# Map Turtles (*Graptemys*) Map turtles are special reptiles known for their beautiful, patterned shells that look like a map! They love to bask in the sun on logs and are great swimmers. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Map Turtles](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Graptemys_pseudogeographica.jpg&width=800) Photo: The original uploader was Dawson at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Graptemys_pseudogeographica.jpg) ## Appearance The Map Turtles has a unique shell with intricate, maze-like patterns, often green or brown, resembling contour lines on a map. Their keeled shell and serrated rear edge help them glide through water, making them visually distinct from many other freshwater turtles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Testudines - **Order:** Testudines - **Family:** Emydidae - **Genus:** Graptemys ## Interesting facts - Each Map Turtle has unique shell patterns, like a fingerprint, to tell them apart! - Female Map Turtles can grow much bigger than males, sometimes twice as long! - Map Turtles clean themselves by shedding scutes, the top layers of their shells! - They often dive under logs or rocks to hide from dangers really fast! ## Special abilities - **Riverbed Camouflage:** Map Turtles has intricate shell patterns that help them blend seamlessly with rocky riverbeds and submerged logs, making them hard to spot. - **Crushing Jaws:** Map Turtles can crush hard-shelled prey like snails and clams because of their strong jaws and broad heads, allowing them to access tough meals. - **Hydrodynamic Swimming:** Map Turtles can swiftly navigate strong river currents and evade predators because of their webbed feet and streamlined, keeled shells. - **Sensory Papillae:** Map Turtles has sensitive whisker-like structures that help them find food in murky water by detecting vibrations. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-33 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-3 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-30 years - **Speed:** 8 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 8 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-20 - **Incubation:** 60-80 days - **Maximum Depth:** 5 m ## Diet & Feeding Map Turtles eat a mix of snails, insects, fish, and some plants they find underwater. - **Age differences:** Young turtles eat more insects, while older, larger females specialize in snails and clams. - **Primary Foods:** snails, clams, aquatic insects, small fish, aquatic plants, algae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons often raid turtle nests for eggs. - **Eaten by:** [Osprey](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osprey) (*Pandion haliaetus*) — Ospreys can snatch young turtles from water. - **Eats:** Bladder Snail (*Physa acuta*) — Many map turtles use strong jaws to crush snails. - **Eats:** Virile Crayfish (*Orconectes virilis*) — Young map turtles feed on small crustaceans. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [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. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch from a distance and never try to touch wild turtles. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Map Turtles? 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 Map Turtles? 10-33 cm ### How much does Map Turtles weigh? 0.1-3 kg ### How long does Map Turtles live? 15-30 years ### How fast can Map Turtles move? 8 km/h ### What does Map Turtles eat? Map Turtles eat a mix of snails, insects, fish, and some plants they find underwater. ### How fast can Map Turtles swim? 8 km/h ### Where is Map Turtles usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Sara D. Roosevelt Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sara-d-roosevelt-park) — New York, US · Park ## 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: [Map Turtles: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/map-turtles)