scholarly journals Consumption Patterns of a Generalist Omnivore: Eastern Box Turtle Diets in the Long Island Pine Barrens

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 345
Author(s):  
Miranda P. Figueras ◽  
Timothy M. Green ◽  
Russell L. Burke
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Foraging ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Pine Barrens ◽  
Terrapene Carolina ◽  
Eastern Box Turtle ◽  
Box Turtles ◽  
Box Turtle ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Eastern Box Turtles

Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina) are diet generalists and as such are predicted to have diverse diets in which familiar, low-quality foods are eaten consistently at low levels, and high-quality foods are rare but eaten whenever available. Previous work showed that they feed opportunistically on seasonally available plants (shoots, leaves, flowers, and fruit), invertebrates, mushrooms, and occasionally carrion. We used fecal samples to test optimal foraging predictions relevant to diet generalists and also whether the Eastern Box Turtle diets varied seasonally in a northeastern U.S. pine-oak habitat. We found that in-depth prey species consumption patterns of six different individuals were similar to those of the sampled population overall. Leaf and stem material was consumed by 100% of the turtles in all months despite being lower-quality than other prey available. Invertebrates were consumed by at least 80% of turtles in every study period; Coleopterans were found more commonly than other invertebrates. Snails were not eaten by more than 20% of the turtles in any study period, and mushroom consumption varied from 31–75% of samples in different study periods. Monthly diet overlap was measured using both Pianka’s Index of Overlap (PIO) and the Morisita–Horn Index (MH). The PIO method indicated that the prey consumption patterns were broadly similar from June–October, while the M–H method showed that only the July vs. August comparison was highly similar. The turtle diets changed only slightly between seasons, and they conform to predictions of diet generalist models usually applied to mammals.

scholarly journals Long-term comparison of relocated and resident box turtles, Terrapene carolina carolina

2020 ◽  
pp. 6-9
Author(s):  
John Orr
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rates ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Mark Recapture ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Terrapene Carolina ◽  
Eastern Box Turtle ◽  
Box Turtles ◽  
Box Turtle ◽  
Terrapene Carolina Carolina

The eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, is a long-lived turtle species that is declining across much of its range. A mark-recapture study of this species was carried out for over thirty years at the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. During this time, box turtles were relocated to the reserve and became part of the study. Several individuals were recaptured more than ten years after relocation including one that was recaptured after almost 28 years. Overall, however, turtles relocated to the study area appeared not to fare as well as resident turtles. Significantly fewer relocated turtles were recaptured after their first winter at the new site (33.3 %) than resident turtles (51.5 %) though the survival rates for relocated and resident turtles were similar for subsequent years. Relocation can work as a rescue strategy for some individuals but it can also negatively impact relocated individuals. This study is the first to show long-term residency of relocated box turtles.

scholarly journals Coinfection with a novel fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus and a novelSpirorchissp. in an eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) in Florida

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara B. Yonkers ◽  
Renata Schneider ◽  
Drury R. Reavill ◽  
Linda L. Archer ◽  
April L. Childress ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Care Center ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Comparative Sequence Analysis ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Surgical Removal ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Terrapene Carolina ◽  
Eastern Box Turtle ◽  
Box Turtle ◽  
Eastern Box Turtles

Herpesviruses are important pathogens of chelonians, and include Chelonid herpesvirus 5, which is associated with fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles. Spirorchid trematodes are blood flukes that reside within the cardiovascular system of marine turtles and may be associated with severe disease. An eastern box turtle ( Terrapene carolina) at the South Florida Wildlife Care Center (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) was presented to the facility with papillomatous growths behind both rear legs. Surgical removal resulted in remission for 8 months; however, lesions recurred, prompting a second surgery and acyclovir therapy. Surgical biopsies revealed subacute superficial inflammation associated with the supporting stroma of the cutaneous papillomas and granulomas within the superficial dermis containing fragmented and collapsed brown trematode eggs surrounded by multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid macrophages. Pan-herpesviral and pan-trematode consensus polymerase chain reaction and sequencing were run on tissue samples. Comparative sequence analysis revealed a novel alphaherpesvirus and a novel trematode in the genus Spirorchis. The animal became anorexic and was euthanized due to poor quality of life. While we do not yet have a complete understanding of the effects of herpesvirus and trematode infections in eastern box turtles, the findings thus presented provide initial insights into the disease relationships among these chelonians.

Identification of a novel herpesvirus in captive Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina)

2015 ◽  
Vol 175 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 218-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard R. Sim ◽  
Terry M. Norton ◽  
Ellen Bronson ◽  
Matthew C. Allender ◽  
Nancy Stedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Terrapene Carolina ◽  
Box Turtles ◽  
Eastern Box Turtles ◽  
Terrapene Carolina Carolina

PREVALENCE OF INTRAERYTHROCYTIC PARASITES IN MAROCHELYS TEMMINCKII, EMYDOIDEA BLANDINGII, TERRAPENE CAROLINA CAROLINA, AND TERRAPENE ORNATA ORNATA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Doke ◽  
Kara Hiebert ◽  
Melanie Repella ◽  
Megan Stuart ◽  
Lauren Mumm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Classes ◽  
Emydoidea Blandingii ◽  
Terrapene Carolina ◽  
Terrapene Ornata ◽  
Blood Smears ◽  
Box Turtles ◽  
Eastern Box Turtles ◽  
Specific Species ◽  
Terrapene Carolina Carolina ◽  
Free Ranging

Few studies have characterized the prevalence of intraerythrocytic parasites in free-ranging chelonian populations or their occurrence across habitats. It is hypothesized that chelonians in different habitats have different exposures to vectors and thus, differences in hemoparasite presence. This study explored the prevalence and intensity of intraerythrocytic parasites by examining blood smears from four species of Illinois turtles: wild Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) (EBT), and ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata ornata) (OBT) and headstarted alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) (AST). Intraerythrocytic parasites were identified in all examined species except for the alligator snapping turtle. For all age classes, Blanding’s turtles had both the highest prevalence of hemoparasites and intensity of infection of all sampled species, while adult Blanding’s turtles had a significantly higher prevalence than juveniles (P<0.05). As this is the first study of hemoparasites in Illinois chelonians, further research is needed to identify the specific species of intraerythrocytic parasite, the potential vectors, and the effect these hemoparasites have on the health of chelonians.

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