California Turtles

A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California	California Turtles

This is a complete llst of Turtles that occur naturally in California, including non-native species with well-established populations. California's turtles are listed here by scientific name and sorted by family, genus, species, and subspecies if applicable. They are listed by common name below the scientific names list. There are no endemic forms of California turtles. Follow the blue links to go to a page with information about each kind of turtle along with pictures of them and their habitat and short videos if available. The names used on this list are based mainly on lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. More Lists And Information About California Turtles
Scientific Name	Common Name	Original Description	Alternate Name

Order Testudines	Turtles	Linnaeus, 1758	Chelonii

Cheloniidae	Sea Turtles	Oppel, 1811

*Caretta*	Loggerhead Sea Turtles	Rafinesque, 1814
Caretta caretta	Loggerhead Sea Turtle	(Linnaeus, 1758)

*Chelonia*	Green Sea Turtles	Brongniart, 1800
Chelonia mydas	Green Sea Turtle	(Linnaeus, 1758)

*Eretmochelys*	Hawksbill Sea Turtles	Fitzinger 1843
Eretmochelys imbricata	Hawksbill Sea Turtle	(Linnaeus, 1766)
Eretmochelys imbricata bissa	Pacific Hawksbill Sea Turtle	(Rüppell, 1835)

*Lepidochelys*	Ridley Sea turtles	Fitzinger, 1843
Lepidochelys olivacea	Olive Ridley Sea Turtle	(Eschscholtz, 1829)

Dermochelyidae	Leatherback Sea Turtles	Fitzinger, 1843

*Dermochelys*	Leatherback Sea Turtle	Blainville, 1816
Dermochelys coriacea	Leatherback Sea Turtle	(Vandelli, 1761)

Emydidae	Box and Basking Turtles	Gray, 1825

*Actinemys*	Western Pond Turtles	Agassiz, 1857	Clemmys, and Emys
Actinemys marmorata	Northwestern Pond Turtle	(Baird and Girard, 1852)	Northern Western Pond Turtle Western Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata; Clemmys marmorata
Actinemys pallida	Southwestern Pond Turtle	(Seeliger 1945)	Southern Western Pond Turtle Western Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata; Clemmys marmorata

Kinosternidae	Mud and Musk Turtles	Agassiz, 1857

*Kinosternon*	American Mud Turtles	Spix, 1824
Kinosternon sonoriense	Sonora Mud Turtle	LeConte, 1854
Kinosternon sonoriense sonoriense (Probably extinct in CA)	Desert Mud Turtle	LeConte, 1854	Sonoran Mud Turtle

Testudinidae	Tortoises	Gray, 1825

*Gopherus*	Gopher Tortoises	Rafinesque, 1832
Gopherus agassizii	Mohave Desert Tortoise	(Cooper, 1863)	Agassiz's Desert Tortoise


Non-Native Species (More information about non-native reptiles and amphibians reported in California)

Chelydridae	Snapping Turtles	Gray, 1870

*Chelydra*	Snapping Turtles	Schweigger, 1812
Chelydra serpentina	Snapping Turtle	(Linnaeus, 1758)	Common Snapping Turtle

Emydidae	Box and Basking Turtles	Gray, 1825

*Chrysemys*	Painted Turtles	Gray, 1844
Chrysemys picta	Painted Turtle	(Schneider, 1783)
Chrysemys picta bellii	Western Painted Turtle	(Gray, 1831)

*Trachemys*	Sliders	Agassiz, 1857
Trachemys scripta	Pond Slider	(Schoepff, 1792)
Trachemys scripta elegans	Red-eared Slider	(Wied-Neuwied, 1838)

Trionychidae	Softshells	Bell, 1828

*Apalone*	North American Softshells	Rafinesque, 1832
Apalone spinifera	Spiny Softshell	(LeSueur, 1827)
Apalone spinifera emoryi	Texas Spiny Softshell	(Agassiz, 1857)

Common Name

Native Freshwater and Land Turtles
Northwestern Pond Turtle
Southwestern Pond Turtle
Sonora Mud Turtle (Probably extinct in CA)
Desert Tortoise

Sea Turtles
Green Seaturtle
Leatherback Seaturtle
Loggerhead Seaturtle
Olive Ridley Seaturtle
Pacific Hawksbill Seaturtle

Non-Native Species	(More information about non-native reptiles and amphibians reported in California)
Snapping Turtle
Red-eared Slider
Texas Spiny Softshell
Western Painted Turtle

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