Turtles Found in Montgomery County

Introduction to Turtles

Turtles are in the class Reptilia, order Testudines. We have nine species of turtles in Montgomery County, Maryland; and 48 species in the United States and Canada.  World wide there are 260 species, of these only seven are marine.  Turtles are found in a variety of habitats such as on land, in the ocean, in freshwater, and in temperate and tropical climates. They are found on every continent except Antarctica.  The turtle is the oldest living reptile dating back over 200 million years, well before the dinosaurs.

Turtles are also referred to as tortoises and terrapins.  Tortoises are large terrestrial turtles and terrapins are aquatic, edible, and hard shelled turtles.  All turtles have dry scaly skin and are cold blooded, which means their body temperature is regulated by the environment.  This is a main reason turtles are often seen basking in the sun.

All turtles lay hard-shelled eggs.  Sea turtles will lay more than a hundred and some terrestrial species will lay as few as two.  Females always lay eggs on land.  They dig a hole with their tail, and deposit the eggs, cover the hole with earth, and leave.  The eggs hatch, depending on the species, anywhere from six weeks to seven months.  The baby turtles must dig their way out of the holes, in addition, aquatic species then must also find water.

Turtles are characterized by a shell on their back, called a carapace, which encloses the turtles’ body.  The turtles’ ribs are fused to the carapace, ensuring the permanence of the shell.  The underside of the shell is called the plastron.  From the shell, the head, legs, and tail can protrude.  Turtles do not have teeth, they have horny beaks.  The beaks are shaped differently according to the diet of the turtle.  For example, a carnivorous turtle will have a beak that is more hooked and curved as opposed to a turtle that eats more plants or mollusks, their beak will be more flat and broad.

Turtle Image Gallery

(Click on thumbnail image for larger version)

Common Mud Turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum

The Common Mud Turtle (or Eastern Mud Turtle) grows to 8-12 cm. The shell, or carapace, is smooth with a shade of brown. The under shell, or plastron, is a yellowish brown that may have a varying degree of dark markings. The turtles’ head may have stripes or be mottled with yellow. Males can be told apart by a blunt spine located at the end of the tail, and sections of rough scales on the inside of the hind legs. Mating begins in March. Females lay two-five eggs in June, in a 12 cm deep nest that they cover with dirt. They may also lay eggs under logs. The eggs are oval, and are a pink or bluish white color. This species is semi-aquatic and spends the winter hibernating either buried in mud, or with in dead wood. It may be found in wetlands, ponds, marshes, and seems to prefer shallow water and soft bottoms. This species is most active April through October. It may often be seen moving around on the bottom of streams, and is often seen crossing roads. If the stream dries up where they are, they may cover themselves in mud and may wait out the summer in a dormant state, or move to a more permanent body of water. The common mud turtle primarily eats insects, crawfish, seeds, and mollusks.

Common Musk (Stink-pot) Turtle,  Sternotherus odoratus

The Common Musk Turtle ranges in length from 5.2-12.9 cm.  The name musk turtle refers to the musky odor emanating from the fluid it produces when disturbed.  The carapace (upper shell on turtles’ back) is smooth and is colored brown to black, with irregular dark markings.  On the head, there are two light stripes above and below the eye.  There are barbells on the chin/throat, and it has a small tail.  The plastron is yellow brown, and in the males there is skin between the scutes, which are external boney plates on the exterior of the carapace.  Breeding generally occurs in the fall, and again briefly in the spring.  In June, the females lay eggs clutches of 1-9 eggs, on land and return to the water.  The common musk turtle is aquatic leaving the water only to lay eggs.  They are not good swimmers and are generally in shallow water with muddy bottoms.  They are found only in freshwater rivers, ponds, and lakes.  For the winter months the turtle hibernates 12 inches under the mud.  This species has great mobility due to its small plastron, and may be found on a log as high as 6 feet off the ground overhanging the water.  This turtle mainly eats crayfish, algae, insects, and seeds.

Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene Carolina

The Eastern Box Turtle grows to the average length of 11-15 cm.  The high-domed shell on the turtles’ back, the carapace, is black with yellow markings, and the lower shell, called the plastron, is brown.  The skin of the turtle is black with yellow/orange marks.  A way to tell the sexes apart is by the color of the eyes.  Females tend to have brown eyes, as where males tend to have red eyes.  This species also has four toes on its hind feet.  During the months of May to July the females lay one clutch of eggs consisting of two-seven eggs, in nests that are 2-8 cm deep.  This species is terrestrial and is most active during the day.  The Eastern Box Turtle is generally found in the forest.  In hot weather, this species will seek out shallow water or mud.  During the winter months, they hibernate buried in soil and leaves.  Their diet mainly consists of insects, dead and decaying fish, earthworms, mushrooms, berries, amphibians, slugs, and snails.

Northern Redbelly Cooter, Pseudemys rubriventris

The Northern Redbelly Cooter grows up to 40 cm in length.  Its carapace is dark with reddish markings, its head has yellow stripes, and the plastron is a yellow-orangish red with dark markings.  During May to June, the female digs a nest 10cm in sandy soils and deposits 8-29 eggs, once or twice a year.  This species is semi aquatic.  Most of the year this turtle is found in the water and during hibernation they bury themselves in mud in shallow water.  In mating season, they tend to be found more on land.  The northern redbelly cooter’s diet mainly consists of aquatic vegetation, fish, tadpoles, snails, insect larvae, and worms.

Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta

The Painted Turtle grows to be 10-18cm. The carapace is smooth and flattened with the coloration of black to olive, with red and yellow. The plastron is yellow with black markings. The head has a yellow spot on each side and is stripped with yellow. The legs, tail, and neck hace red and yellow stripes. Sometime during may to June, females lay 3-9 eggs in nests. Eggs do not hatch until spring. This species is found in permanent bodies of water such as ponds and streams with muddy substrate, when they may be seen basking. The Painted turtle is mainly aquatic, except during breeding season. They hibernate from October until spring under logs or stumps or in beaver lodges. Their diet consists mainly of beetles, algae, plants, and dead fish.

Red-Eared Slider, Trachemys scripta

The Red-Eared Slider is a fresh water turtle ranging from 12.5-20.5 cm. The most identifying mark is the elongated red patch behind the eyes. The red ear is fainter on females. The body is dark green with yellow stripes on the legs and arms. The carapace is yellow-green with yellow rings. Plastron is yellow with green-black spots. Mature male adults become darker with age so that they may eventually look black. Juveniles look like the adults, but colors are brighter. The red ear may sometimes not show up in hatchlings. This species reproduces in any season except summer. The Red-Eared Slider is generally found in muddy still water with lots of organic matter. They are found in lakes, streams, and other bodies of water that have plenty of basking sites and vegetation. Juveniles of this species are carnivorous as where the adults are omnivores. Their diet consists mainly of algae, small fish, and invertebrates.