The Mexican spotted wood turtle (''Rhinoclemmys rubida'') or Mexican spotted terrapin is a species of

turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

in the family

Geoemydidae The Geoemydidae (formerly known as Bataguridae) are one of the largest and most diverse families in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two in ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. It inhabits the Pacific slope of southern Mexico, from sea level to 1350 meters elevation. There are two recognized subspecies. ''R. rubida rubida'' ranges inhabits Oaxaca and Chiapas, and ''R. rubida perixantha'' inhabits Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, and Guerrero.

References

Rhinoclemmys Turtles of North America Endemic reptiles of Mexico Jalisco dry forests Fauna of the Southern Pacific dry forests Near threatened biota of Mexico Near threatened fauna of North America Reptiles described in 1869 Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Turtle-stub