Peninsular Cooter

Range

This specie can be found all through the Florida Peninsula.

Habitats

This specie inhabits floodplain swamps, basin marshes and sometimes tidal marshes. They generally occupy any body of freshwater found within its range. The female gender of this specie could lay about 3 clutches in a year. A clutch could comprise of 11 – 16 eggs. Their eggs are normally laid in May or June. These then hatch in the late summer or early fall. They are generally a solitary specie except during mating period. Their diet is made up of fish, insects, leaves, wood, bark or stems, fruit, and algae.

Identification

This specie possesses a moderately domed carapace. This carapace is about 250 – 400 mm in total length. It also has a plastron. This plastron measures about 240 – 350 mm. The carapace is usually dark accompanied with light yellow or orange parallel lines. When unhinged, the plastron has an unimpressive, nondescript pattern. This specie’s skin is dark, but it also has longitudinal yellow strips about its head. The offspring of this specie would have a mid-dorsal keel. They are also greener in colour. As the organism grows, this differs. Lastly, some of this specie doesn’t possess a notch in its upper jaw although other emydids would.

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