Turtle Identification - Part 1

Being able to identify the types of turtles we have is something I don't consider myself to be especially good at. My primary reference is something I think I bought at a NJ Audubon branch: Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of New Jersey. (Since this only documents herptiles of NJ, it theoretically prevents me from seeing a picture of a turtle, thinking it's a very good match for my turtle, only to read that the turtle only lives in Madagascar.)

The other resource that I use kicks in when I'm submitting my sightings to iNaturalist. They let you type the name of the species, but clicking in the field prompts iNaturalist to give suggestions, frequently of various species though sometimes the best they can do is suggest a genus, family, order, etc. I'm not sure what percentage of the time iNaturalist is correct, though clearly distinctive plants/animals with no similar ones living in the area greatly improves their success. Poor photo quality can also hurt its effectiveness.

After that, Google Search, Wikipedia, and the internet in general frequently provides help.

Things that are important in identifying turtles consist of things like the following:

  1. The carapace, which is the hard upper shell of the turtle. The way the scutes align, whether it's domed or flat, and color/markings all play a role. Some turtles have a keel to their shell, which is sort of a ridge that goes straight down the back, from the head area to the tail area.
  2. Scutes, which are the sections of the shell. You can see the scutes best in the 3 turtles in the middle of the picture.
  3. Sometimes there are clues on the head, legs, or tail of your turtle.
  4. The plastron, which is the softer shell at the bottom of the turtle.
  5. Location and behavior. Some turtles commonly bask outside water, while others bask in water but near the surface. And other turtles may be in particular areas of the state.
After that introduction, tomorrow I'll try and identify these turtles.
April 5 at Raritan River Greenway
Photo 120285381, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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