Reptiles of North Carolina
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Emydidae Members:
NC Records

Pseudemys concinna concinna - Eastern River Cooter


Photo: Steve Hall
Photo: J. Mickey
Taxonomy
Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Family: Emydidae Subfamily: Deirochelyinae
Taxonomic Comments: See comments for the species
Species Comments: See comments for the species
Identification
Basis for Records: Well-marked specimens from the Piedmont 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 consists of concentric markings, with a C-shaped (opening to the rear) mark on the 2nd pleural scute (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). In P. c. floridana, the 2nd pleural has a vertical or forked pale line. The plastron in subspecies concinna is yellow to orange, and frequently has a dark figure. In subspecies floridana it is plain yellow. There are typically more than 11 head stripes in concinna and less than that number in floridana.
Morphological Features: The carapace in concinna is elongated and flattened, compared to slightly arched in floridana (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 River Cooter, inhabits well-insolated Piedmont rivers and large creeks, usually with rocks for basking and the aquatic vegetation it feeds upon (Palmer and Braswell, 1995; Beane et al., 2010).
Life History and Autecology
General Ecology
Adverse Environmental Impacts
Status in North Carolina

Photo Gallery for Pseudemys concinna concinna - Eastern River Cooter

8 photos are shown.

Recorded by: Abaigh Robinson
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Mickey
Iredell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: J. Mickey
Iredell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Joe Mickey
Wilkes Co.
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Recorded by: Joe Mickey
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: L. Osteen
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: J. Mickey
Stanly Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall
Orange Co.
Comment: