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Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata
Please submit sightings of this Threatened species to MDIFW immediately by emailing derek.yorks@maine.gov and (207) 941-4475.
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Photo: Trevor Persons
Distinguishing Characteristics

Photo: Trevor Persons
- Small, carapace (upper part of the shell) approx. 4 to 5.5 inches in length
- Carapace black with distinct, bright yellow spots
- Limbs are black on top with yellow spots, yellowish orange below
- Plastron (bottom part of the shell) yellowish with large black blotches
Status and Distribution in Maine
- State Threatened; Species of Greatest Conservation Need
- Rare
- Southern and central regions
Habitat

Photo: Trevor Persons
- Aquatic habitat includes slow streams, wet meadows, bogs, ponds, vernal pools, marshes, shrub swamps, and roadside ditches
- Habitats usually with abundant sphagnum moss
- Spends period of summer inactive under leaf litter in forested areas near wetlands
Diet
- Omnivorous, eats small vertebrates, invertebrates, and vegetation
- Makes annual trips to vernal pools to feed on breeding amphibians
Seasonal Changes
- Hibernate under hummocks or among shrub roots in red maple swamps and other wetlands
Natural History Notes
- Can travel great distances over the course of a year, up to 1.7 miles. Nests in loose substrate within 400 feet of water
- In some areas, has been negatively impacted by illegal collection for the pet trade