by Rick O'Connor | May 17, 2020
In my time educating the public about Florida turtles I have found that most Floridians have not heard of diamondback terrapins. They have heard of, and seen turtles, but are not sure what the names of the different species are and are not familiar with the term terrapin at all. Which brings up the question – what is the different between a turtle, a tortoise, and a terrapin?
The light colored skin and dark markings are pretty unique to the terrapin.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
Honestly, they are cultural terms and not “biological” descriptions. We associate the term “tortoise” with a land turtle – and this is true – yet we call the box turtle a “turtle” – which is fine. In Great Britain they call almost everything a “terrapin”. The term “terrapin” is a Delaware Indian term meaning “edible turtle”. Most turtles are edible, but this term stuck to a group of brackish water turtles in the Chesapeake area near Delaware we now call “terrapins”.
In the Mid-Atlantic states, terrapins are more known than they are here – and they appear to be more abundant. They are the mascot of the University of Maryland, and the official state reptile there. “Turtle Soup”, a popular cultural dish in the Chesapeake, is made with terrapins. It was served as part of the state dinner when Abraham Lincoln was president – considering it a classic “American” dish. They were harvested by walking through the marshes with a burlap sack and a gig. A sack could bring a harvester about $10, but when the popularity of the dish increased, hand harvesting could not keep up with demand and terrapin farms began. I know there were terrapin farms in the Carolinas, but there was one near Mobile, Alabama as well. Apparently, terrapins existed outside of the Chesapeake – and that brings us back to Florida… we have them too!
Ornate Diamondback Terrapins Depend on Coastal Marshes and Sea Grass Habitats
There are seven subspecies of this brackish water turtle. They range from Massachusetts to Texas. It is the only resident brackish water species, spending its whole life in salt marshes (or mangroves in south Florida). Florida has five of the seven subspecies, and three of the seven ONLY live in Florida – yet most of us do not know the animal exist.
Very few researchers worked with terrapins in this state – there was virtually nothing known about them in panhandle. In 2005 I began to survey panhandle marshes to see if terrapins existed here. I grew up in the panhandle, and like so many others, had never seen or heard of one. I asked local fishermen who use to gillnet the marshes back in the 1950s and 1960s (when it was allowed) if they were aware of this this turtle. I asked them “did you ever capture a terrapin?” They did not know what I was talking about. And then I showed them a picture… “OH… yea, we did catch these once in a while – what are they called again? Terrapins?”. This was a game changer for me in terrapin education – show them a terrapin and ask if they have ever seen a turtle that looks like this.
The response was still “what is that? It’s beautiful!”… and they are. Terrapins have light colored skin with dark specks or bars – a really pretty cool looking turtle. Oh, and they are in the panhandle, just not in big numbers – or, at least, we have not found them in big numbers 😊.
These brackish water turtles spend their entire lives in a marsh system feeding on mollusk and crustaceans. Like map turtles (their nearest cousins), the females are larger with wide heads for crushing the shells of their prey. They are considered an important member of the ecosystem in that the reduction of terrapins can cause an increase in the marsh periwinkle (a popular snail food) who would in turn stop feeding on leaf litter and attack the live plants themselves – threatening the existence of the marsh. So, they are important predators on marsh grazers. Not having a lot of trees in a salt marsh, you do not see them basking on logs as you do with other riverine turtles. They do, however, exit the water and bury in the mud/sand for long periods to bask.
A baby terrapin.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
After mating, the females usually leave the marsh for the open estuary, swim along the shorelines looking for high/dry ground for nesting. More often than not, these are sandy beaches – but they have been known to dig nest in crushed shell mounds, dredge spoil islands, along highways, backyards, and even runways of airports – wherever “high and dry” can be found in a marsh. In Louisiana a lady found one roaming around inside her outdoor shower – good luck nesting there!
The females lay about 10 eggs in a clutch and will lay more than one clutch each year. Baby terrapins are one of the coolest looking turtles you will see. They emerge from the nest in late summer and fall, hiding in the wrack debris along the shoreline. It is believed they actually have a more terrestrial life early on before entering the water and living out their lives in the marsh.
