These taxonomic classifications are valid according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina, family Chelydridae)
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| Snapping Turtle, Durham, NC, 6/10/10. Found in a marsh (with some stray grass clippings attached). | Snapping Turtle, Durham, NC, 5/7/03. This large turtle showed up in another yard on my street after a heavy rain and crawled under a bush when I started photographing it. Notice the small nose with its two tiny nostrils. | Snapping Turtle, Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC, 4/13/06. | Snapping Turtle, Pea Island NWR, Dare County, NC, 5/7/06 | Snapping Turtle, Sewee Visitors Center, Francis Marion National Forest, Charleston County, SC, 3/29/06 |
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| Snapping Turtle, Asheboro, Randolph County, NC, 5/9/07. This turtle showed up in a pond in a popular picnicking place near the zoo, apparently expecting a handout. |
Florida Softshell Turtle (Apalone ferox, Trionychidae family)
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| Florida Softshell Turtle | Close-up of part of Florida Softshell Turtle head |
Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum, subfamily Kinosterninae, family Kinosternidae)
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| Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 4/17/07. These turtles are nocturnal, but that didn't keep one from sleeping on one of the trails! | Eastern Mud Turtle, about 2 inches long, Ft. Fisher Basin Trail, New Hanover County, NC, 10/15/09 |
Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus, subfamily Kinosterninae, family Kinosternidae)
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| Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), Durham, 6/30/05. This turtle was underwater at the pond in my Durham neighborhood. |
Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin, family Emydidae)
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| Diamondback Terrapin, Ft. Fisher Basin Trail, New Hanover County, NC, 5/24/11 |
River Cooters (Pseudemys Concinna, family Emydidae)
These are the prettiest turtles -- when they aren't mud-covered!
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| River Cooter, Durham, NC, 5/16/23, in the Third Fork Creek. | River Cooters, Bobbitt's Hole, Eno River State Park, Old Cole Mill Road access, Orange County, NC, 4/02/06 |
Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta, family Emydidae)
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| Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 5/28/05. |
Florida Cooter (Pseudsemys floridana, family Emydidae)
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| Maybe a Florida or Hieroglyphic Cooter, Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham County, NC, 6/15/07. This turtle showed up on ridge level, far from the river. It was very large, at least a foot long. | Florida Cooter, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Dare County, NC, 5/10/09 |
Sliders (Trachemys scripta, family Emydidae)
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| Yellowbelly Slider, Carolina Lake, Carolina Beach, New Hanover County, NC, 3/10/10 | Yellowbelly Slider, Durham, NC, 4/22/25 | Yellowbelly Sliders and Red-Eared Slider, Asheville, 7/21/03. One turtle (foreground, facing left) has the characteristic red marking of the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). Red-eared Sliders are not believed to occur as far east as North Carolina by Texas Parks and Wildlife, although Montgomery County, Maryland's Department of Environmental Protection lists it as a species found locally. | Yellowbelly Slider, with lots of duckweed, fresh from a swampy area. ID thanks to Brian Bockhahn. Flat River Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 6/3/11 | Same Yellowbelly Slider. Not just a slider but a climber, too! Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 6/3/11 |
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| Red-eared Slider, Duke Gardens, Durham, NC, 7/21/07 | Red-eared Sliders, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 3/20/07 | Red-eared Slider, Asheboro, Randolph County, NC, 5/9/07. This was one of many other turtles at the pond also apparently hoping to be fed. |
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| Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys rubiventris), Dare County, NC, 10/6/05. Not positive of this ID. | Slider? Unknown species, Sewee Visitors Center, Francis Marion National Forest, Charleston County, SC, 3/29/06. This turtle has apparently seen lots of action: maybe this is what makes identification so difficult. |
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina, family Emydidae)
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| Eastern Box Turtle | Mating Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina), Wayne County, NC. Copyright © Jesse M. Degnan. | Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina): head shot. The turtle had a cataract in this eye and couldn't see me. Durham, NC, 9/20/09 | Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina), Durham, 5/21/03. Box turtles are very common in our back yard. | Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina), Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC, 7/15/06 | Eastern Box Turtle, Durham, NC, 7/11/08 | Eastern Box Turtle. Durham, NC, 5/15/09 |
Mystery Turtles
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| I thought this large turtle (at least a foot long) I saw in a creek in my Durham neighborhood on 9/9/05 was a rock until it moved. The head is partially obscured by the plants in the foreground. Even so, the many small plates are unusual for turtles in this area. | Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, 5/13/04. May be a Diamondback Terrapin: the distinctive shell plate pattern doesn't match any other species. |