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Pseudemys
''Pseudemys'' is a genus of large, herbivorous, freshwater turtles of the eastern United States and adjacent northeast Mexico. They are often referred to as cooters, which stems from ''kuta'', the word for turtle in the Bambara and Malinké languages, brought to America by enslaved people from Africa. Etymology The generic name ''Pseudemys'' is derived from the Greek words, ''pseudes'' meaning false or misleading, and ''emydos'' a freshwater turtle, implying a resemblance to, but not included in the genus ''Emys''.Seidel, Michael and Carl H. Ernst. 1996. Pseudemys'' Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptile. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 625: 1-7 pp. The trivial names, or specific epithets, of five of the species are toponyms, named for places where the species were first discovered including, the Florida peninsular (''P. peninsularis''),Seidel, Michael and Carl H. Ernst. 1998. Pseudemys peninsularis'' Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptile. Society ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
River Cooter
The river cooter (''Pseudemys concinna'') is a species of freshwater turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is native to the central and eastern United States, but has been introduced into parts of California, Washington, and British Columbia. Geographic range ''P. concinna'' is found from Virginia south to central Georgia, west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and north to southern Indiana. Habitat ''P. concinna'' is usually found in rivers with moderate current, as well as lakes and tidal marshes. Subspecies There are two subspecies which are recognized as being valid. *''Pseudemys concinna concinna'' – eastern river cooter *''Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis'' – Suwannee cooter – sometimes regarded as a separate species, ''P. suwanniensis'' ''Nota bene'': A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Pseudemys''. The coastal plain cooter or Florida cooter (''P. floridana'') was former ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Florida Red-bellied Cooter
The Florida red-bellied cooter or Florida redbelly turtle (''Pseudemys nelsoni)'' is a species of turtle in the family Emydidae. Etymology The specific name, ''nelsoni'', is in honor of American biologist George Nelson (born 1873). Geographic range ''P. nelsoni'' is native to Florida, and southern Georgia. Fossils of ''P. nelsoni'' have also been found along the coast of South Carolina from the Pleistocene Epoch, indicating that the historic range of this species used to extend farther north. Today, its northern counterpart, the Northern Red-bellied Cooter (''Psuedemys rubriventris'') occupies this region. Biology The Florida red-bellied cooter is mainly herbivorous, and can be found in nearly any type of aquatic habitat. It feeds on a variety of aquatic plants including waterweed (''Vallisneria'' and ''Elodea''), duckweed (''Lemna'' and ''Wolffia''), and arrowhead (''Sagittaria'') species. It has been documented consuming algae as well. Juveniles tend to primarily consume sma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Texas River Cooter
The Texas river cooter (''Pseudemys texana'') is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to the U.S. state of Texas. It is found in the river basins of the Brazos, San Bernard, Colorado, Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, and their tributaries. It is one of three species of cooters ('' Pseudemys'') occurring in Texas, including the Rio Grande cooter ('' Pseudemys gorzugi'') and the river cooter ('' Pseudemys concinna'').Dixon, James R. (2013). Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas: with Keys, Taxonomic Synopses, Bibliography, and Distribution Maps. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas. viii, 447 pp. Description The Texas river cooter is a relatively large turtle, capable of growing to a shell length of 12+ inches (30.5 cm). They are green in color, with yellow and black markings that fade with age. Males can be distinguished from females by their longer tails, longer claws, and overall smaller size. Taxonomy The Texas cooter was once reclassified to a subspecie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coastal Plain Cooter
The coastal plain cooter (''Pseudemys floridana'') or Florida cooter is a species of large herbivorous freshwater turtle in the genus ''Pseudemys''. Biology The species is found within the southeastern coastal plain of the United States, from extreme southeastern Virginia southward through all of Florida and westward to the vicinity of Mobile Bay, Alabama. The nominate race (''P. f. floridana'') occupies most of the species' geographic range but is replaced in the Florida peninsula by the peninsula cooter (''Pseudemys peninsularis''), which is primarily distinguished by differences in head markings. Both races can be distinguished from sympatric ''Pseudemys'' species by the immaculate yellow color of their plastrons and the lack of a U-shaped cusp in the upper jaw (characteristic of the Florida redbelly turtle). The carapace length of the size ranges from typically and the normal weigh is (in the slightly larger females) . The record sized female measured in carapace length. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Red-bellied Cooter
The northern red-bellied turtle (''Pseudemys rubriventris'') or American red-bellied turtle is a species of turtle in the '' Pseudemys'' (cooter) genus of the family Emydidae. Description This is a fairly large river turtle. Females average about in length and weigh on average around , although large females can measure up to . Males' maximum size is . The northern red-bellied turtle is the largest recorded basking turtle in the Chesapeake Bay region. Distribution and habitat It is endemic to the United States. The current range of the red-bellied turtle includes a population in Massachusetts, the Plymouth red-bellied turtle, which was previously considered a distinct subspecies (''Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi'') as well as the coastal areas of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. The red-bellied turtle has appeared on Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission lists of endangered amphibians and reptiles since 1978 (McCoy 1985). By 1985 the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rio Grande Cooter
The Rio Grande cooter (''Pseudemys gorzugi)'' is a species of turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is native to northeastern Mexico and the adjacent southwestern United States. Geographic range The Rio Grande cooter is found in the Rio Grande drainage of Mexico ( Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas), New Mexico, and Texas. Habitat The preferred natural habitat of ''P. gorzugi'' is freshwater wetlands, at altitudes of . Etymology The specific name, ''gorzugi'', is in honor of George R. Zug, the Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles at the National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. With 4.4 .... Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peninsula Cooter
The peninsula cooter (''Pseudemys peninsularis'') is a species of freshwater turtle in the genus '' Pseudemys''. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the coastal plain cooter (''P. floridana'') when that turtle is not itself considered a subspecies of the river cooter (''P. concinna''). Description The peninsula cooter is an average sized member of the family Emydidae, typically reaching carapace lengths of 9-13 in (23–33 cm) and weights of 5-15 lbs (2.27-6.8 kg). However, they are capable of surpassing 16” (40.64 cm) and 35 pounds (15.876 kg). Peninsula cooters can be distinguished from the Florida red-bellied cooter ('' Pseudemys nelsoni'') by their lack of a reddish plastron The turtle shell is a shield for the ventral and dorsal parts of turtles (the Order (biology), order Testudines), completely enclosing all the turtle's vital organs and in some cases even the head. It is constructed of modified bony elements such ... and the pres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alabama Red-bellied Cooter
The Alabama red-bellied cooter (''Pseudemys alabamensis'') or Alabama red-bellied turtle, is native to Alabama. It belongs to the turtle family Emydidae, the pond turtles. It is the official reptile of the state of Alabama. Life history The red-belly inhabits the fresh to brackish waters of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta in Mobile and Baldwin counties. It feeds on aquatic vegetation and can be found sunning itself on logs. Nesting of the red-bellied turtle occurs from May through July. Female turtles lay their eggs on dry land, digging nests in sandy soil, where 4 to 9 eggs are laid. Hatchlings usually emerge during the summer. When the turtles nest in late July, hatchlings may overwinter in the nest and emerge the following spring. A mature female can be , while a mature male can be . Location As of June 2009 the turtle has been seen in the central part of Alabama, in the Elmore County region. This turtle has also been found in south-eastern Mississippi, in Harrison and J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