The popularity of turtle soup has waned since the Civil War, as have the wild harvest and aquaculture projects. However, the turtle is still under tremendous pressure from humans. We began using wired crab traps in the 1950s and terrapins have a habit of swimming into these, where they drown. The problem is not that large in Florida, but in the Chesapeake, they have found as many as 40 terrapins in one crab trap! Most of these are “ghost crab traps” – ones that “got away” from the owner but are still harvesting marine live – including crabs. One paper indicated that in the early part of the 21st century, in one year in the Chesapeake, over 900,000 blue crabs died in ghost crab traps – a commercial value of about $300,000. So, the ghost crab trap is a problem whether it kills terrapins, redfish, flounder, or blue crab. Today, many crab traps have biodegradable panels so that if the trap “gets away” it will eventually breakdown and not capture organisms like terrapins. In the Chesapeake many states require crab traps to have a By-Catch Reduction Device (BRD) to keep terrapins out – but allow crabs in. They are not required in Florida, however FWC will provide them for free if you are interested. I have some in my office in Pensacola and more than willing to give them to you. FWC also hosts crab trap removal programs, and I encourage you to participate in these.
This orange plastic rectangle is a Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) used to keep terrapins out of crab traps – but not crabs.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
A bigger issue for Florida is the land-based predators. As we moved closer and closer to the salt marshes, we built bridges and roads that allowed land-based predators to reach the nesting beaches they previously did not have access to. Raccoons in particular are a big problem, depredating as many as 90% of the terrapin nests. Poaching for the pet trade is rising and FWC is working on this. Several major arrests have been made in Florida in recent years. It is illegal to sell Florida turtles, so do not buy them if you see them being sold somewhere. Report the activity to FWC.
Due to all of this, terrapins afford some form of protection in each of the coastal states where they exist. Some list them as “endangered” or “threatened”. In Florida, they do not have this label, but they are protected by FWC. No one is allowed to have more than two in their possession, and you are not allowed to have any eggs.
It is an amazing turtle. I currently conduct a citizen science program monitoring them in the western panhandle. I have a lot of eager volunteers wanting to see their first one in the wild. I hope they do soon. I hope they hang around long enough for everyone to see one in the wild.
by Carrie Stevenson | May 8, 2020
In ecology, a “keystone” species is as crucial to an ecosystem as the central stone in this arch.
In architecture, a “keystone” is the top, central block in an arch structure, the one that holds the entire building up. Without it, the bricks around it collapse. With it, there is nothing stronger.
So, when you hear an animal referred to as a “keystone” species, it should get your attention—especially when that species is listed as threatened by state and federal wildlife agencies. In northwest Florida, one of the species upon which the entire longleaf ecosystem is built is the humble gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus).
Gopher tortoises are long-lived, protected by their thick shells and deep burrows. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Once hunted for food and currently in competition with humans for buildable land, this long-lived reptile is an architect in its own right. The tortoises are called “gophers” because of their tunnel building and burrow construction expertise. The tortoises spend about 80% of their time near their burrows, of which they have multiple over their lifetimes. Being a cold-blooded reptile, the burrows allow the tortoises a place to live in the temperature-regulated soil.
The average adult gopher tortoise is about 9-11 inches long, although they can be larger. They have thick feet resembling those of an elephant, and scaly front legs used for digging and burrowing. They are tan, brown, or gray, and live in dry, sandy, upland habitats. Their propensity for dry forestland is typically why their populations are in peril, as this is also the best land for building and development.
The average gopher tortoise’s burrow is 6.5 feet deep and 15-40 feet long, and provides habitat for 350 other species! Those commensal species that share its burrow are mostly invertebrates, but at least 50 are larger backboned species like frogs, snakes, rabbits, and burrowing owls. During forest fires, there are stories of multiple species—from deer and snakes and turtles—calling a truce and hiding in the burrows together until the flames blow over.
Gopher tortoises are nesting right now–be sure to observe from a distance!
Right now—from May to July—is nesting season for gopher tortoises. They lay eggs in the soft sand of their burrow apron, which is the triangular spread of loose sand at the opening of the burrow. Eggs incubate all summer and emerge between August and November. The newly hatched tortoises can expect to live 40 to 60 years in the wild. They live on a variety of grasses and low-growing plants native to longleaf pine, oak forests, and coastal dunes, including wiregrass and gopher apple. They are adapted to routine fires, as they are safe in their burrows and the new growth after a burn provides an abundance of their grassy food sources.
by Rick O'Connor | May 3, 2020
Map turtles (Graptemys) are pretty common across much of the eastern and midwest areas of the United States. Not so much in Florida. There are only two species, and they are only found in the panhandle. However, the range for those two species is mostly in Florida making them a unique Florida turtle, and ones that both the state and federal agencies monitor for occurrence.
