Coastal Plain Cooter

Pseudemys floridana

The Coastal Plain Cooter is a friendly turtle that loves to swim in warm waters. They have beautiful shells and can often be seen basking in the sun on logs or rocks.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Coastal Plain Cooter has an olive-brown to black shell with intricate yellow or orange markings. Its skin is dark with thin yellow stripes, and a distinctive 'C'-shaped mark is often seen on the second scute of its plastron.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseTestudinesOrdenTestudinesFamiliaEmydidaeGéneroPseudemys

Coastal Plain Cooter

Categoría

Reptiles

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Baby cooters are tiny, about the size of a quarter, when they first hatch from their eggs!

Their shells have special growth rings, like tree rings, that show how old they are!

They are called 'cooters' from the African word 'kuta,' meaning turtle.

When scared, young cooters hide by quickly diving underwater and burying themselves in mud.

Habilidades especiales

Coastal Plain Cooter can warm its body because it basks in the sun, which helps it digest food and stay active.

Coastal Plain Cooter has excellent underwater vision that helps it spot plants and predators while submerged in murky water.

Coastal Plain Cooter can chew tough plants because it has strong, ridged jaws, helping it grind up fibrous vegetation.

Coastal Plain Cooter has a hard, domed shell that helps protect it from many predators, keeping it safe from danger.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 25-43 cm
Peso: 2.5-6 kg
Esperanza de vida: 20-40 años
Top Speed: 10 km/h
Velocidad de nado: 10 km/h
Tamaño de la puesta: 10-25
Incubación: 70-100 días
Profundidad máxima: 3 m

Dieta y alimentación

Mainly eats various aquatic plants, making it an important herbivore in its watery home.

Diferencias por edad: Young cooters are more omnivorous, eating insects and small invertebrates, gradually shifting to an almost entirely plant-based diet as they mature.

Alimentos principales

Aquatic plants
Algae
Duckweed
Fallen fruits
Aquatic insects (juveniles)

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

Eggs and young turtles are prey for large alligators.

eats

Red Swamp Crayfish

Procambarus clarkii

Juveniles may opportunistically eat these common crustaceans.

eats

Hydrilla

Hydrilla verticillata

A primary aquatic plant food source for adult cooters.

eats

Red Maple

Acer rubrum

Fallen fruits or leaves from trees near water provide food.

eaten by

Great Egret

Ardea alba

Hatchlings and juveniles can be prey for wading birds.

Rasgos

Pies palmeados

Se caracteriza por tener los dedos conectados por una membrana, lo que generalmente ayuda a nadar.

Social

Los animales sociales viven en grupos organizados, cooperando para obtener beneficios de supervivencia como la búsqueda de alimento, la defensa y la cría de descendencia.

Colorido

Colorido describe a organismos u objetos que exhiben una amplia variedad de colores brillantes y distintivos.

Herbívoro

Este rasgo caracteriza a los organismos cuya dieta consiste total o principalmente en material vegetal.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.