Different Breeds of Turtles

Listing all of the different breeds of turtles can be a very difficult task, as there are hundreds of different turtle breeds. However, there are several major types that various turtle breeds can be grouped into. It's important to know the defining characteristics of each of the major types of turtles, along with some of the most common examples of each group. That way, if you come across a turtle you've never seen before, you can identify what group it comes from, and figure out how to treat it and care for it.

  1. Types of Turtles

    • There are two major types of turtles: semi-terrestrial and semi-aquatic. The most common semi-terrestrial turtle types are box turtles and wood turtles, while the most common semi-aquatic turtle types are water turtles and map turtles. All of these types require both water and dry land to survive. However, the big difference is that semi-terrestrial turtles live mainly on land, but occasionally need to enter water. Semi-aquatic turtles, on the other hand, spend most of their lives in the water, but sometimes need to return to land to perform certain functions, like egg-laying.

    Box Turtles

    • Box turtles are probably one of the most easily identifiable breeds of turtles in the world, because of their high, dome-like shells and unique seashell-like shell patterns. No other breed of turtle has a similar shell type. Box turtles do much better on dry land than many of the other breeds because they can fully withdraw into their shell and shut it from the inside, protecting themselves completely from predators. The most common types of box turtle are the Eastern box turtle, the Florida box turtle, the ornate box turtle and the three-toed box turtle.

    Wood Turtles

    • As their name might imply, wood turtles are usually found near wooded or marshy areas. They are occasionally found bedding on dry leaves or under wood outcroppings, but never stray far from the water. These turtles are most commonly found in Mexico and South America, and prefer a tropical atmosphere. The most common types of wood turtles are the ornate wood turtle and the black wood turtle.

    Water Turtles

    • Water turtles spend almost their entire lives in a body of water. Unlike their semi-terrestrial brothers, this group can be hard to identify because it is extremely diverse and includes many of the most popular water-dwelling turtle breeds. However, the common characteristic that all of these breeds share is the webbing between their toes, which allows them to swim more easily. This group includes the red-eared slider, the painted turtle, the spotted turtle, the soft-shelled turtle and the African side-necked turtle. It also includes some of the more unusual breeds, like the pig-nosed turtle, the snapping turtle and the Argentine long-necked turtle.

    Map Turtles

    • Map turtles share roughly the same body type as some of their brothers in the water turtle group, especially the painted turtle and the red-eared slider. However, unlike these other two breeds, map turtles have a well-defined series of ridges running down the middle of their shells. This feature is responsible for the map turtles' other common name, the sawback turtle. When viewed from the side, the tops of their shells look like the blades of saws. Common types of map turtles include the Cagle's map turtle, the ringed map turtle and the yellow-blotched map turtle.