PHANTOM Turtle

I found this turtle today in my backyard.  I have never seen markings on a turtle's face like this before. 

I wrote the Missouri conservation Magazine concerning this Box Turtle's species.  Here was the response:

Mr. Fels:

There are two native box turtle species in Missouri, the three-toed box turtle and the ornate box turtle. Your turtle is a three-toed. It is normal for the three-toed box turtle to have some black markings around its mouth. The markings are more pronounced in your turtle but probably within the range of variation of the species. On male turtles, the entire head and portions of the forelimbs may be yellow or orange. Females are less colorful. Males have a slight depression or concavity in their lower shells (plastrons) that are absent on the females
The species has a preference for mature, oak-hickory forests with numerous openings and edge areas along brush fields. They eat various plant matter, insects and earthworms. Ripe fruits, including strawberries, blackberries and mulberries, can attract feeding turtles. They spend their summers feeding and mating or looking for mates. Here are links to more information on box turtles:

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/outdoor-recreation/nature-viewing/amphibians-and-reptiles/turtles/box-turtles

http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2006/07/box-turtles-and-people

There is more information available online by searching under “box turtles.”
Tim E. Smith
MDC Ombudsman
573/522-4115 ext. 3848