Pseudemys is a
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
of pond turtles also known as
Cooter Turtles, especially in the state of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
. (The word "cooter" may be used to refer to snapping turtles of the Chelydridae family elsewhere in the southeastern United States.) Cooter stems from
kuta, the word for turtle in the
BambaraBambara, also known as Bamanankan in the language itself , is a language spoken in Mali by as many as six million people . The differences between Bambara and Dioula are minimal. Dioula is a language spoken or understood by a lesser number of people in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and The Gambia...
and
MalinkéThe Malinké or Maninka are a part of Mandé in Africa.Approximately 15,000,000 Malinké are scattered throughout West Africa, including:*Guinea - 3.8 million*Mali - 3.1 million*Ivory Coast - 3.0 million*Senegal - 2.0 million*Gambia - 900,000...
languages, brought to America by
African slavesSlavery in the United States lasted as a legal institution until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865...
.
The river cooter is a fairly large turtle (up to 12 inches), yet much smaller than its closely related cousin, a Hartland which is often observed basking on rocks and logs along the banks or in rivers.
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Pseudemys is a
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
of pond turtles also known as
Cooter Turtles, especially in the state of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
. (The word "cooter" may be used to refer to snapping turtles of the Chelydridae family elsewhere in the southeastern United States.) Cooter stems from
kuta, the word for turtle in the
BambaraBambara, also known as Bamanankan in the language itself , is a language spoken in Mali by as many as six million people . The differences between Bambara and Dioula are minimal. Dioula is a language spoken or understood by a lesser number of people in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and The Gambia...
and
MalinkéThe Malinké or Maninka are a part of Mandé in Africa.Approximately 15,000,000 Malinké are scattered throughout West Africa, including:*Guinea - 3.8 million*Mali - 3.1 million*Ivory Coast - 3.0 million*Senegal - 2.0 million*Gambia - 900,000...
languages, brought to America by
African slavesSlavery in the United States lasted as a legal institution until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865...
.
Description
The river cooter is a fairly large turtle (up to 12 inches), yet much smaller than its closely related cousin, a Hartland which is often observed basking on rocks and logs along the banks or in rivers. The diet of both the river cooter and the Hartland are much the similar with the exception of hops localized in the rivers surrounding a Hartland. The larger cousin, a more nocturnal species, will often be found very active and rambunctious once the sun has set. The olive or brown carapace is slightly flared posteriorly and often highlighted with lighter markings. On the river cooter, a light, backward-facing C-shaped mark on the second scute on each side of the carapace can be used to distinguish it from the Florida cooter turtle. The underside of some marginals are marked by doughnut-shaped dark spots with light centers. The plastron and bridge have dark markings, particularly along the seams between scutes. The head and neck have numerous yellow "hairpin" stripes. The postorbital stripe is not as broad as in the slider turtle, with which it might be confused. Males have straight, elongated foreclaws. Female river cooters lay about 20 eggs in May to June. They can only lay eggs when adults.
Species
- Pseudemys alabamensis – Alabama Redbelly Turtle
- Pseudemys concinna
The Eastern River Cooter is a freshwater turtle native to the central and eastern United States, from Virginia south to mid-Georgia, west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and north to southern Indiana. They are usually found in rivers with moderate current, as well as lakes and tidal...
– Eastern River Cooter
- Pseudemys gorzugi – Rio Grande Cooter
- Pseudemys nelsoni – Florida Redbelly Turtle
- Pseudemys peninsularis – Peninsula Cooter
- Pseudemys rubriventris – American red-bellied Turtle
- Pseudemys suwanniensis – Suwannee River Cooter
- Pseudemys texana
The Texas River Cooter is a species of freshwater turtle native to creeks, rivers, and lakes of the US state of Texas. They are found in the river basins of the Colorado, Brazos, Guadalupe, and San Antonio Rivers...
– Texas River Cooter
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