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	`⚠ 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 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	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.
	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.
	Eastern Musk Turtle Sternotherus odoratus	`⚠ Aquatic`. `⚠ Carapace` with weak `⚠ keel`. `⚠ Plastron` with single hinge and squarish pectoral `⚠ scutes`. Two light stripes on head.

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 ~
`⚠ (:flickrgallery tags="Turtle_Unidentified":)`

Herps of Arkansas

Amphibians

Reptiles

Turtles

Family: Chelydridae (Snapping Turtles)

Family: Emydidae (Box and Water Turtles)

Family: Kinosternidae (Mud and Musk Turtles)

Family: Trionychidae (Softshells)

~ Potential Occurrence ~

~ Unidentified ~