Turtles are interesting reptiles found in oceans, rivers, lakes, and on land. They come in many different types, each with its own size, shell shape, and habitat. Learning the names and types of turtles in English helps students and nature learners understand animal life more clearly. In this article, you will learn a list of turtles with their English names and clear pictures. These visuals make it easy to recognize each turtle and learn where it lives and how it survives.
20 Names of Turtles in English
- Green
- Hawksbill
- Leatherback
- Loggerhead
- Olive Ridley
- Kemp Ridley
- Flatback
- Box
- Painted
- Red-eared
- Yellow-belly
- Map
- Snapper
- Alligator Snapper
- Musk
- Mud
- Softshell
- Spiny Soft
- Indian Soft
- Asian Box
Common Turtles with Names and Types in English with Pictures
Green
Large sea turtle, mostly herbivorous, inhabits tropical and subtropical oceans, known for long migrations and strong shell.
Hawksbill
Sea turtle with pointed beak and patterned shell, critically endangered, feeds on sponges in coral reefs.
Leatherback
Largest sea turtle, lacks hard shell, migratory species feeding on jellyfish, survives cold and warm ocean waters.
Loggerhead
Strong-jawed sea turtle with reddish-brown shell, primarily eats crustaceans, common in subtropical and temperate oceans.
Olive Ridley
Small sea turtle, olive-colored shell, known for mass nesting behavior called arribada on tropical beaches worldwide.
Kemp Ridley
Smallest sea turtle, critically endangered, greenish-gray shell, nests mainly along Mexico’s Gulf coast and US Gulf beaches.
Flatback
Medium-sized sea turtle, flat dome-shaped shell, native to northern Australian waters, prefers shallow coastal habitats.
Box
Freshwater turtle with domed shell, hinged lower shell allowing full closure, found in North American wetlands.
Painted
Freshwater turtle with colorful markings on shell and skin, inhabits ponds, rivers, and marshes in North America.
Red-eared
Freshwater turtle with red stripe behind eyes, commonly kept as pet, native to southern United States.
Yellow-belly
Freshwater turtle with yellow plastron, semi-aquatic, found in southern United States ponds and slow rivers.
Map
Freshwater turtle with carapace resembling map-like patterns, lives in rivers, lakes, and ponds.
Snapper
Medium to large freshwater turtle with strong jaws, aggressive nature, mostly aquatic in rivers and lakes.
Alligator Snapper
Large freshwater turtle with ridged shell and strong beak, primarily inhabits rivers and lakes in southeastern United States.
Musk
Small freshwater turtle emitting strong odor when threatened, inhabits slow-moving waters and marshy areas.
Mud
Small aquatic turtle living in muddy ponds and streams, omnivorous and capable of burrowing.
Softshell
Aquatic turtle with flexible leathery shell, long neck, fast swimmer, mostly lives in rivers and sandy areas.
Spiny Soft
Softshell turtle with spiny edges, fast aquatic movement, carnivorous diet feeding on fish and invertebrates.
Indian Soft
Softshell turtle native to South Asia, aquatic, carnivorous, prefers sandy riverbeds and slow-moving waters.
Asian Box
Freshwater turtle with domed hinged shell, found in Southeast Asian ponds, rivers, and marshes.
Common Turtles with Names and Types in English with Pictures
Popular Turtles and Name in English
- African Side
- Australian Side
- Amazon
- Mata Mata
- Pig-nose
- Terrapin
- Wood
- Spotted
- Blanding
- Reeves
- Chinese Pond
- Mississippi Map
- Northern Map
- False Map
- African Helmet
- Leopard
- Sulcata
- Russian
- Greek
- Hermann
Popular Turtles with Names and Types with Pictures
African Side
Freshwater turtle with long neck, retracts head sideways, inhabits rivers and wetlands across Africa.
Australian Side
Freshwater turtle with lateral neck retraction, found in Australia’s rivers and swamps, mostly carnivorous diet.
Amazon
Large freshwater turtle inhabiting Amazon River, primarily herbivorous, known for unique nesting and seasonal movements.
Mata Mata
Exotic freshwater turtle with flattened shell and camouflaged appearance, native to South American rivers.
Pig-nose
Aquatic turtle with fleshy snout resembling pig, native to Northern Australia and New Guinea rivers.
Terrapin
Small freshwater turtle living in brackish water, commonly found in North American coastal marshes.
Wood
Freshwater turtle with moderately domed shell, inhabits rivers, streams, and forested wetlands in North America.
Spotted
Small freshwater turtle with spotted shell, semi-aquatic, prefers clean ponds, rivers, and slow waters.
