Abstract
North American box turtles (Terrapene spp.) typically demonstrate localized activity patterns that are highly dependent on temperature and precipitation. In east Texas, we found no documented reports of activity patterns, clutch sizes, sex ratios, or ratios of gravid to non-gravid females in T. Carolina triunguis. Here, we report data on the monthly occurrence and reproductive status for a population of T. c. triunguis in Walker County, Texas. We used a volunteer sampling protocol to investigate when males and females were most active. April and May had the greatest frequency of captures while June and July had the least. Captures were slightly male-biased (1.6 males: 1 female) and the first gravid female was collected on April 29. About half (54%) of all females x-rayed were gravid with clutch sizes ranging from one to five eggs. The variation in the clutch size of eggs is explained by female body mass with larger females having larger clutches of eggs. The activity and reproductive patterns reported here are similar to those patterns documented in past studies and other Terrapene populations, but provide what may prove to be useful natural history information for an urban population of T. c. triunguis.
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