Florida Turtles

Common box turtle terrapene carolina.

Florida turtles. Eastern mud turtle kinosternon subrubrum. Loggerhead musk turtle sternotherus minor. Non native in florida keys apalone mutica le sueur 1827 smooth softshell apalone mutica calvata webb 1959 gulf coast smooth softshell. Loggerhead musk turtle the preferred habitat of the beautiful little musk turtle is clear freshwater springs and spring runs.

Kinosternidae mud and musk turtles striped mud turtle kinosternon baurii. Florida water turtles southern painted turtle non native spotted turtle chicken turtle throughout state barbour s map turtle panhandle escambia map turtle panhandle false map turtle non native diamondback terrapin coastal areas on both sides of state river cooter north florida cooter. Florida s most common variety of sea turtle is the loggerhead which averages 200 to 250 pounds. These native land turtles include the gopher tortoise and several subspecies of box turtle.

The florida softshell turtle is a large turtle with a flattened pancake like body a long neck an elongated head with a long snorkel like nose and large webbed feet each with three claws. Apalone spinifera le sueur 1827 spiny softshell. While most turtles have hard shells composed of scutes the florida softshell has a cartilaginous carapace covered in leathery skin. Larger leatherbacks and green turtles nest here in smaller numbers but turtle walk participants are not allowed to watch them lay eggs because leatherbacks and greens are endangered and the presence of people might be disturb the nesting.

Quick list of the native turtles of florida. Concerned with increasing popularity of turtles and the potential for over harvest the commission passed stronger rules to protect turtle species and developed a long term turtle conservation strategy. They are the largest of the new world softshell turtles with the most old world characteristics of the old world like its longitudinally wrinkled carapace tolerance for brackish water and relatively large size. Large colonies can be found in some of the big clear springs of north florida.

Alabama map turtle graptemys pulchra alligator snapping turtle macroclemys temminckii barbour s map turtle graptemys barbouri carolina diamondback terrapin malaclemys terrapin centrata common musk turtle sternotherus odoratus common snapping turtle. Checklist of florida turtles click on thumbnails for a larger view apalone ferox schneider 1783 florida softshell. The loggerhead musk turtle has a habit of basking high above the water on cypress knees or protruding snags. Most of florida s many turtles are primarily aquatic but a few of them spend most of their time on dry land.

Common slider trachemys scripta. The florida softshell turtle is a species of american freshwater turtles and is one of the 26 species of turtles found in florida.