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A raised ridge that runs down the center of its back The upper shield, or shell, covering the back The bony plate, or shell, on the underside of the body A plate of shell of a turtle or tortoise. Also refers to the belly scale of a snake. A pectoral scute is a plate of shell in the chest region. An abdominal scute is a plate of shell in the abdominal area.
Identification
The carapace
of the Wood Turtle is highly sculptured and keeled,
and ranges from tan to brown in coloration with shades of grayish-brown in between.
The plastron
is typically yellow and has black blotches on the outside edge of each scute.
Another important characteristic of the Wood Turtle's plastron is that it is
hingeless, and consequently they are unable to close the front of their shell.
The Wood Turtle has been referred to as the “redleg” turtle because
of the coloration of the underside of its forelegs, which can be anywhere from
yellow to red. The throat, neck and tail may display similar coloration to the
forelegs and the head may also be speckled with faint yellow dots.
Distribution and Status
The distribution of the Wood Turtle can be separated into two main areas: the
Northeast and the Great Lakes. The Northeast region extends from Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick, south to northern Virginia and west through Pennsylvania
and eastern Ontario. The Great Lakes region is somewhat discontinuous, with
populations in southeastern Ontario (around Toronto), the northern lower peninsula
of Michigan and from the central upper peninsula of Michigan southwest to southern
Wisconsin, and just into eastern Minnesota. There are also disjunct populations
in northeastern Iowa, south central Quebec and southern Ontario (US
distribution map; Midwest
distribution map). In the Midwest, within the Great Lakes region,
the Wood Turtle is considered imperiled in every state in which it occurs. The
Wood turtle is state Endangered in Iowa, state Threatened in Minnesota and Wisconsin,
and a species of Special Concern in Michigan. The species does not occur in
Illinois, Indiana, Missouri or Ohio. Click HERE
for state by state status descriptions.
Ecology
The Wood Turtle is one of the most terrestrial turtles in the United States,
and is usually found inhabiting forested areas associated with rivers or streams.
The species prefers streams with harder substrates, moderate currents and clear
water. The Wood Turtle is omnivorous and may be observed eating insects, worms,
and even strawberries and blackberries! Interestingly, researchers in central
Pennsylvania and Michigan have also observed Wood Turtles “stomping”
for worms! The activity involves an individual stomping with one front foot
several times and then switching and stomping with the other front foot. Researchers
speculate that the vibrations created by the turtle "stomping" the
ground may mimic the vibrations produced by raindrops...and as most people know,
worms surface during rainfall events. Once a worm surfaces, the Wood Turtle
quickly eats it.
Threats and Management Issues
The Wood Turtle is a generally long-lived species, reaching more than 33 years
in the wild. Under natural circumstances the characteristic longevity of the
Wood Turtle, which is common to many turtle species, offsets the high nest and
hatchling mortality, and its delayed sexual maturity (Wood Turtles do not reach
sexual maturity until they are between 14 and 18 years). However, in recent
times this balance has been upset as habitat loss, highway mortality and collection
for the pet trade industry are causing declines in adult Wood Turtle numbers.
Additional pressures have also been placed on Wood Turtle nesting sites. Wood
Turtles nest on sandy river banks, and unfortunately, these areas are often
targeted for the placement of stabilizing structures. These structures often
negatively impact turtles as they can block females from reaching the sand bank,
as well as trap young emerging from the nest. In some areas sandy river banks
are also used quite heavily by recreationists. Increased activity, particularly
during the nesting season, may negatively influence normal nesting behavior,
as well as disturb nest sites. It is important that all of these factors be
addressed in conservation plans for this imperiled species. The Habitat
Management Guidelines for Reptiles and Amphibians of the Midwest provides
some excellent land management ideas for habitats that support turtles.
Resources
Ernst. C. H., J. E. Lovich and R. W. Barbour. 1994. Turtles of the United
States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, USA.
General reference guides and websites.
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499