Blanding's Turtle
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| Emydoidea blandingii Holbrook, 1838 |
The Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species of semi-aquatic turtle. It is the only species in the genus Emydoidea, and is considered to be a threatened or endangered species throughout much of its range.[1]
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[edit] Description
The Blanding's turtle is a medium-sized turtle with an average shell length of approximately seven to nine inches and a maximum length of 10 inches. A distinguishing feature of this turtle is the bright yellow chin and throat. The carapace, or upper shell, is domed, but slightly flattened along the midline, and is oblong when viewed from above. The carapace is speckled with numerous yellow or light-colored flecks or streaks on a dark background. The plastron, or lower shell, is yellow with dark blotches symmetrically arranged. The head and legs are dark, and usually speckled or mottled with yellow. The Blanding's turtle is also called the "semi-box" turtle, for although the plastron is hinged, the plastral lobes do not shut as tight as the box turtle's.
[edit] Reproduction
Blanding's turtles take 18-22 years to reach sexual maturity. Mating probably occurs in April and early May with nesting beginning in early June and lasting throughout the month. The clutch size varies from region to region. In New York, the clutch size ranges from 5-12 eggs with an average of eight. The Blanding's is a timid turtle and may plunge into water and remain on the bottom for hours when alarmed. If away from water, the turtle will close itself up within its shell. It is very gentle and rarely attempts to bite. It is very agile and a good swimmer.
[edit] Behavior and life cycle
The Blanding's turtle overwinters under or near water, in mud or under vegetation or debris. During the nesting season, a female Blanding's turtle may be found more than a kilometer from where it hibernated. It is omnivorous, eating crustaceans and other invertebrates, fish, plants, carrion and vegetable debris. It is capable of catching live fish. The Blanding's turtle may live to be 70 years old.
[edit] Distribution and habitat
This species' range centers on the Great Lakes, and extends from central Nebraska and Minnesota (where it is the state reptile) eastward through southern Ontario and the south shore of Lake Erie as far east as northern New York, with a few disjunct populations in southeastern New York (Dutchess County), New England and Nova Scotia. Recent investigations in northern New York report the range of this turtle to be primarily in the vicinity of the Thousand Islands region along the St. Lawrence River. In this region it is found in isolated coves and weedy bays, and further inland in shallow, marshy waters and ponds. It does not commonly occur in the main channel of rivers.
[edit] Conservation status
The primary threat to the Blanding's turtle is habitat fragmentation and destruction. It is listed as a threatened species in the states of Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin, and in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is listed as endangered in Maine, South Dakota, Missouri, and Nova Scotia (Canada), though it has no federal status in the US.
[edit] References
- Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). Emydoidea blandingii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006.
- Blanding's Turtle Fact Sheet
