Scientific Name: Clemmys guttata
Size: 3.5-4.5 inches (9-11.5 cm) in length
PA Status: Species of special concern

Habitat Type:
Marshes, wet meadows, swamps, bogs, and shallow borders of ponds, lakes and streams.

Colorations:

• The carapace background color is jet black with a series of random small bright yellow spots.
• The plastron and ventral surface of the marginals background color is yellow with large black squarelike blotches that cover the entire plastron; with age the plastron may become black.
• The skin of the head, neck, legs, and tail are black above and are orange, pink to salmon red ventrally.
• The head and neck have a series of yellow spots.
• The jaws are yellowish brown.

Characteristics:

• Small aquatic species.
• Profile View – The carapace is low.
• Above View – The carapace is oblong or oval in outline.
• The carapace surface and margins are smooth.
• The plastron is very large and the bridge is wide.
• The legs and feet are narrow and the feet have no webbing.
• The head and neck are small.
• The upper jaw is notched.

Juvenile coloration and characteristics:

• The plastral scutes contain black squareish patches.

Confused with:

• Bog Turtle

Coloration/Pattern Photos:
Adults

Juveniles

Range Map:

References:

• Hulse, C. and McCoy C. J. and Ellen Censky ,1998. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. 194-196pp.
• Ernst, Carl H. and Lovich, Jeffrey E., and Barbour, Roger W. ,1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. 205-212pp.

Photo Credits:

• Tim Maret
• Bob Hamilton
• Wayne Fidler
• Brandon Curtis