Key to Families of Turtles
Choose the description that best fits the animal of interest. If none fit go back to
step one.
- A.
Large, massive, freshwater turtle, head is large with somewhat hooked upper jaw, carapace has three
rows of low knobs and is serrated at the rear, plastron greatly reduced forming a cross-shape, tail as
long or longer than carapace with saw-tooth keels.
- Chelydridae (Snapping Turtles)
one species in Canada:
Chelydra serpentina (Snapping Turtle)
- B.
Sea turtle, can grow to 1-2 m in length, carapace hard-shelled, front legs modified into flippers.
- Cheloniidae
(Marine Turtles)
- C.
Sea turtle, can grow to 2 m in length, carapace covered with ridged leathery skin, front legs modified
into flippers.
- Dermochelyidae (Leatherback Sea Turtle)
one species in the world:
Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback)
- D.
Freshwater turtle, the spotted carapace is round, flat and covered with leathery skin, snout is
tubular.
- Trionychidae (Softshell Turtles)
one species in Canada:
Apalone spinifera (Spiny Softshell)
- E.
Small freshwater turtle always less than 15 cm in length, light stripe above and below the eye,
carapace highly domed and narrow, plastron reduced in size, may emit strong musky odour when disturbed,
juveniles have keeled carapace but this is lost with maturity.
- Kinosternidae (Musk and Mud Turtles)
one species in Canada:
Sternotherus odoratus (Common Stinkpot)
- F.
Freshwater turtle, head is relatively small and upper jaw not hooked, carapace not leathery and
generally forms a low arch, but be domed, some species have a vertebral keel, plastron is large.
- Emydidae
(Pond and Marsh Turtles)
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