Chicken Turtle

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Chicken Turtle

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Deirochelys
Species:	D. reticularia

Binomial name

Deirochelys reticularia
(Latreille, 1801)

The Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia) is an uncommon freshwater turtle found in the southeast of the United States.

1 Description
2 Behavior
3 Lifespan
4 Range
5 Reproduction
6 Diet
7 Conservation status
8 Subspecies

[edit] Description

They are similar in appearance to the Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), but have an unusually long, striped neck with a yellow stripe on both the forelegs and rear legs. It has a distinguishable netlike pattern on its carapace. The carapace is pear-shaped, and is an olive to dark brown. Females are usually larger than the males, and males have a longer, thicker tail.

[edit] Behavior

Chicken turtles are regularly encountered on land, migrating between aquatic habitats or seeking areas to burrow into the soil and escape dry conditions. Males generally move farther than females. They spend much of their time basking. Chicken turtles hibernate in the soft mud and vegetation of bodies of water.

[edit] Lifespan

Wild chicken turtles have been recaptured up to 15 years old after their first capture. Some reached the maximum ages of 20 to 24 years.

[edit] Range

They live in shallow ponds and lakes, as well as ditches. They range from Florida to as far west as Texas. They are a basking turtle, and they can often be found wandering far from water. Chicken Turtle meat used to be popular in southern markets.

[edit] Reproduction

Males court female chicken turtles by vibrating the foreclaws against the female's face. Once the female is receptive, copulation occurs. Chicken turtles are different from most other North American turtles because they nest in either the fall and winter. In South Carolina there are two-egg laying seasons; from winter to early spring(february to may) and fall to early winter (August to November). Females excavate cylindrical nest on land in a variety of soil types, from sandy to heavy soils. Females lay 2 to 19 clutches of eggs.

[edit] Diet

Chicken Turtles are omnivorous, eating crayfish, fish, fruits, insects, invertebrates, frogs, and tadpoles as well as plants. Chicken turtles use their well-developed hyoid apparatus to create suction that pulls food items into their throat.

[edit] Conservation status

Chicken turtle populations are currently considered stable throughout their range, although they do face potential threats. Habitat destruction reduces suitable habitat for foraging, migration, and hibernation. Chicken turtle are sometimes killed on roads as they migrate between habitats. Hunting for food also impacts populations of chicken turtles.