The turtles in this family tend to have very small hatchlings. Here are two Red-eared Sliders, Trachemys scripta scripta (bottom) and a Southern Painted Turtle, Chyrsemys picta dorsalis (top) soon after they hatched.

A basking log with a spiny softshell turtle, Apalone spinifera (LeSueur, 1827), climbing out of the water on the far left and red eared sliders, Trachemys scripta (Schoepff, 1792) on the right.

The painted turtle, Chrysemys picta (Gray, 1844) is perhaps the most often encountered freshwater turtle in North America, with the possible exception of the common snapping turtle. Four subspecies are recognized and they are distributed from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast (absent from Florida) and westward to the Pacific northwest (Vancouver Island and Chihuahua, Mexico). California and Arizona populations are probably the result of released pets. Adults may reach 245 mm. Clutches of 1-25 eggs are laid in a nest. This species is omnivorous, feeding on aquatic plants and animals. Its elevational distribution extends from sea level to 2500 m. The adult on the top and the juvenile below it are both from northern Will County, Illinois. The nesting female was photographed in Monroe County, Wisconsin. And, the juvenile in the water was photographed in Porter County, Indiana. These can all be assigned to the Western Painted Turtle, C. p. belli or Midland painted turtle, C. p. marginata.

The wood turtle, Calemys insculpta (LeConte, 1829), was for many years placed in the genus Clemmys. It is distributed from southeastern Canada westward to eastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa and southward to Virginia. Adults can reach 234 mm. It is extremely terrestrial, wandering far overland, but it will also follow streams, and it hibernates in the water.

The Bog Turtle, Calemys muhlenbergi (Schoepff, 1801) has a distribution composed of disjunct populations from western New York and Massachusetts, southward to Pennsylvania and North Carolina and South Carolina and extreme northeastern Georgia. For many years it was placed in the genus Clemmys. It is a small turtle, reaching 114 mm, with hatchlings being only 25 mm in carapace length. It inhabits sphagnum bogs, swamps, and slow moving streams with soft mud substrates. The specimen in the photos is from Wilkes Co., North Carolina.

The Spotted Turtle, Clemmys guttata (Schneider, 1792) inhabits eastern North America. There are isolated populations in southern Quebec and Ontario, and in western Vermont. It ranges from Maine to central Florida and eastward to Indiana, with an isolated population in the Chicago area. Adults may have a carapace length that reaches 127 mm. This is a semi-aquatic species that likes a soft substrate and aquatic vegetation. Females lay one or two clutches of 2-8 eggs in June that require 70-83 days of incubation. Spotted turtles are omnivorous, eating a variety of invertebrates, plants, and algae. Cool temperatures are preferred and they have been found mating at 8-10 C.

The Chicken Turtle, Dierochelys reticularia (Latereille, 1801) inhabits the eastern sea board and Gulf Coastal Plain from southern Virginia to southern Florida westward to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. It ranges as far north as southern Missouri in the Mississippi River Valley. Adult carapace length may reach 254 mm. This specimen is from peninsular Florida. This omnivorous turtle has an exceptionally long neck and lives in non-moving water. Clutches of 5-15 eggs in both spring and fall nesting periods. It appears to be most closely related to the painted turtles (Chrysemys).

The Blanding's Turtle, Emys blandingi (Holbrook, 1838) adults may reach 274 mm in carapace length. The animals in the photographs here are from Will County, Illinois. It ranges from southern Ontario and the Great Lakes region westward to Nebraska and northern Missouri, with isolated populations in New England and Nova Scotia. Blanding's Turtles are marsh inhabitants that will also use lakes, ponds, and creeks. They like shallow water, and will wander overland considerable distances from one body of water to another. Nesting occurs in June and July, and females lay several clutches of 6-17 eggs that require a 65-80 day incubation period. It is omnivorous. Recent molecular studies have shown that the Blanding's Turtles form a monophyletic clade with the Pacific Pond Turtle, Emys marmarotus, and the European pond turtle, Emys obicularis. For many years the Blanding's turtle was placed in the genus Emydoidea.

