Shell colouration is associated with sex, boldness, and innate immunity in wild adult eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina)

Animal colouration often plays a role in intraspecific communication. The badges of lizards and ornaments of birds are frequent examples of honest signals regarding physiological condition and behaviour. Turtles share evolved characteristics with both non-avian and avian reptiles and many express colour markings on the shell and head, yet the significance of colouration in turtles remains unclear. We assessed aspects of shell colouration (carapace spot hue, saturation, and brightness and percent melanism of the carapace and plastron) in adult eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) from a wetland population and explored their association with age, sex, boldness, haemolysis capabilities, plasma triglycerides, plasma corticosterone, and body condition. We found evidence of varying bold temperaments based on high among- and low within- individual variation across several behaviours during and after handling. Findings further suggested that separate aspects of shell colouration we..., , , # Shell colouration is associated with sex, boldness, and innate immunity in wild adult eastern box turtles (*Terrapene carolina carolina*)

# by Warren & Klukowski

## Description of the Data and file structure

The Excel data file '**Warren_Klukowski_BoxTurtle_Data.xlsx**' has three sheets containing some similar and some different data depending on their intended purpose / analysis. The **first** **sheet** contains the data from all behavioural assays (along with turtle characteristics and assay conditions) and is used for calculating the repeatability of these behaviours using GLMMs as well as testing the effects of turtle characteristics and assay conditions on the behaviours. The **second** **sheet** contains averages and one-time measures used to conduct the GLMs testing for the effects of (1) sex, age, and mean compiled boldness score on each of the colouration metrics (spot hue, spot saturation, spot brightness, plastron percent melanism, and carapace percent melanism), and (2)...,