Wednesday February 8 2012
Science Photo of the Day

Pic219

What can you tell by looking at this turtle's eyes?

Excellent! While the shape of the shell is an excellent indicator of the sex of an Eastern Box Turtle, their eyes are another way to tell males from females. Males have eyes that are red or bright orange, while females have eyes that are light brown or light orange.

The "eyes" have it!

6yrs Amy Anne says: I think the eyes are red because it's scared and because it is young.

4yrs Malachi says: The turtle's eyes got burned.

8yrs Christopher says: The turtle's eyes turn red when they are staring at something that is alive and he wants to go eat it.

Mom Wilson says: This turtle is a male that is ready to mate and he is looking for a female turtle.

12yrs Jazzy says: It is an Eastern Box Turtle. This is a small land turtle with a domed, helmet-shaped carapace and a hinged plastron. Coloration of the shell and skin is extremely variable. The carapace is usually brown with a radiating pattern of yellow or orange markings in each scute. The plastron can be yellowish, tan, brown, or black, and either plain or marked with lines or blotches. Skin of the head and legs is usually brown or black with streaks and spots of yellow, but some (especially males) may have the yellow or orange color covering most of the head and forelimbs. The plastral hinge allows the box turtle to close the shell tightly, completely hiding the head, legs, and tail. Most male box turtles have red eyes, while most females have brown eyes.
Adult Carapace Length: 4.5 to 7.8 inches (11.5 to 19.8 cm).

my guess

his eyes have the same color as his skin. i think it's better for hiding. being safer at its atmosphere.
or maybe it because what it eats - although it sounds less reasonable, because if so, a lots of animals would have this eye color.

Guy, Israel.

Eyes

Maybe you can tell if they are male or female? Just a guess.

We think you might be able to

We think you might be able to determine their diet....similar to the way the diet of a flamingo effects their color.

Just a guess....

Mr. Miller's 5th grade class.

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