No confirmed photo of Green Sea Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
California Turtles: Identification Guide With Pictures
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
This page lists 12 turtles: all from CWHR Program's Complete List of Amphibian, Reptile, Bird and Mammal Species in California. 4 are nonnative.
All 12 turtles
From A to Z.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
- Size
- Adults 5 to 6 feet long, 750 to 1,000 pounds (NOAA). Texas Parks and Wildlife cites weights up to 1,300 lb and shells up to 8 feet.
- How to recognize it
- The only sea turtle that lacks scales and a hard shell.
- Front flippers proportionally longer than in other sea turtles; rear flippers paddle-shaped.
- Usually a pink spot on top of the head that can identify individuals.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Caretta caretta
- Size
- Adults 2.5 to 3.5 feet long and 200 to 350 pounds (NOAA). NCWRC gives 31 to 45 inches shell length and 170 to 350 pounds; SCDNR says adults can weigh as much as 300 pounds and reach up to four feet in shell length.
- How to recognize it
- Very large head with powerful jaws.
- Slightly heart-shaped top shell.
- Two pairs of scales (prefrontal scutes) between the eyes above the nostrils; two claws on each flipper.
Mohave Desert Tortoise
Gopherus agassizii
- Size
- Shell 8 to 15 inches long and 4 to 6 inches high; adults weigh 8 to 15 pounds.
- How to recognize it
- Short tail, flattened front legs for digging, elephant-like hind legs and a high-domed shell
- Males have throat shields on the underside that extend out beneath the throat
No confirmed photo of Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
Lepidochelys olivacea
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Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
- Size
- Small: adult shell usually 4 to 7 inches, up to about 10 inches; females are larger than males.
- How to recognize it
- Smooth, fairly flat shell with no keel and a smooth (not saw-toothed) rear edge
- Red markings on the marginal shell plates
- Yellow spot behind each eye and yellow stripes on the chin
No confirmed photo of Pond Slider
Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
- Size
- Upper shell usually 8 to 14 inches, occasionally to nearly 20; usually 10 to 35 lb, occasionally to 75 lb in the wild.
- How to recognize it
- Large head, long tail
- Saw-toothed scales on the long tail
- Small, cross-shaped lower shell
Sonora Mud Turtle
Kinosternon sonoriense
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Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera
Western Pond Turtle
Actinemys marmorata
Turtles people confuse
Loggerhead sea turtle or Leatherback sea turtle?
Loggerhead sea turtle Not stated
Leatherback sea turtle Not stated
Adult leatherbacks differ from all other sea turtles, including the loggerhead, in their large size, spindle-shaped body and leathery shell without scales.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When turtles are active in California
Records of turtles in California peak in March to July. They show when people record turtles, not how many there are (about month bars).
How to report
Wildlife conflicts: CDFW Wildlife Incident Reporting (WIR) system https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir, emergencies 9-1-1. Invasive animal sightings: CDFW Invasive Species Program (866) 440-9530 or [email protected]; invasive insects/spiders/terrestrial invertebrates: California Department of Food and Agriculture 1-800-491-1899. California Department of Fish and Wildlife
About this list
The species list comes from Complete List of Amphibian, Reptile, Bird and Mammal Species in California (California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CWHR Program), 2016-05).
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
"Nonnative" and "Invasive" follow the wording of the source list. See invasive species in California.
Sources
- Human-Wildlife Conflicts Toolkit. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
- Complete List of Amphibian, Reptile, Bird and Mammal Species in California. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CWHR Program). 2016-05 (document dated "May, 2016"; checked November 3, 2026.
- Report an Invasive Species Sighting. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Invasive Species Program). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“To report a sighting of a known, or suspected invasive species of an animal (mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, aquatic invertebrate) or marine plant, complete and submit the Suspect Invasive Species Sighting Report form below or contact us at (866) 440-9530. / For a known invasive plant, terrestrial invertebrate (worm, beetle, spider, bug, bee, fly, ant, snail, etc.) or plant/tree disease, or one that you suspect may be new to your area of California, contact the California Department of Food and Agriculture at 1-800-491-1899. / [ca-cdfw-hwc] Wildlife Incident Reporting (WIR) System For Emergencies, call 9-1-1”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.