Turtles

Question 1

Side-necked turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 1

• Suborder: Pleurodira
• 3 families
• restricted primarily to Southern Hemisphere

Question 2

Australoamerican side-necked turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 2

• Family: Chelidae

- flattened skulls, shells

Question 3

African side-necked turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 3

• Family: Pelomedusidae

- bottom walkers, not strong swimmers

Question 4

Madagascan and South America side-necked turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 4

• Family: Podocnemididae
• Largest known turtle ever
• flat shells, active swimmers

Question 5

Hidden-necked turtles (suborder and characteristics)

Answer 5

• suborder: Cryptodira

- 11 families representing the majority of turtle diversity

Question 6

Pig-nosed turtles (family, characteristics)

Answer 6

• Family: Carettochelyidae

- Nostrils resembling pig

Question 7

Softshell turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 7

• Family: Trionychidae
• fully aquatic, strong swimmers
• carapace covered in leathery skin

Question 8

Spiny softshell turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 8

• Apalone spinifera
• can breathe through skin
• genetic sex determination
• scattered on western nose of NY

Question 9

Mud and musk turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 9

• Family: Kinosternidae

- musk glands on underside

Question 10

Common musk turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 10

• Sternotherus odoratus
• Barbels under chin
• front of plastron hinged
• found in Oswego area and S NY

Question 11

Eastern mud turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 11

• Kinosternon subrubrum
• doubly hinged plastron
• Only in long island

Question 12

Snapping turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 12

• Family: Chelydridae

- limbs, head, and tail cannot be retracted into shell

Question 13

Common snapping turtles (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 13

• Chelydra serpentina
• symbiotic relationship with painted turtles
• saw toothed tail
• everywhere in NY

Question 14

Sea turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 14

• Family: Cheloniidae
• Complete marine except when nesting
• claws present

Question 15

Loggerhead sea turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 15

• Caretta caretta
• named for large head
• the furniture turtle
• only in long island

Question 16

Green sea turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 16

• Chelonia mydas
• Bask on shore for vitamin D
• named for greenish fat
• one pair of prefrontal plates
• only in long island

Question 17

Atlantic hawksbill (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 17

• Eretmochelys imbricata
• two pairs of prefrontal plates
• source of turtle shell jewlery
• nuchal scute separated from costals
• only in long island

Question 18

Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 18

• Lepidochelys kempii
• smallest sea turtle in NY
• nuchal scute touches costals
• only in long island

Question 19

What species exhibits group nesting, and what is it called

Answer 19

• Kemp’s Ridley

- Arribada nesting

Question 20

Leatherback sea turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 20

-Family: Dermochelyidae

Question 21

Leatherback sea turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 21

• Dermochelys coriacea
• largest extant turtle
• eats jellyfish
• carapace composed of osteoderms
• no claws
• only in long island

Question 22

Threats to sea turtles

Answer 22

• pollution
• fisheries bycatch
• climate change
• coastal development

Question 23

Pond and river turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 23

• Family: Emydidae
• some have hinged plastrons
• no range given

Question 24

Painted turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 24

• Chrysemys picta
• prefers slow moving waters
• red bars on marginal scutes
• found everywhere in NY

Question 25

Spotted turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 25

- Clemmys guttata - black with yellow dots on carapace and head - vernal pools, uplants, wetlands (seasonally) - Found in oswego and to the west, also S NY

Question 26

Wood turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 26

- Glyptemys insculpta - genetic sex determination - Riverside or streamside, woodlands - large home ranges - spotty range throughout NY, common in S NY

Question 27

Bog turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 27

- Glyptemys muhlenbergii - smallest turtle in NY - wet meadows and fens - found in oswego and S NY

Question 28

Blanding's turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 28

-Emydoidea blandingii -smiley face, notched upper jaw Found in N W S NY

Question 29

Northern map turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 29

- Graptemys geographica - contour map-like markings - found along the Hudson

Question 30

Eastern box turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 30

- Terrapene carolina carolina - highly domed carapace - plastron double hinged - lives 100+ years - S NY, some found in SW NY

Question 31

Diamondback terrapin (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 31

- Malaclemys terrapin - webbed feet, large hind limbs - concentric grooves on scutes - found only in long island

Question 32

Red-eared slider (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 32

- Trachemys scripta elegans - exotic - subspecies of pond slider - found in long island and few spots along NY

Question 33

Yellowbelly slider (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 33

- Trachemys scripta scripta - native to SE US - pets that were released in the wild - only long island

Question 34

Eastern redbelly turtle (name, range, characteristics)

Answer 34

- Pseudemys rubriventris - reddish to orange yellow plastron - long island and central NY

Question 35

Bigheaded turtles (family and characteristics)

Answer 35

- Family: Platysternidae | - china

Question 36

Old world emydids (family and characteristics)

Answer 36

- Family: Geoemydidae | - S europe to japan, central and s america

Question 37

Totoises (family and characteristics)

Answer 37

Family: Testudinidae | -head and limbs fully withdrawn