Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata
Appearance 2
The adult carapace is smooth, without obvious growth ridges, and is black or brownish-black with a variable number of round yellow spots. The plastron is yellow or orange with a black blotch covering a portion of each scute; in some male or old female specimens the black pigment can cover nearly the entire plastron. The head is black with yellow spots, but the legs and tail are just black.
Habitat 2
The adult carapace is smooth, without obvious growth ridges, and is black or brownish-black with a variable number of round yellow spots. The plastron is yellow or orange with a black blotch covering a portion of each scute; in some male or old female specimens the black pigment can cover nearly the entire plastron. The head is black with yellow spots, but the legs and tail are just black.
Behavior/Reproduction 2
Spotted Turtles probably reach sexual maturity at an age of 7 to 14 years. Courtship and mating activity begins soon after emergence from winter dormancy, and nesting can occur from late May through June. Spotted Turtles become active very early in the spring, and (as noted above) are often active at relatively cold water temperatures. Activity appears to peak during April and May in the northern part of the range. Spotted Turtles tend to become inactive in the warmest part of the summer which is called aestivation.
Fun Fact 2
The specialized wetland habitats used by Spotted Turtles have been widely drained and converted by humans into agricultural and residential land, or modified into more open aquatic habitats not favored Spotted Turtles. This species is endangered in Pennsylvania.
Citations 2
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Clemmys_guttata/
Sources and Credits
- (c) Todd Pierson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/40293555@N03/5721883391
- (c) gburg2016, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Category | Amphibians and Reptiles |
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