River Cooter

River Cooter
Pseudemys concinna (Chrysemys concinna)

Description: 5 3/4-16 3/8" (14.6-41.6 cm). Light C-shaped figure on 2nd costal scute. Carapace brown with cream-yellow markings, often in the form of concentric circles. Underside of each marginal scute has dark doughnut-shaped mark. Plastron yellow with a dark pattern (fades with age) that follows scute seams. An X-shaped design may be present on front lobe of plastron. Male has elongated claws on front feet.

Subspecies: Eastern River Cooter (P. c. concinna), see species description; throughout range except se. Georgia and ne. Florida.
Florida River Cooter (P. c. floridana), with numerous light head stripes, dark doughnut-shaped marks on lower surface of plastron; Atlantic coastal plain from se. Virginia to n. Florida, west to s. Alabama.
Some authorities recognize two additional subspecies:
Hieroglyphic River Cooter (P. c. hieroglyphica), with markings on plastron mainly along seams; Tennessee River basin, from se. Illinois to ne. Mississippi and nw. Georgia.
Missouri River Cooter (P. c. metteri), smaller, with dark pattern on plastron seams; se. Kansas and sw. Missouri south to Texas Gulf coast.

Breeding: Nests late May to July. Lays up to 19 oval, pinkish-white eggs, 1 1/2" (38 mm) long. Hatchlings emerge August to September, may overwinter in the nest.

Habitat: Streams and rivers with moderate currents; large lakes, spring runs, and occasionally brackish tidal marches.

Range: Coastal plain from Virginia to northern Florida, west to e. Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and north to s. Indiana.

Discussion: A gregarious basker, the River Cooter is often seen sunning with other turtle species, but it is quick to dive into the water when disturbed. The meat is favored locally in the South. One captive River Cooter lived more than 40 years. There are many variations of River Cooter, some of which have been classified as subspecies by some authorities. The Florida River Cooter was formerly considered the species Chrysemys floridana and has recently been separated from the Peninsula Cooter (P. peninsularis). The Suwannee Cooter (P. suwanniensis), of nw. peninsular Florida, and the Rio Grande Cooter (P. gorzugi), of southern and western Texas, were formerly considered subspecies of (P. concinna).

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• River
• Cooter
• Turtles
• Field
• Herping
• Kolby
• Long
• Alabama

[WildlifeCrazy25]

That was funny how he was opening his mouth at you. Lol. Huge turtle!!

[TheSnakeLibrary]

@WildlifeCrazy25 He was a cool one.

[herpindude2010]

THAT TURTLE IS HUGE!

[TheSnakeLibrary]

@MiahCrosby Thats my sister. The weather isnt to bad over here. We should be able to come up next weekend probley. We're prolly gonna go to the skatepark.