NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Bog Turtle
Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Schoepff, 1801)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
In an ongoing effort to track bog turtle populations, biologists recently spent several days visiting southern Appalachian bogs in western North Carolina, searching for the rare turtles. Measurements were taken and recorded for each turtle found, then each individual was marked twice – one a physical marking of the turtle’s shell, and then each turtle receives a unique identifying chip, much like you might have placed in your cat or dog. Part of the benefit of chipping the turtles is to identify individual turtles, that are known from specific sites, them should they ever be found in the possession of poachers. Credit: Gary Peeples/USFWS
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region · Public domain · Image sourceProvider-generated thumbnail requested at 320 pixels; no local editing Local WebP display rendition; resized without cropping.
Open encyclopedia reference
The bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii), also known commonly as Muhlenberg's turtle, is a critically endangered species of semiaquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is native to the eastern United States. It was first scientifically described in 1801 after an 18th-century survey of Pennsylvania. The smallest North American turtle, it measures about 10 centimeters (4 in) in straight carapace length when fully grown. Although the bog turtle is similar in appearance to the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) and the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata), its closest relative is actually the somewhat larger wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta). The bog turtle can be found from Vermont in the north, south to Georgia, and west to Pennsylvania. Diurnal and secretive, it spends most of its time buried in mud and – during the winter months – in hibernation. The bog turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on small invertebrates. The bog turtle is the state reptile of New Jersey. An adult bog turtle weighs 110 grams (3.9 oz) on average.
Wikipedia contributors, Bog turtle; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:05:18.864707+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Schoepff, 1801)
- Name authority
- (Schoepff, 1801)
- Common name
- Bog Turtle
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Testudines
- Family
- Emydidae
- Genus
- Glyptemys
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderTestudines Batsch, 1788
- suborderCryptodira
- superfamilyTestudinoidea
- familyEmydidae
- genusGlyptemys
- speciesGlyptemys muhlenbergii (Schoepff, 1801)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Glyptemys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| (North American) Wood TurtleGlyptemys insculpta (Le Conte, 1830) | EmydidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Emys bipunctata Gray, 1831 Gray, 1831 | synonym |
| Emys (Cistuda) carolinae fusca Gray, 1830 Gray, 1830 | synonym |
| Emys fusca Lesueur, 1831 Lesueur, 1831 | synonym |
| Emys biguttata Say, 1824 Say, 1824 | synonym |
| Testudo muhlenbergii Schoepff, 1801 Schoepff, 1801 | synonym |
| Geoclemmys muehlenburgii Gray, 1870 Gray, 1870 | synonym |
| Testudo muehlenbergii Schoepff, 1801 Schoepff, 1801 | synonym |
| Clemmys nuchalis Dunn, 1917 Dunn, 1917 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Glyptemys&species=muhlenbergii Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3GHJS. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.