t3062 ~ Spotted Turtle ~ Clemmys guttata

Photographed (2009) in Barry County, Michigan.

The Spotted Turtle is a small turtle with adult carapace lengths ranging from 3.5 to 5.4 inches. This species can be easily identified by the small, round yellow spots on its broad, smooth, black or brownish black carapace. Spots may fade in older individuals and some individuals can be spotless. The plastron has no hinge and is usually yellow or orange with a black blotch along the outer margin of each scute or scale. Hatchlings average about 1.14 inches in carapace length and usually have a single spot on each plate of their carapace. Their plastrons are yellowish orange with a central dark blotch. Some of this information is from the Michigan Natural Features Inventory website.

Michigan T/E List Status: Threatened (T)

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