Herps of Arkansas: Turtles

Family: Chelydridae (Snapping Turtles) Genera: Chelydra (Snapping Turtles) and Macrochelys (Alligator Snapping Turtles)
	Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina	Aquatic. Large. Carapace rough. No supramarginal scutes. "Loggerheaded" with moderately hooked beak. Tail long and saw-toothed.
	Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys temminckii	Rare. Aquatic. Large. Carapace very rough. 3-5 supramarginal scutes sometimes present. "Loggerheaded" with strongly hooked beak. Tail long.

Family: Emydidae (Box and Water Turtles) Genera: Chrysemys (Painted Turtles), Deirochelys (Chicken Turtles), Graptemys (Map Turtles), Pseudemys (Cooters), Terrapene (American Box Turtles), and Trachemys (Sliders)
	Southern Painted Turtle Chrysemys dorsalis	Aquatic. Carapace somewhat flat and very smooth with an orange middorsal stripe. Plastron plain yellow.
	Western Chicken Turtle Deirochelys reticularia miaria	Rare. Aquatic. First vertebral scute in contact with 4 marginal scutes. Long, striped neck. Broad leg stripe. Striped "seat of pants".
	Northern Map Turtle Graptemys geographica	Aquatic. Weak middorsal keel. Maplike pattern. Small, yellow spot behind eye.
	Ouachita Map Turtle Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis	Aquatic. Strong middorsal keel. Large yellow spot behind eye. Smaller yellow spot below eye and on lower jaw. Neck stripes reach eye.
	Mississippi Map Turtle Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii	Aquatic. Strong middorsal keel. Yellow crescent cuts off neck stripes from reaching eye. Small yellow spot on lower jaw.
	Eastern River Cooter Pseudemys concinna concinna	Aquatic. Reticulated carapace with second scute forming a "C". Back margin of carapace serrate and flaring. Underside of marginal scutes usually with dark "doughnuts". Plastron plain yellow. Chin flat.
	Three-toed Box Turtle Terrapene carolina triunguis	Terrestrial. Carapace forms rounded dome and is typically plain brown (though sometimes with a radiating pattern). Plastron plain (though sometimes with dark marks outlining scutes). Hind foot with 3 (or 4) toes. Juveniles with prominent middorsal keel.
	Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornata ornata	Rare. Terrestrial. Carapace forms flattened dome with radiating pattern. Plastron marked boldly with reticulation of black and yellow. Hind foot with 4 toes. Juveniles with prominent middorsal keel.
	Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans	Aquatic. Prominent red "ear" behind eye. Reticulated, greenish carapace with back margin somewhat serrate and flaring. Underside of marginal scutes plain. Plastron with usually one dark "doughnut" per scute.

Family: Kinosternidae (Mud and Musk Turtles) Genera: Kinosternon (American Mud Turtles) and Sternotherus (Musk Turtles)
	Mississippi Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis	Aquatic. Carapace large and domed. Plastron large and double-hinged with triangular pectoral scutes. Two light stripes on head. No barbels on chin.
	Razor-backed Musk Turtle Sternotherus carinatus	Rare. Aquatic. Carapace large and "razor-backed". Plastron with single hinge and squarish pectoral scutes. Head speckled with black dots. Barbels on chin only.
	Eastern Musk Turtle Sternotherus odoratus	Aquatic. Carapace with weak keel. Plastron with single hinge and squarish pectoral scutes. Two light stripes on head. Barbels on chin and neck.

Family: Trionychidae (Softshells) Genus: Apalone (North American Softshells)
	Midland Smooth Softshell Apalone mutica mutica	Aquatic. Pancake-shaped with long neck and snorkel nose. Carapace mostly without pattern and smooth. Front edge of carapace without bumps. Nostrils without ridge-like projections. Feet not strongly patterned.
	Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera ssp.	Aquatic. Pancake-shaped with long neck and snorkel nose. Carapace with pattern of dots and sandpaper-like texture. Front edge of carapace with bumps. Nostrils with ridge-like projections. Feet strongly patterned.
	Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera ssp.	Subspecies: Pallid Spiny Softshell (A. s. pallida) and Eastern Spiny Softshell (A. s. spinifera)

~ Potential Occurrence ~
	Western Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta bellii	Aquatic. Carapace somewhat flat and very smooth. Typically some reddish coloration along the margins of the carapace and on limbs.
	Yellow Mud Turtle Kinosternon flavescens	Aquatic. Carapace large and domed. Plastron double-hinged with triangular pectoral scutes. Throat yellow. 9th marginal scute higher than 8th.

~ Unidentified ~

Herps of Arkansas

Reptiles

Amphibians

Turtles

Family: Chelydridae (Snapping Turtles)

Family: Emydidae (Box and Water Turtles)

Family: Kinosternidae (Mud and Musk Turtles)

Family: Trionychidae (Softshells)

~ Potential Occurrence ~

~ Unidentified ~