Pseudemys texana
Encyclopedia
The Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana) 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 River
s. It is one of two species of cooter native to the state, the other being the Eastern River Cooter.
in color, with yellow
and black
markings that fade with age. Males can be distinguished from females by their longer tail
s, longer claw
s, and overall smaller size.
of the Eastern Cooter, Pseudemys concinna, but was given full species status in 1991.
(Trachemys scripta elegans) shares its range and habits, but can easily be distinguished from the Texas Cooter by red patches on either side of its head. Various species of map turtle can also look much like juvenile Texas Cooters.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
native to creeks, rivers, and lakes of the US state
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. They are found in the river basins of the Colorado
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
, Brazos
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
, Guadalupe
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...
, and San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...
s. It is one of two species of cooter native to the state, the other being the Eastern River Cooter.
Description
The Texas River Cooter is a relatively large turtle, capable of growing to a shell length of 12+ inches (30.5 cm). They are greenGreen
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
in color, with yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
and black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
markings that fade with age. Males can be distinguished from females by their longer tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
s, longer claw
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
s, and overall smaller size.
Taxonomy
The Texas Cooter was once reclassified to a subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Eastern Cooter, Pseudemys concinna, but was given full species status in 1991.
Similar species
The Red-eared sliderRed-eared slider
The red-eared slider is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and also popular in the rest of the world...
(Trachemys scripta elegans) shares its range and habits, but can easily be distinguished from the Texas Cooter by red patches on either side of its head. Various species of map turtle can also look much like juvenile Texas Cooters.