A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California |
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This is a complete llst of Turtles that occur naturally in California, including non-native species with well-established populations. California's turtles are listed here by scientific name and sorted by family, genus, species, and subspecies if applicable. They are listed by common name below the scientific names list. There are no endemic forms of California turtles. Follow the blue links to go to a page with information about each kind of turtle along with pictures of them and their habitat and short videos if available. The names used on this list are based mainly on lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. More Lists And Information About California Turtles |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name | Original Description | Alternate Name |
Order Testudines | Turtles | Linnaeus, 1758 | Chelonii |
Cheloniidae | Sea Turtles | Oppel, 1811 | |
Caretta | Loggerhead Sea Turtles | Rafinesque, 1814 | |
Caretta caretta | Loggerhead Sea Turtle | (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Chelonia | Green Sea Turtles | Brongniart, 1800 | |
Chelonia mydas | Green Sea Turtle | (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Eretmochelys | Hawksbill Sea Turtles | Fitzinger 1843 | |
Eretmochelys imbricata | Hawksbill Sea Turtle | (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
Eretmochelys imbricata bissa | Pacific Hawksbill Sea Turtle | (Rüppell, 1835) | |
Lepidochelys | Ridley Sea turtles | Fitzinger, 1843 | |
Lepidochelys olivacea | Olive Ridley Sea Turtle | (Eschscholtz, 1829) | |
Dermochelyidae | Leatherback Sea Turtles | Fitzinger, 1843 | |
Dermochelys | Leatherback Sea Turtle | Blainville, 1816 | |
Dermochelys coriacea | Leatherback Sea Turtle | (Vandelli, 1761) | |
Emydidae | Box and Basking Turtles | Gray, 1825 | |
Actinemys | Western Pond Turtles | Agassiz, 1857 | Clemmys, and Emys |
Actinemys marmorata |
Northwestern Pond Turtle | (Baird and Girard, 1852) | Northern Western Pond Turtle Western Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata; Clemmys marmorata |
Actinemys pallida | Southwestern Pond Turtle | (Seeliger 1945) | Southern Western Pond Turtle Western Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata; Clemmys marmorata |
Kinosternidae | Mud and Musk Turtles | Agassiz, 1857 | |
Kinosternon | American Mud Turtles | Spix, 1824 | |
Kinosternon sonoriense | Sonora Mud Turtle | LeConte, 1854 | |
Kinosternon sonoriense sonoriense (Probably extinct in CA) |
Desert Mud Turtle | LeConte, 1854 | Sonoran Mud Turtle |
Testudinidae | Tortoises | Gray, 1825 | |
Gopherus | Gopher Tortoises | Rafinesque, 1832 | |
Gopherus agassizii | Mohave Desert Tortoise | (Cooper, 1863) | Agassiz's Desert Tortoise |
Non-Native Species (More information about non-native reptiles and amphibians reported in California) | |||
Chelydridae | Snapping Turtles | Gray, 1870 | |
Chelydra | Snapping Turtles | Schweigger, 1812 | |
Chelydra serpentina | Snapping Turtle | (Linnaeus, 1758) | Common Snapping Turtle |
Emydidae | Box and Basking Turtles | Gray, 1825 | |
Chrysemys | Painted Turtles | Gray, 1844 | |
Chrysemys picta | Painted Turtle | (Schneider, 1783) | |
Chrysemys picta bellii | Western Painted Turtle | (Gray, 1831) | |
Trachemys | Sliders | Agassiz, 1857 | |
Trachemys scripta | Pond Slider | (Schoepff, 1792) | |
Trachemys scripta elegans | Red-eared Slider | (Wied-Neuwied, 1838) | |
Trionychidae | Softshells | Bell, 1828 | |
Apalone | North American Softshells | Rafinesque, 1832 | |
Apalone spinifera | Spiny Softshell | (LeSueur, 1827) | |
Apalone spinifera emoryi | Texas Spiny Softshell | (Agassiz, 1857) | |
Common Name | |||
Native Freshwater and Land Turtles | |||
Northwestern Pond Turtle | |||
Southwestern Pond Turtle | |||
Sonora Mud Turtle (Probably extinct in CA) | |||
Desert Tortoise | |||
Sea Turtles | |||
Green Seaturtle | |||
Leatherback Seaturtle | |||
Loggerhead Seaturtle | |||
Olive Ridley Seaturtle | |||
Pacific Hawksbill Seaturtle | |||
Non-Native Species | (More information about non-native reptiles and amphibians reported in California) | ||
Snapping Turtle | |||
Red-eared Slider | |||
Texas Spiny Softshell | |||
Western Painted Turtle | |||
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