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Home > Turtles > Bog Turtle

Bog Turtle

Bog turtles are an endangered species of semiaquatic turtles, found only in the eastern United States. They are the smallest among the other North American turtles. These turtles are omnivorous, solitary, and diurnal.



    Kingdom Animalia
    Phylum Chordata
    Subphylum Vertebrata
    Class Reptilia
    Order Testudines
    Family Emydidae
    Subfamily Emydinae
    Genus Glyptemys
    Scientific Name Glyptemys muhlenbergii


    Other Names Muhlenberg’s Turtle
    Size Male: Around 9.4 cm
    Female: Around 8.9 cm
    Weight Around 110g
    Color Dark brown skin and shell with dark brown to black head; marked yellow, orange or red blotches on each side of the head and neck; cream and black blotches on the underside; some specimens have an orange-red wash on the inside of the legs
    Distribution New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Georgia, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
    Habitat Deep soft muck soils, cool, shallow, slow-moving water, calcareous wetlands including meadows, marshes, bogs, spring seeps; edge of woods
    Diet Aquatic plants like duckweed, seeds, berries, earthworms, slugs, insects, snails, other invertebrates, frogs,  other small vertebrates
    Hibernation Fact Hibernate during winter in groups or alone
    Predators Snakes, snapping turtles, striped skunks, foxes, raccoons, dogs
    Breeding Season Spring
    Mode of Reproduction Oviparous (egg laying)
    Clutch Size 1 to 6 eggs
    Incubation Period 42 – 80 days
    Reproductive Age 8 to 11 years of age
    Average Lifespan 20 to 30 years; however, maximum  lifespan is 50 years or more
    IUCN Conservation Status Critically Endangered

    Bog Turtle Pictures Gallery

    Published on October 30th 2016 by under Turtles. Article was last reviewed on 7th June 2019.

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