# 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. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Coastal Plain Cooter](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Painted_turtle_f1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ryan Somma https://www.flickr.com/photos/ideonexus/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Painted_turtle_f1.jpg) ## Appearance 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Testudines - **Order:** Testudines - **Family:** Emydidae - **Genus:** Pseudemys ## Interesting facts - 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. ## Special abilities - **Solar Powered:** Coastal Plain Cooter can warm its body because it basks in the sun, which helps it digest food and stay active. - **Clear Vision:** Coastal Plain Cooter has excellent underwater vision that helps it spot plants and predators while submerged in murky water. - **Tough Chompers:** Coastal Plain Cooter can chew tough plants because it has strong, ridged jaws, helping it grind up fibrous vegetation. - **Armored Shell:** Coastal Plain Cooter has a hard, domed shell that helps protect it from many predators, keeping it safe from danger. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-43 cm - **Weight:** 2.5-6 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-40 years - **Speed:** 10 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 10 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 10-25 - **Incubation:** 70-100 days - **Maximum Depth:** 3 m ## Diet & Feeding Mainly eats various aquatic plants, making it an important herbivore in its watery home. - **Age differences:** Young cooters are more omnivorous, eating insects and small invertebrates, gradually shifting to an almost entirely plant-based diet as they mature. - **Primary Foods:** Aquatic plants, Algae, Duckweed, Fallen fruits, Aquatic insects (juveniles) - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hydrilla) (*Hydrilla verticillata*) — A primary aquatic plant food source for adult cooters. - **Eats:** [Red Maple](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-maple) (*Acer rubrum*) — Fallen fruits or leaves from trees near water provide food. - **Eaten by:** [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) — Hatchlings and juveniles can be prey for wading birds. ## Traits - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Armored](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/armored): Armored describes animals protected by a hard, external covering or shell for defense. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Never try to pick up a wild turtle; it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Coastal Plain Cooter? Compare shell shape, shell markings, head stripes and the shape of the feet. Wear, age and algae can hide shell patterns. Turtle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Coastal Plain Cooter? 25-43 cm ### How much does Coastal Plain Cooter weigh? 2.5-6 kg ### How long does Coastal Plain Cooter live? 20-40 years ### How fast can Coastal Plain Cooter move? 10 km/h ### What does Coastal Plain Cooter eat? Mainly eats various aquatic plants, making it an important herbivore in its watery home. ### How fast can Coastal Plain Cooter swim? 10 km/h ### Where is Coastal Plain Cooter usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Gulf Breeze Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gulf-breeze-zoo) — Florida, US · Zoo ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Coastal Plain Cooter: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coastal-plain-cooter)