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ID Keys:
Frogs Salamanders Turtles Lizards & Snakes
How
to key Glossary
Photos:
Frogs Salamanders Turtles Lizards & Snakes
Links |
Cortland Herpetology Connection
Turtle Key
See also species
distribution
maps at the
New
York State
Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project website.
Key to the families of adult turtles in New York
Key to the species of the family
Emydidae of New York
1.a. |
Carapace highly domed, blunt curved
beak on upper jaw, plastron deeply hinged
so shell can completely close |
Eastern
Box Turtle |
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Terrapene carolina |
1.b. |
No distinct central beak, plastron
cannot fully close |
2 |
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2.a. |
Neck and forelimbs light gray with dark spots, growth rings on
carapace very obvious |
Diamondback
terrapin |
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Malaclemys
terrapin |
2.b. |
Neck and forelimbs not light gray, may or may not show growth rings |
3 |
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3.a. |
Deep hinge on plastron,
carapace somewhat arched and black with
yellow flecking |
Blanding's
Turtle |
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Emydoidea
blandingi |
3.b. |
Not as in 3.a |
4 |
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4.a. |
Abdominal scutes of
plastron become more narrow on
bridge |
5 |
4.b. |
Abdominal scutes do not narrow much |
6 |
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5.a. |
Cusp on each side of central notch in upper jaw, rear edge of
carapace smooth, light lines on head and
neck all horizontal |
Painted
Turtle |
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Chrysemys picta |
5.b. |
No cusps around notch on upper jaw, some vertical lines on side of head and
neck, rear edge of carapace rough |
Common
Map Turtle |
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Graptemys
geographica |
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6.a. |
Shell smooth, black with scattered yellow spots |
Spotted
Turtle |
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Clemmys guttata |
6.b. |
Shell with growth rings and sculpturing |
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7.a. |
Orange blotches behind head, carapace
growth rings moderate, plastron dark with
light central area |
Bog Turtle |
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Clemmys muhlenbergi |
7.b. |
No blotches, carapace deeply
sculptured, plastron is yellow with dark
blotches near outer edges |
Wood
Turtle |
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Clemmys insculpta |
Key to the species of the family Chelydridae
of New York
Key to the species of the family
Dermochelyidae of New York
1.a. |
Only species found in New York |
Leatherback |
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Dermochelys coriacea |
Key to the species of the family
Trionychidae of New York
Key to the species of the family
Kinosternidae of New York
Much information for the turtle keys was derived from Reptiles of North
America by Hobart Smith and E. D. Brodie, Jr.
Cortland Herpetology Connection |
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Special thanks to all those who generously loaned images and other
help. See our
credits page for more information.
http://www.cortland.edu/herp/keys/turtkey.htm |