Mississippi map turtle

Mississippi map turtle
Top: Mississippi Map Turtle; Bottom: False Map Turtle
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Graptemys
Species:	G. pseudogeographica
Subspecies:	G. p. kohni
Trinomial name
Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni (Baur, 1890)
Synonyms
Malacoclemmys kohnii Baur, 1890 Graptemys kohnii — Baur, 1893 Malaclemys lesueurii kohnii — Siebenrock, 1909 Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii — Stejneger & Barbour, 1917 Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni — Mertens, 1934 Graptemys kohni — Cagle, 1953 Malaclemys kohni — McDowell, 1964 Graptemys khonii Ferri, 2002 (ex errore) Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni — Rhodin et al., 2010

The Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni) is a subspecies of land and water turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. G. p. kohni is endemic to the central United States. Map turtles (genus Graptemys) get their common name from the lines and markings on the carapace which resemble the contour lines of a map. Species of map turtles occur in the Mississippi Valley from Illinois and Nebraska, southward into the Gulf States from Mississippi to Texas, usually in rivers, lakes and large streams (not typically in isolated farm ponds or small creeks). They tend to prefer habitat with abundant vegetation.

Etymology

The Mississippi map turtle derives its common name not from the state of Mississippi, but rather from the Mississippi River.

The specific name, kohni, is in honor of amateur naturalist Joseph Gustave Kohn (1837-1906) of New Orleans, Louisiana, who collected the type specimen.

Geographic range

Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni is found along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, from Illinois and Missouri southward. Also one reported to be found in South Lyon, MI

Description

Females of G. p. kohni are considerably larger than males, the adult male being 3.5 to 5 inches (about 9 to 13 cm) in straight carapace length, and the adult female from 6 to 10 inches (about 15 to 25 cm) in straight carapace length. Males have a leaner look, more like juveniles, but females have a larger, bulkier build. Their grey shells are covered in yellow lines resembling contour lines.

Captivity

A Mississippi map turtle swimming inside a tank.

The Mississippi map turtle is a popular pet for aquarists and is very enjoyable to watch.

Further reading

• Conant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + 48 plates. ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardback), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Graptemys kohni, pp. 56–57 + Plates 5, 8 + Map 19).
• Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 Plates, 207 Figures. ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii, pp. 208-209, Figure 93 + Plates 16, 21).
• Smith HM; Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3 (paperback). (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni, pp. 50–51.)