Identification Florida Water Turtles
Apart from box turtles which spend less time in the water all other freshwater turtles spend most of their time in water.
Identification florida water turtles. As the name implies mud turtles prefer to stay in water bodies. Florida s common water turtles. It is the only species of a softshell turtle whose range spans the entire florida peninsula. These turtles are generally aquatic or semi aquatic and spend most of their time in aquatic environments.
Contact us and we will be glad to help you identify the turtle. Florida counts thirteen species listed below. More than 30 species of turtle call florida home and while the majority are primarily aquatic a handful go about their business mostly on land. Fans of florida turtles need not fret.
Florida is home to 34 turtle species. There are thirteen families in the order and more than 356 species therefore freshwater turtles are reptiles like snakes and lizards. However it is not often found in water with strong currents preferring habitats with slow moving or still water. Some such as the japanese pond turtle can spend months at the bottom of a pond or stream.
Checklist of florida turtles click on thumbnails for a larger view apalone ferox schneider 1783 florida softshell. Several varieties of box turtle as well as the gopher tortoise. These slow moving long lived reptiles face major challenges in the sunshine state from collection for the pet trade road mortality and. In this article i am going to take a closer look at each species and cover a few basic things about them things like the appearance lifespan how big it can get diet where it lives conservation status and reproduction.
These different habitats include swamps lakes marshes wet prairies small rivers. The florida softshell turtle is a widespread species and occupies almost every freshwater habitat even tolerating some brackish environments. Florida softshell turtle apalone ferox is a species of softshell turtle found primarily in the state of florida but it also ranges to southern sections of south carolina georgia alabama tennessee and texas. Florida water turtles most people associate florida turtles with the family emydidae the fresh water turtles.
Remaining number with state bridge inframarginal scute number 4 2 3 1 bridge inguinal scutes developed absent 1 poorly 1 well 1 bridge width 1 2 or more of abdominal shield 1. Most of these species can be spotted in river and other wetland areas in the panhandle and the northern areas of the state. Turtles are classified as members of kingdom animalia phylum chordata class reptilia and order testudines.
