The diet of Florida Box Turtles (Terrapene bauri) in a coastal ecosystem in southwestern Florida

Abstract

North American Box Turtles are opportunistic generalists with omnivorous tendencies, but diets of box turtles are known to vary by population, region, and season. Relatively few studies have examined the diet of Florida Box Turtles (Terrapene bauri). By analyzing fecal samples and direct observations of feeding, we describe the diet of Florida Box Turtles in a coastal area in southern Florida. Fecal samples of turtles in this population contained four functional groups of plants and algae, 11 categories of animals, plus miscellaneous unidentifiable and mineral matter. Frequencies of occurrence differed significantly between wet and dry seasons but not between sexes. Seeds of the invasive Beach Cabbage (Scaevola taccada) were among the most frequently detected plant items, whereas Coffee Bean Snails (Melampus coffea) and ocypodid crabs were the most frequently encountered animal items.