Blanding
Medium-sized freshwater turtle with yellow throat and domed shell, inhabits wetlands and marshes in North America.
Reeves
Small freshwater turtle with dark carapace and long tail, native to East Asia ponds and rivers.
Chinese Pond
Freshwater turtle commonly kept as pet, inhabits slow-moving rivers and ponds, omnivorous diet, native to China.
Mississippi Map
Medium freshwater turtle with map-like markings, native to Mississippi rivers, semi-aquatic, omnivorous diet.
Northern Map
Freshwater turtle with distinctive map-like shell patterns, inhabits lakes and rivers in northern United States.
False Map
Medium turtle resembling map turtle, lives in rivers and lakes, feeds on insects, fish, and plants.
African Helmet
Freshwater turtle with domed, helmet-like shell, native to African rivers, prefers semi-aquatic habitats.
Leopard
Medium-sized tortoise with spotted shell pattern, lives in arid regions of Africa, primarily herbivorous diet.
Sulcata
Large African tortoise, sandy color, thrives in deserts, primarily herbivorous, popular in captivity worldwide.
Russian
Small tortoise from Russia and Central Asia, hardy, survives cold climates, mainly herbivorous.
Greek
Small Mediterranean tortoise, dome-shaped shell, herbivorous, popular as pet, adapted to dry rocky habitats.
Hermann
Mediterranean tortoise, small size, domed shell, herbivorous, inhabits dry grasslands and rocky areas.
Popular Turtles with Names and Types with Pictures
Turtles Species with names in English
- Galápagos
- Aldabra
- Pancake
- Burmese Star
- Indian Star
- Egyptian
- Marginated
- Red-foot
- Yellow-foot
- Elongated
- Asian Giant
- Western Pond
- Eastern Painted
- Midland
- Southern Painted
- Chicken
- Peninsula Cooter
- River Cooter
- Florida Soft
- Smooth Soft
Different Turtles Species with Names and Types in English with pictures
Galápagos
Giant tortoise from Galápagos Islands, extremely long-lived, large dome-shaped shell, primarily herbivorous, iconic conservation species.
Aldabra
Giant tortoise from Aldabra Atoll, massive shell, herbivorous, extremely long lifespan, native to Seychelles islands.
Pancake
Flat, flexible tortoise from Africa, easily hides under rocks, herbivorous, adapted to dry and rocky habitats.
Burmese Star
Medium tortoise with star-patterned domed shell, native to Burma, herbivorous, popular as ornamental pet.
Indian Star
Tortoise with domed star-patterned shell, native to India, herbivorous, adapted to arid and semi-arid regions.
Egyptian
Small tortoise with domed shell, native to Egypt, herbivorous, thrives in arid desert habitats.
Marginated
Large Mediterranean tortoise with flared shell edge, herbivorous, adapted to rocky slopes and grasslands.
Red-foot
Tortoise with reddish limbs, herbivorous, native to South America, prefers humid forests and savannah regions.
Yellow-foot
Tortoise with yellow limbs, herbivorous, native to South America, lives in tropical forests and grassy areas.
Elongated
Tortoise with elongated oval-shaped shell, herbivorous, native to Southeast Asia, adapted to forested and semi-arid habitats.
Asian Giant
Massive tortoise species from Asia, herbivorous, long-lived, thrives in tropical forest and grassland environments.
Western Pond
Freshwater turtle inhabiting western US ponds and rivers, semi-aquatic, omnivorous diet including insects and plants.
Eastern Painted
Freshwater turtle with colorful markings on shell and limbs, found in eastern North American wetlands.
Midland
Freshwater painted turtle, smaller size, inhabits central North American ponds and rivers, omnivorous diet.
Southern Painted
Painted turtle variant in southern US, brightly marked shell, semi-aquatic, feeds on plants, insects, and small fish.
Chicken
Small freshwater turtle native to southeastern US, semi-aquatic, omnivorous, inhabits ponds and swamps.
Peninsula Cooter
Medium aquatic turtle from Florida, fast swimmer, omnivorous, inhabits rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
River Cooter
Freshwater turtle native to southeastern US rivers, omnivorous, fast swimmer, prefers sunny basking spots.
Florida Soft
Softshell freshwater turtle native to Florida rivers and lakes, carnivorous, fast aquatic movement, leathery flexible shell.
Smooth Soft
Freshwater softshell turtle with smooth flexible shell, carnivorous diet, inhabits rivers, lakes, and sandy bottom habitats.
Different Turtles Species with Names and Types in English with pictures
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