▁is ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁a ▁full ▁sub species ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁belong ▁in ▁syn onym y ▁under ▁Pse ude mys ▁rub ri vent ris ▁or ▁northern ▁red - bel lied ▁co oter . ▁Nevertheless , ▁it ▁is ▁well ▁recognized ▁that ▁the ▁P ly mouth ▁red - bel lied ▁t urt le ▁extends ▁the ▁range ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁red - bel lied ▁co oter ▁by ▁ 3 0 – 4 0 ▁percent . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁Mass aso it ▁National ▁Wild life ▁Ref uge ▁was ▁established ▁to ▁help ▁con serve ▁the ▁P ly mouth ▁red - bel lied ▁t urt le . ▁▁ ▁This ▁t urt le ▁gets ▁its ▁name ▁from ▁its ▁re dd ish ▁pl astr on ▁or ▁unders hell . ▁They ▁have ▁fl atten ed ▁or ▁slightly ▁con ca ve ▁verte br al ▁sc utes ▁with ▁a ▁red ▁bar ▁on ▁each ▁marg inal ▁sc ute . ▁Their ▁upper ▁shell ▁or ▁car ap ace ▁ranges ▁from ▁brown ▁to ▁black . ▁An ▁arrow - sh aped ▁stri pe ▁runs ▁at op ▁head , ▁between ▁the ▁eyes , ▁to ▁their ▁sn out . ▁Ad ult s ▁are ▁. ▁M ales ▁have ▁el ong ated , ▁straight ▁cla ws ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁feet . ▁ ▁It ▁lives ▁in ▁the ▁P ly mouth ▁Pin el ands ▁of ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁and ▁sp ends ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁time ▁in ▁fresh water ▁p onds . ▁In ▁spring ▁and ▁summer , ▁the ▁females ▁nest ▁in ▁sand ▁while ▁the ▁males ▁look ▁for ▁food . ▁Fem ales ▁lay