The Peninsula Cooter is a species of freshwater turtle that is native to parts of the South-Eastern United States in places such as Florida.
This species is very popular in captivity due to their entertaining behaviour. They are also easy to care for in comparison to some other species of turtle.
Peninsula Cooter Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Peninsula Cooter belongs to is called Emydidae. This is a family that contains 10 different genera and almost 50 different species of turtle.
Some of the Asian Box Turtles were once classified as part of this family but have since been reclassified.
Genus
The genus that the Peninsula Cooter belongs to is called Pseudemys. This is a genus of large freshwater turtles that are native to the South-Eastern United states and North-Western Mexico.
The species in the Pseudemys genus are often referred to as Cooters. This name comes from an African word ‘kuta’, which means turtle and was used to describe the species by African slaves.
There are currently 7 recognised species in the genus. However, this has changed drastically over the years and will likely change again as sub-species have been either invalidated or upgraded to species level.
Some of the common species in the Pseudemys genus include the River Cooter and the Texas Cooter.
Species
The scientific name for the Peninsula Cooter is Pseudemys peninsularis and there are currently no recognised sub-species.
The species was once considered a sub-species of the Florida Cooter or Common Cooter but this ‘species was disregarded and some of the so-called sub-species were upgraded to full species status.
The Peninsula Cooter was first described in 1938 by an American Herpetologist named Archie Carr.
Peninsula Cooter Description
The Peninsula Cooter is a relatively large species of turtle. It typically grows to around 12 inches in length but can get a bit larger.
Females of this species are generally larger than males and also appear bulkier. However, there can be exceptions to this rule.
This turtle has a sloped shell. At the centre or top of the shell there is a slight ridge. The shell then slopes down along the sides of the turtle.
The shell then flattens off towards the end as the upper and lower shells meet. This gives the shell somewhat of a streamline appearance.
The Carapace or upper shell is typically an olive green or ‘off green’ color. This is overlaid with concentric markings that are usually different shades of yellow.
The Plastron or lower shell is usually a uniform yellow or tan coloration. The body of the turtle is similar in color to the upper shell and has the same concentric yellow markings.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Peninsula Cooter is native to parts of the South-Easter United States where it can be found throughout Florida.
While this turtle is synonymous with the State of Florida, it can actually be found in other surrounding states in the South-Eastern United States also.
Besides being found in almost every corner of Florida, the Peninsula Cooter can be found in the very Southern parts of Alabama and Georgia.
This species shares some of its geographical range with many well known species including the Florida Softshell Turtle, the Brown Water Snake, the Green Anole, the Rainbow Snake, the Coachwhip Snake and the Yellow Bellied Slider.
There have been sightings of this turtle in states such as North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and California. However, this is well outside the species natural range and were likely escaped or released pets.
The Peninsula Cooter has been introduced to parts of Europe and there are a few isolated populations in places such as Portugal, Spain and Italy.
Being a freshwater species that likes slow moving water, the Peninsula Cooter can be found in slow moving rivers, ponds and lakes.
However, their preferred habitat consists of places such as swamps and marshes where there is a lot of submerged vegetation and soft sandy bottoms.
Peninsula Cooter Behaviour
The Peninsula Cooter is believed to be a solitary animal and usually only interacts with other turtles during the mating season.
Aggression has been observed by both males and females. Fighting is likely to occur over things like territory, breeding, nesting sites and basking spots.
They are sometimes found basking in small groups but there doesn’t seem to be any hierarchical system involved.
Interestingly, an adult Peninsula Cooter will consume a diet that is completely made up of plants and algae but juveniles are known to eat some fish and insects.
The protein portion of a juvenile’s diet is likely required as the young turtle is growing.