Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
This is a relatively small turtle with a smooth black carapace (upper shell) that is patterned
with small yellow or white dots. The maximum adult size is approximately 13-14cm (5- 5 1/2 in.) in carapace length.
The spotted turtle inhabits a variety of wetland types, including swamps, bogs, marshes, small streams, wet meadows, and wet forests. This species requires clear, clean water, with a soft substrate and aquatic plants. The spotted turtlerequires drier habitat for nesting sites, described as open areas with sandy soil, sprinkled with bunches of grass or patches of moss.
Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Its presence in Delaware is uncertain. In Canada, the spotted turtle occurs in Ontario and Québec.
The spotted turtle is impacted by collection for personal pets or trade, mortality on roads and from agricultural machinery, habitat degradation, predation, and invasive species.
- Read the proposal submitted by the United States for consideration at CoP16.
- To learn about the unsustainable turtle trade and CITES' efforts to regulate it, read Shell-Shocked: Trade in Turtles Threatens Species , an article published in the Winter 2013 Issue of FWS News.
- To learn about how the United States is working to conserve native species, read Partnering to Conserve Native Species , also published in the Winter 2013 Issue of FWS News.
- To read the entire FWS News spotlight on CITES, visit our Articles page.