Southwestern Pond Turtle
Actinmeys pallida
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- A. pallida – Riverside Co, CA – photo by Steve Bledsoe
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- A. pallida – Riverside Co, CA – photo by Kent VanSooy
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- A. pallida – Los Angeles Co, CA – photo by iNaturalist Mathew Gruen
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Actinemys pallida occurs in coastal California from San Francisco Bay to the U.S./Mexican border.
LEGAL STATUS: Actinemys pallida is protected in California as a Species of Special Concern.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Actinemys pallida (Seeliger – 1945)
Genus: Actinemys, Greek – actin = a ray or beam + emys = a freshwater tortoise – pos. ref. to a sunny environment
Species: pallida, Latin = pale – ref. light background color of sides and ventral surface of neck
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962