Reptiles of North Carolina
Home Page
Recent Entries
Recent Account Updates
General Search
Submit a Record
References
Maps
Checklist
Comment
NC Biodiversity Project
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ALLIGATORIDAE
ANGUIDAE
ANOLIDAE
CHELONIIDAE
CHELYDRIDAE
COLUBRIDAE
DERMOCHELYIDAE
ELAPIDAE
EMYDIDAE
GEKKONIDAE
KINOSTERNIDAE
MISCELLANEOUS
PHRYNOSOMATIDAE
SCINCIDAE
TEIIDAE
TRIONYCHIDAE
VIPERIDAE
«
Home
»
Emydidae Members:
Chrysemys picta
Chrysemys picta picta
Clemmys guttata
Deirochelys reticularia
Glyptemys muhlenbergii
Graptemys geographica
Graptemys pseudogeographica
Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii
Malaclemys terrapin
Pseudemys concinna
Pseudemys concinna concinna
Pseudemys concinna floridana
Pseudemys rubriventris
Terrapene carolina
Trachemys scripta
Trachemys scripta elegans
Trachemys scripta scripta
Trachemys scripta troostii
NC
Records
Pseudemys concinna floridana
- Coastal Plain Cooter
Photo: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin
Taxonomy
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Testudines
Family:
Emydidae
Subfamily:
Deirochelyinae
Taxonomic Comments:
Species Comments:
Identification
Basis for Records:
Well-marked specimens from the Coastal Plain may be identifiable from their shell markings, which need to be clearly visible in a photograph submitted as the basis for a record. Photographs of the plastron can be helpful. Older individuals become darkened and the pattern may become obscured and specimens from the zone of intergradation may not be identifiable even based on close inspection. In those cases, the record should be submitted for the full species.
Field Marks:
The pattern on the carapace lacks the concentric markings found in subspecies
concinna
(Palmer and Braswell, 1995) and the 2nd pleural has a vertical or forked pale line instead of a C-shaped mark tyical of
concinna
. The plastron in
floridana
is plain yellow, whereas in
concinna
it is yellow to orange and frequently has a dark figure. There are typically less than 11 head stripes in
floridana
and more than that number in
concinna
.
Morphological Features:
The carapace in
floridana
is elongated and slightly arched, compared to flattened in
concinna
(Palmer and Braswell, 1995)
Technical Reference:
Palmer and Braswell (1995); Ernst and Lovich (2009)
Online Photos:
Google
iNaturalist
GBIF
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map:
Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Key Habitat Requirements
Habitat:
This subspecies, known as the Florida Cooter, inhabits ponds, swamps, slow-flowing creeks, canals, and other sluggish water habitats, usually with abundant aquatic vegetation upon which it feeds (Palmer and Braswell, 1995).
Life History and Autecology
General Ecology
Adverse Environmental Impacts
Status in North Carolina
Photo Gallery for
Pseudemys concinna floridana
- Coastal Plain Cooter
1 photos are shown.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin
Washington Co.
Comment:
»