Size:  Size ranges from 3.5 to 4.5 inches (9-11.5 cm).
Description:  A dark, almost black, shell and body with varying degrees of yellow spots characterize this secretive turtle.  These spots are not known to represent anything particular and adults may have only a few spots or over one hundred of them.
Habitat:  Any shallow, freshwater environment that does not provide much disturbance; bogs, swamps or ponds are ideal for spotted turtles.
Range:  They can be found on the eastern seaboard from northern Florida to southern Maine.  They also extend out through western New York and Pennsylvania into the Great Lakes region.
Behavior:  These turtles are extremely shy and try to escape quickly if disturbed.  Their method of protection against predators is burying themselves in debris at the bottom of the water way.  These turtles are much more visible in the spring where they spend much time basking in the sun.
Status:  Listed as a threatened species by the World Conservation Union.

 

	Range of the Spotted Turtle in the Carolinas and Virginia