The Mississippi map turtle (''Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni'') is a
subspecies of land and water turtle belonging to the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Emydidae. ''G. p. kohni'' is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found 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 found else ...
to the central
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
Etymology
The Mississippi map turtle derives its common name not from the state of
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, but rather from the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
.
The
specific name, ''kohni'', is in honor of amateur
naturalist Joseph Gustave Kohn (1837–1906) of
,
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
, who collected the
type specimen
In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes th ...
.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Graptemys kohni'', p. 145).]
Geographic range
''Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni'' is found along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, from
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
and
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
southward.
Description
Their grey shells are covered in yellow lines resembling contour lines.
Captivity
The Mississippi map turtle is a popular
pet
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...
for
aquarists
Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture.
Origins of fishkeeping
Fish have ...
and is very enjoyable to watch.
References
Further reading
*
Conant R (1975). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition.'' Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + 48 plates. (hardback), (paperback). (''Graptemys kohni'', pp. 56–57 + Plates 5, 8 + Map 19).
*
Powell R, Conant R,
Collins JT (2016). ''Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition''. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 Plates, 207 Figures. . (''Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii'', pp. 208–209, Figure 93 + Plates 16, 21).
*
Smith HM; Brodie ED Jr (1982). ''Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification.'' New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. (paperback). (''Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni'', pp. 50–51.)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3499511
Graptemys
Turtles of North America
Reptiles of the United States
Reptiles described in 1890
Taxa named by Georg Baur