Pseudemys

Pseudemys is a genus of large, herbivorous, freshwater turtles of the eastern United States. They are often referred to as cooters, which stems from kuta, the word for turtle in the Bambara and Malinké languages, brought to America by African slaves.^[2]

Description

The genus Pseudemys comprises approximately seven species, although the validity of some taxa remains in question. Members of this genus are among the largest of the Emydidae, with carapace lengths reaching 17.3 in (44 cm) and weighing up to 22 lbs (10 kg). All are aquatic, spending the majority of their time in lakes, rivers, and ponds where they can easily be seen basking on rocks and logs in sunny weather.

Species

• Pseudemys alabamensis – Alabama red-bellied cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys concinna – River cooter^[1]
  • Pseudemys concinna concinna – Eastern river cooter^[1]
  • Pseudemys concinna floridana – Coastal plain cooter^[1] or Florida cooter
  • Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis – Suwannee cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys gorzugi – Rio Grande cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys nelsoni – Florida red-bellied cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys peninsularis – Peninsula cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys rubriventris – Northern red-bellied cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys texana – Texas river cooter^[1]

References

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; Paul van Dijk, Peter; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status". Archived from the original on 2010-12-15. http://www.webcitation.org/5uzfktoIh. 

External links

• University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
• EMYSystem Genus page