Eastern Mud Turtle

Range

Ranges along the east coast from Long Island to south Florida, and throughout the southeastern states from Florida to central Texas, with an extension of range stretching north to southwestern Indiana.

Habitats

Found in and around rivers, lakes, ponds, and swamps with heavy vegetation. They prefer sandy or muddy areas around spring-fed water sources.

Identification

A small turtle with a smooth, rounded, patternless carapace, a pointed snout with a hooked upper mandible, and a double-hinged plastron. It averages 3-4 inches in length, and its carapace is more drastically sloped at the front of its body, giving it a pear shape when viewed from the side. It can have streaking or mottling on its throat and neck, but the rest of its skin is dark grey and unmarked. Its plastron is yellow with brown striations, and its feet are webbed. It has a large head in comparison to its body size.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians