Top 10 smallest turtles in the world

Turtles belong to the order of reptiles. There are at least 328 species. All of them are divided into marine and terrestrial, the latter can be land and freshwater.

The variety of turtle species is amazing. The largest can grow up to 2,5 m in length and weigh over 900 kg. Once upon a time, larger individuals also lived in Africa, Australia and America, but they died out after the appearance of man.

Scientists, studying the preserved skeletons, came to the conclusion that the Archelon sea turtle reached 4,5 m in length and weighed up to 2,2 tons. There are not only such giants, but also smaller species, they can fit in the palm of a person.

The smallest turtles in the world weigh only 124 g and do not grow more than 9,7 cm. You will learn more about them and other small species from our article, see their photos.

10 Atlantic Ridley

This species is considered the smallest of the sea turtles and also the fastest growing. An adult turtle can grow up to 77 cm and weigh up to 45 kg. They have a gray, green-tinted carapace that resembles a heart in shape, but the young are usually grey-black in color. Females are larger than males.

Atlantic Ridley chose, as a habitat, the Gulf of Mexico and Florida. Prefers shallow water. They feed on small marine animals, but if necessary, they will easily switch to plants and algae.

9. Far Eastern

A freshwater turtle that is especially common in Asia. In some countries it is eaten, so it is bred on farms. The length of the carapace Far Eastern tortoise no more than 20-25 cm, but occasionally there are individuals in which it grows up to 40 cm, the maximum weight is 4,5 kg.

She has a round shell, covered with soft greenish-gray skin, with small yellow spots visible on it. The limbs and head are also gray, slightly greenish.

It can be found in Japan, China, Vietnam, and in our country – in the Far East. The Far Eastern tortoise chooses fresh water bodies, lakes or rivers for life, and can live in rice fields. During the day it likes to bask on the shore, but in extreme heat it hides in wet sand or in water. If frightened, it will dig into the bottom silt.

Spends a lot of time in the water, swimming and diving. If you catch a turtle in nature, it will behave aggressively, bite, and its bites are very painful.

8. European marsh

Her full name is European marsh turtle, is freshwater. The length of her carapace is about 12-35 cm, the maximum weight is 1,5 kg. In adult turtles, the shell is dark olive or brown, in some it is almost black, it is covered with small yellow spots.

The skin of the turtle itself is dark, but there are many yellow spots on it. The eyes have an orange, yellow or reddish iris. As the name already implies, it can be found in Europe, as well as in Central Asia and the Caucasus, etc.

The European skull chooses swamps, lakes, ponds for life, avoiding fast-flowing rivers. She can swim and dive well, can stay underwater for a long time, but she usually comes up to the surface every 20 minutes.

If he notices the danger, hides in the water or buries himself in the silt, he can run away under the stones. Active during the day, likes to bask in the sun. Winters at the bottom of reservoirs, buried in silt.

7. red-eared

Belongs to the family of American freshwater turtles. Its other name isyellow-bellied“. It’s believed that Red-eared turtle medium size, carapace length – from 18 to 30 cm. males are slightly smaller than females.

In young specimens, the shell is bright green, but with age it darkens, becomes olive or brownish, it has patterns of yellow stripes.

Wavy stripes of white or green may be found on the limbs, neck and head. Near the eyes, she has 2 elongated red stripes, thanks to which she got her name.

Red-eared turtles can hiss, snort, and also squeak. They see perfectly, with a well-developed sense of smell, but they hear poorly. Chooses for life lakes, ponds with low, swampy shores. Likes to bask in the sun, very curious. Can live from 40 to 50 years.

6. Central Asian

Its other name is steppe turtle, which belongs to the land family. Now she is one of the most popular pets, which can live from 10 to 30 years and even longer.

Sexual maturity occurs at 10 years for the female and at 5-6 years for the male. As the name implies, it is found in Central Asia. She prefers clay and sandy deserts. It can grow up to 15-25 cm, males are slightly smaller. But most often their size is 12-18 cm.

In nature Central Asian tortoise eats gourds, shoots of perennial grasses, berries, fruits, desert plants. In captivity, they are also given plant foods.

5. Big-headed

Freshwater turtle, the length of the shell of which does not exceed 20 cm. It is called “big-headeddue to the size of the head, which is disproportionately large. Due to its size, it does not retract into the shell.

She has a movable neck and a very long tail. It is common in Vietnam, China, Thailand, etc., chooses transparent and fast streams, rivers with a rocky bottom for life.

During the day, the big-headed turtle prefers to lie in the sun or hide under stones, and at dusk it begins to hunt. She can swim quickly, deftly climbs rocky rapids and banks, and can also climb an inclined tree trunk. In Asia, they were eaten, so there their numbers have declined sharply.

4. painted

Its other name is decorated turtle. She received this name because of her attractive colors. Painted turtle – the most common species in North America, where they can be found in freshwater reservoirs.

The length of an adult female is from 10 to 25 cm, males are slightly smaller. She has black or olive skin, and has orange, yellow, and red stripes on her limbs. There are several subspecies of the painted turtle. In the early 1990s, this particular species was the second most popular turtle in the home.

Their number could be reduced, because. their habitat is being destroyed, many are dying on highways, but due to the fact that turtles easily get along next to people, it helped them to maintain their numbers.

They feed on insects, fish, and crustaceans. Due to their strong shell, they have almost no enemies, except for raccoons and alligators. But the eggs of these turtles are often eaten by snakes, rodents and dogs. In winter, the painted turtles sleep, burrowing into the silt at the bottom of the reservoirs.

3. Tuberous

Its other name is terrapin. This is a species of freshwater turtle that lives in the salt marshes of the United States, in the coastal region. tuberculate turtle gray, but may be with brown, white or yellow skin, covered with a gray or brown shell. Its diameter is 19 cm in a female and 13 cm in a male, but occasionally larger individuals are also found.

The body length is from 18 to 22 cm in females, and 13-14 cm in males. They weigh about 250-350 g. These turtles eat crabs, molluscs, small fish, occasionally pamper themselves with marsh vegetation.

Themselves suffer from attacks by raccoons, skunks and even crows. Locals also love their meat, so this species is bred on farms. Once they were the main food of European settlers, and in the 19th century they became a delicacy. In nature, they can live up to 40 years.

2. Musk

It belongs to the species of mud turtles. She has an oval carapace with 3 longitudinal undulating ridges. musk turtle it is called because it has special glands. In moments of danger, she begins to emit an unpleasant odor.

Americans often refer to them as stinkers, and try to handle them with care as they this fragrance is persistent, soaked into clothes, can last for several hours. In nature, they are found in North America, in freshwater bodies of water with a slow current. They grow up to 10-15 cm.

In winter they hibernate, in summer they like to bask in the sun, climbing snags and trees that have fallen into the water. They hunt at dusk or at night.

1. Cape speckled

Miniature record holders – cape speckled turtles, whose carapace size is 9 cm in males, and 10-11 cm in females. They are light beige in color with small black spots.

They are found in South Africa, in the semi-arid regions of the Cape Province. They feed on plants, mainly flowers, but can also eat leaves and stems.

Prefers rocky ground, in case of danger hides under stones and in narrow crevices. It is especially active in the mornings and evenings, but in rainy weather – until noon.