Box turtle
Overview
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
native to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(United States and Mexico). The 12 taxa which are distinguished in the genus are distributed over four species. It is largely characterized by having a dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators. Box turtles have become popular pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
s, although their needs in captivity are complex.
The genus name Terrapene was coined by Merrem in 1820 as a separate genus from the Emydes
Emys
Emys is a small genus of turtles. Its members are:* Emys orbicularis - European pond turtle* Emys trinacris - Sicilian pond turtle * Emys blandingii - Blanding's turtle * Emys marmorata - Western pond turtle- Sub-species :...
for those species which had a sternum
Sternum
The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bony plate shaped like a capital "T" located anteriorly to the heart in the center of the thorax...
which was separated into two or three divisions and which could move these parts independently.
