CaliforniaHerps.com

A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California


California Turtles




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

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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