The wood turtle, as stated belongs to the family Emydidae. The Genus Clemmys, (as of 1985) consisted of the wood turtle Clemmys insculpta, the bog turtle Clemmys muhlenbergi, the spotted turtle Clemmys guttata, and the pacific pond Turtle Clemmys marmorata. As 0f 2001, Mitochondrial DNA studies have now placed the wood and bog turtles in the genus: Glyptemys and the pacific pond turtle in the genus Actinemys. Only the spotted turtle remains in the now monotypic genus Clemmys. The spotted turtle and the bog turtle (although widely separated and rare) are also denizens of the northeast. The pacific pond turtle is the most aquatic member of this former group and resides along the Pacific coast.
An interesting example of parallel evolution or common ancestral trait exists between the wood turtle and the semi-box turtle Emydoidea blandingi , also known as the blanding turtle. The plastron of both species is amazingly similar. The pattern is a yellow-white background with black blotches on each of the scutes. Other studies indicate a close genetic relationship between the two (See 2003 update in Morphs and Ancestral Relationships). The semi- box turtle, a cold hardy species, also resides in the northeast; overlapping the range of the wood turtle. This turtle's range-like so many others- is slowly shrinking. At one time, it may well indeed have had the exact same range as the wood turtle.
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