Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

bog turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Emydidae

Listing Status:    and  

General Information

This is the smallest emydid turtle, and one of the smallest turtles in the world. Adult carapace length is 7.9 to 11.4 cm (3.1 to 4.5 inches). The dark brown or black carapace may be marked with radiating light lines or a light blotch on the vertebral and pleural scutes. Scute annuli are usually prominent in juvenile and young adult specimens, but the carapace may be nearly smooth in old adults. The head, neck, and limbs are typically dark brown with variable reddish to yellow spots and streaks. A large reddish-orange to yellow blotch is visible behind and above each tympanum, sometimes merging into a continuous band on the neck. The upper jaw is weakly notched. (Ernst, Lovich, and Barbour, 1994; Harding, 1997) The plastron is also brown or black, but often with lighter yellow blotches towards the medial and anterior scute edges. A mature male bog turtle has a concave plastron and a long, thick tail, with the vent posterior to the rear edge of the carapace with tail extended. The female has a flat plastron and a thinner, smaller tail, with the vent at or beneath the rear carapace edge. (Ernst, Lovich, and Barbour, 1994; Harding, 1997)

Population detail

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the bog turtle 

  • Population location: Entire, except GA, NC, SC, TN, VA
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Connecticut , Delaware , Maryland , Massachusetts , New Jersey , New York , Pennsylvania
  • Population location: U.S.A. (GA, NC, SC, TN, VA)
    Listing status:  Similarity of Appearance (Threatened)
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
11/04/1997 Northeast Region (Region 5) northern
11/04/1997 Northeast Region (Region 5) southern

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 7 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
01/29/2007 72 FR 4018 4019 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Ten Listed Northeastern Species
11/04/1997 62 FR 59605 59623 ETWP; Final Rule to List the Northern Population of the Bog Turtle as Threatened and the Southern Population as Threatened Due to Smilarity of Appearance
09/19/1997 62 FR 49397 Review of Plant and Animal Taxa
01/29/1997 62 FR 4229 4239 ETWP; Proposed Rule to List the Northern Population of the Bog Turtle as Threatened and the Southern Population as Threatened Due to Similarity of Appearance
02/28/1996 61 FR 7595 7613 ETWP; Review of Plant and Animal Taxa That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species
Most Recent Special Rule Publications (Showing 2 of 2 )
Date Citation Page Title
11/04/1997 62 FR 59605 59623 ETWP; Final Rule to List the Northern Population of the Bog Turtle as Threatened and the Southern Population as Threatened Due to Smilarity of Appearance
01/29/1997 62 FR 4229 4239 ETWP; Proposed Rule to List the Northern Population of the Bog Turtle as Threatened and the Southern Population as Threatened Due to Similarity of Appearance

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
05/15/2001 Recovery Plan for the Bog Turtle, Northern Population View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 1 of 1 )
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
01/29/2007 72 FR 4018 4019 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Ten Listed Northeastern Species
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation

    • » Critical Habitat

    No critical habitat rules have been published for the bog turtle.

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for bog turtle

    » Petitions

    No petition findings have been published for the bog turtle.

    » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 22, 2009