The Yellow Blotched Map Turtle, Graptemys flavimarginata Cagle, 1954 inhabits the Pascagoula River drainage in Mississippi. These specimens were photographed at the southern end of the Pascagoula in Mississippi from a canoe. Adults may reach a carapace length of 175 mm. This turtle lives in areas of the river with fast currents, sand or clay bottoms, and piles of brush that they use for basking. It most likely stays close to the river, and females may venture only a short distance from the water to deposit their eggs. Like other map turtles it is most likely carnivorous, feeding on snails and insects. And, like other map turtles females are larger than males.

The Common Map Turtle, Graptemys geographica (Le Sueur, 1817). The juvenile at the left was a captive specimen of unknown origin. Common Map Turtles inhabit the eastern and central USA, ranging from southwestern Quebec southward to Louisiana and Alabama. Adult females may reach 270 mm, adult males may reach 160 mm in carapace length. This map turtle usually inhabits large bodies of water and live in colonies often seen basking together. Eggs are laid from mid-May to mid-July depending upon latitude. Clutches have 10-16 eggs that need about 75 days of incubation. This carnivorous chelonian feeds mostly upon invertebrates but will take plant material and carrion.

The Ringed Map Turtle, Graptemys oculifera (Baur, 1890) inhabits the Pearl River drainage of Louisiana and Mississippi. This juvenile was photographed in Mississippi. Adult females reach 220 mm, adult males reach 110 mm in carapace length. It lives in swift current areas with clay bottoms and piles of debris on which it basks.

The Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin (Schoepff, 1793) inhabits the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to the Florida Keys and the Gulf Coast to southern Texas. Molecular studies suggest that this turtle is closely related to the map turtles (Graptemys) and to the slider (Trachemys). The specimen in the photographs was a captive of unknown origins. The Diamondback Terrapin uses brackish coastal waters, such estuaries, tidal flats, and lagoons. Adult females may reach 230 mm, adult males reach 140 mm in carapace length. Females may lay two clutches of 4-18 eggs that require about 90 days of incubation. They are known to feed on a variety of marine invertebrates including snails, clams, crabs, and worms.

The Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta, has been a popular turtle in the pet trade for many decades. Now, breeders have begun to produce turtles that show a variety of color and pattern morphs that do not occur in nature. This is one of them. Note the yellow shell, yellow ear patch, and red eye. The Red Eared Slider is becoming the koi of the turtle world. It has been introduced in many places around the world.

The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina (Linnaeus, 1758). Photographed in South Carolina. The Eastern Box Turtle ranges from Central Michigan and Massachusetts southward to Georgia and westward to central Illinois. Box Turtles are terrestrial, and this species tends to be associated with forests. All members of the genus Terrapene form a monophyletic clade and appear to be the sister group to the Spotted Turtle, Clemmys guttata. Box turtles are omnivorous, eating carrion, mushrooms, and invertebrates. They hibernate in the frost zone. Nesting occurs from May to July, with females laying 3-8 eggs that require 75-90 days of incubation.

The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina (Linnaeus, 1758) . Photographed in Whitehall, Michigan. Males have a red iris, while females tend to have a yellow brown iris.

The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina (Linnaeus, 1758). Photographed in Shelby Co., Tennessee. Young box turtles tend to be more carnivorous than adults.

The Gulf Coast Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina major (Agassiz, 1857). Photographed in southern Mississippi.

The Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata (Agassiz, 1857) Photographed in Fulton Co., Illinois, USA. This race inhabits the prairies of the Great Plains from Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin west to South Dakota and Colorado and southward to Louisiana, Texas, and Arizona. It prefers grassland and open scrub habitats. This is an omnivorous species with carnivorous tendencies. Like other box turtles it is terrestrial. Females lay clutches of 2-8 eggs that incubate for about 70 days.

The Desert Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola Smith and Ramsey, 1952. Photographed in Cochise Co., Arizona. Populations of this turtle have adapted for life in the desert southwest and extend into northern Mexico.

The Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata, albino juvenile. Origin unknown.