Cooters and Sliders

Cooters and sliders belong to the genus Chrysemys. This group of turtles is frequently referred to as the basking turtles because they spend more time basking than any other group of turtles. These turtles bear a strong resemblance to each other. Most are high domed and have a brown or olive carapace that may be unmarked but could be striped with red or yellow. The rear margins are serrated. The plastron might be yellow or red. The black heads have yellow stripes.

Florida Redbelly Turtle - Chrysemys nelsoni

This turtle is very similar to the Peninsula Cooter. The carapace is brown, olive, or black with blotches, streaks, or irregular bands of red. The average length of the carapace is 10 inches with some reaching 13 inches. The plastron is either a dull red, orange, or yellow. The head is black with bright yellow stripes that extend onto the snout. One short yellow strip runs from the snout over the head and between the eyes. The black feet and tail are striped with yellow.

This species prefers fresh to brackish water with little or no flow and abundant vegetaton. Adults feed primarily on aquatic plants. Juveniles may feed on aquatic insects as well as plants.

Peninsula Cooter - Chrysemys floridana peninsularis

The Peninsula Cooter is one of the larger aquatic turtles, having a carapace that may reach a length of 15 inches. The carapace is usually dark in color (brown to black) with vertical yellow stripes on the sides. The plastron is yellow and unmarked. The head and legs are black with greenish-yellow stripes. The Peninsula Cooter can be distinguished from its close relative, the Suwannee Cooter, by a pair of stripes on top of the head that look like "hairpins." These turtles inhabit lakes, ponds, slow-moving streams and drainage ditches having abundant vegetation. They often migrate from one body of water to another and are frequently seen crossing roads.