adapted particularly well to dry climates is the Desert Box Turtle, formally named Terrapene ornata luteola. This turtle is native to the hot, arid temperatures, limited vegetation, sandy soils, and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Its distribution include the Sonoran Desert and the Chihuahuan Desert, demonstrating its extraordinary adaptability to harsh environments in North America.
The evolutionary background of the Terrapene genus is intricately linked to the beginnings of this turtle. Box turtles have been there for millions of years, according to fossil records. Their predecessors used to live in the North American grasslands and forests throughout the prehistoric period.
Scientifically known as Terrapene ornata luteola, the Desert Box Turtle is a subspecies of the ornate box turtle that has evolved specifically to thrive in the dry climates of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts are its typical habitats, where you may find scorching temperatures, little flora, and sandy soils. The extraordinary evolutionary adaptations of this turtle are on full display in its capacity to flourish in such tough surroundings.
A member of the Terrapene family, the Desert Box Turtle has its roots farther back in time. According to fossils, box turtles have been around for millions of years, with predecessors that made their home in grasslands and forests with milder climates. Some box turtle populations adapted to the hotter, drier conditions brought about by the shift in the North American climate and the subsequent expansion of deserts. The subspecies that is now known as desert-adapted emerged as a result of this evolutionary process.