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Turtle

Family: Chelydridae (Snapping Turtles)

Genera: Chelydra (Snapping Turtle) and Macrochelys (Alligator Snapping Turtle)

Common Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina serpentina
Aquatic. Large. Carapace rough. No supramarginal scutes. "Loggerheaded" with moderately hooked beak. Tail long and saw-toothed.  
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys temminckii
Rare. Aquatic. Large. Carapace very rough. 3-5 supramarginal scutes. "Loggerheaded" with strongly hooked beak. Tail long. Special Status

Family: Emydidae (Box and Water Turtles)

Genera: Chrysemys (Painted Turtles), Deirochelys (Chicken Turtle), Graptemys (Map Turtles), Pseudemys (Redbelly Turtles and Cooters), Terrapene (Box Turtles), and Trachemys (Sliders)

Southern Painted Turtle
Chrysemys dorsalis
Aquatic. Carapace somewhat flat and very smooth with an orange middorsal stripe. Plastron plain yellow. Special Status
Western Chicken Turtle
Deirochelys reticularia miaria
Rare. Aquatic. First vertebral scute in contact with 4 marginal scutes. Long, striped neck. Broad leg stripe. Striped "seat of pants". Special Status
Common Map Turtle
Graptemys geographica
Aquatic. Weak middorsal keel. Maplike pattern. Small, yellow spot behind eye. Special Status
Ouachita Map Turtle
Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis
Aquatic. Strong middorsal keel. Large yellow spot behind eye. Smaller yellow spot below eye and on lower jaw. Neck stripes reach eye. Special Status
Mississippi Map Turtle
Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii
Aquatic. Strong middorsal keel. Yellow crescent cuts off neck stripes from reaching eye. Small yellow spot on lower jaw. Special Status
Eastern River Cooter
Pseudemys concinna
Aquatic. Reticulated carapace with second scute forming a "C". Back margin of carapace serrate and flaring. Underside of marginal scutes usually with dark "doughnuts". Plastron plain yellow. Chin flat.  
Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina ssp.
Terrestrial. Carapace forms rounded dome and is typically plain brown (though sometimes with a radiating pattern). Plastron plain (though sometimes with dark marks outlining scutes). Hind foot with 3 (or 4) toes. Juveniles with prominent middorsal keel. Special Status
Subspecies: Eastern Box Turtle (T. c. carolina) Special Status and Three-toed Box Turtle (T. c. triunguis) Special Status
Ornate Box Turtle
Terrapene ornata ornata
Rare. Terrestrial. Carapace forms flattened dome with radiating pattern. Plastron marked boldly with reticulation of black and yellow. Hind foot with 4 toes. Juveniles with prominent middorsal keel. Special Status
Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Aquatic. Prominent red "ear" behind eye. Reticulated, greenish carapace with back margin somewhat serrate and flaring. Underside of marginal scutes plain. Plastron with usually one dark "doughnut" per scute.  

Family: Kinosternidae (Mud and Musk Turtles)

Genera: Kinosternon (Mud Turtles) and Sternotherus (Musk Turtles)

Mississippi Mud Turtle
Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis
Aquatic. Carapace large and domed. Plastron large and double-hinged with triangular pectoral scutes. Two light stripes on head. No barbels on chin.  
Razorback Musk Turtle
Sternotherus carinatus
Rare. Aquatic. Carapace large and "razorbacked". Plastron with single hinge and squarish pectoral scutes. Head speckled with black dots. Barbels on chin only.  
Common Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
Aquatic. Carapace with weak keel. Plastron with single hinge and squarish pectoral scutes. Two light stripes on head. Barbels on chin and neck.  

Family: Trionychidae (Softshells)

Genus: Apalone (Softshells)

Midland Smooth Softshell
Apalone mutica mutica
Aquatic. Pancake-shaped with long neck and snorkel nose. Carapace mostly without pattern and smooth. Front edge of carapace without bumps. Nostrils without ridge-like projections. Feet not strongly patterned.  
Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera ssp.
Aquatic. Pancake-shaped with long neck and snorkel nose. Carapace with pattern of dots and sandpaper-like texture. Front edge of carapace with bumps. Nostrils with ridge-like projections. Feet strongly patterned.  
Subspecies: Western Spiny Softshell (A. s. hartwegi), Pallid Spiny Softshell (A. s. pallida), and Eastern Spiny Softshell (A. s. spinifera)

~ Hypothetical Occurrence ~

Yellow Mud Turtle
Kinosternon flavescens
Aquatic. Carapace large and domed. Plastron double-hinged with triangular pectoral scutes. Throat yellow. 9th marginal scute higher than 8th.  
Page last modified on April 26, 2007, at 05:32 PM