Western Pond Turtle

Actinemys marmorata

Summary 2

The western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata or Emys marmorata), or Pacific pond turtle is a small to medium-sized turtle growing to approximately 20 cm (8 in) in carapace length. It is limited to the west coast of the United States of America and Mexico, ranging from western Washington state to northern Baja California. In May 2002, the Canadian Species at Risk Act listed the Pacific pond turtle as being extirpated in Canada.

Diagnosis 3

The dorsal color is usually dark brown or dull olive, with or without darker reticulations or streaking. The plastron is yellowish, sometimes with dark blotches in the centers of the scutes. The shell is 11–21 cm (4.5–8.5 in) in length. The dorsal shell (carapace) is low and broad, usually widest behind the middle, and in adults is smooth, lacking a keel or serrations. Adult Western Pond Turtles are sexually dimorphic; that is, males have a light or pale yellow throat. It is the only turtle in Baja MX with this coloration.

Conservation 4

They are listed as Vulnerable (IUCN 1996), but more research needs to be conducted to find just how rare this turtle is.

Fuentes y créditos

  1. (c) K Schneider, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC), subido por K Schneider
  2. Adaptado por calebcam del trabajo de (c) Wikipedia, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinemys_marmorata
  3. Adaptado por calebcam del trabajo de (c) Wikipedia, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_pond_turtle
  4. (c) calebcam, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA)

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