The Barbour’s Map Turtle sitting on a tree stump in the Chiploa River.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
In the 1940s and 50s it was believed that the Barbour’s Map Turtle (Graptemys barbouri) was only found in the Apalachicola River and the Escambia Map Turtle (Graptemys ernsti) was only found in the Escambia. As a matter of fact, with much of the Escambia River actually in Alabama, they were not sure whether the Escambia Map Turtle was different from the Alabama Map Turtle ( Graptemys pulchra) that inhabits the upper reaches of the Escambia River in Alabama, where they call it the Conecuh River.
Today they do now consider it a separate species and they also know these turtles are found in other rivers in the panhandle. As a matter of fact, there may be more Barbour’s Map Turtles in the Chipola River than in the Apalachicola.
Paddling the Escambia River.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
This is definitely a river turtle – preferring stronger currents with plenty of fallen trees (snags) to bask on – something they like to do a lot of. The females are twice as large as the males, with very wide heads and powerful jaws for crushing mollusk shells – their favorite food. Males are much smaller and feed primarily on insects and other aquatic invertebrates. Because of their preference for mollusk, they are usually not found in tannic rivers, like Blackwater or Perdido Rivers, where the pH is to low for successful shell development. And even on the more alluvial rivers, they are not common in the quiet backwater areas of the floodplain swamps – they really like the currents where the mollusk are.
The Barbour’s Map Turtle differs from the Escambia Map in that (a) they have circular yellow patterns on each scute (scale) of the olive green to brown carapace (top shell), (b) lack the two large yellow spots on the top of the head, behind the eye that you find in the Escambia Map, (c) lack the dark black stripe running down the middle keel of the carapace you find in the Escambia Map, (d) the rivers they inhabit.
Barbour’s Map Turtles are found in the rivers between (and including) the Choctawhatchee River and the Apalachicola River. There have been records of Barbour’s Map Turtle in the Ochlockoknee River, but it is believed they may have been moved there by humans.
The Escambia Map Turtle is only found in the Escambia, Yellow, and Shoal Rivers.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
The Escambia Map Turtle is found in rivers that feed into Pensacola Bay. These would include the Escambia, Yellow, and Shoal Rivers – again, Blackwater is too tannic. There is discussion whether the Escambia Map has been found in the Choctawhatchee, and there may be some hybridization occurring here.
On rivers where they are found, map turtles can be some of the most common turtles seen. They have high domes shells, that look more “inflated” towards the head end, and scales that form jagged points sticking up along the mid-line of the shell. This gives them a “dinosaur” appearance and another common name “sawbacks”. They are not big turtles, when compared to others like softshell, cooters, snappers – reaching a maximum shell length of 12 inches – are often seen basking on fallen trees (snags) in the water. They are skittish and hard to get close to. Many will jump into the water when you are still over 300 feet away. But for those patient enough to drift, you should get a closer look, and maybe even a picture. On one paddle I did on the Escambia River they made up over 75% of the turtles we saw in a one-mile stretch.
The Barbour’s Map prefers sections of the river where the current is strong and limestone outcrops are frequent. These limestone sections are home to a variety of snail species – the female’s favorite food. Like so many other turtles, they do have to have sandy beaches for nesting. They will venture downstream to find these where the river makes sharp turns and may venture as far as 350 feet inland looking for a suitable nesting spot. Here raccoons do their damage. They not only consume the eggs but will prey on the adults as well. It is also known that occasionally bald eagles will target map turtles as food.
Times are harder for the Barbour’s Map Turtle. In the 1950s there were reports of as many as 136 map turtles / mile. Today the numbers are more like 5-10. The decline can be attributed to several issues.
1) Human harvest. Though not as frequent today, there are records of human harvesting within their range, particularly in the Chipola River area.
2) Dams. Altering the river flow and available “snags” has impacted their numbers.
3) Removing “snags”. This is done for both navigation issues with boaters and because there are unsightly to some. However, map turtles need them – as do other riverine wildlife.
4) “Plinking”. This is a “sport” that is not as common as it once was, but still happens. This is when humans use basking turtles as target practice.
All of these, and probably others, have contributed to this decline and forced the state to protect them. They are now listed on Florida’s Imperiled Species List and you are not allowed to possess them.
The Escambia Map Turtle is still very common on the Escambia River. However, all the members of this species only live on three short rivers, and Florida is concerned that they numbers could be wiped out with a catastrophic event.
An Escambia Map Turtle in a more quiet portion of the river.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
This portion of Florida lacks the limestone substrate you find further east. The Escambia River was home to one of the greatest variety of mussels in the Florida rivers. This is their choice of food over snails. However, pollution from agriculture and a paper mill in the Alabama portion of the river, as well as altered flow and sediments due to dams in the Alabama portion, have caused a decline in the mussels. Interestingly, the non-native Asian Clam was accidentally introduced to all the river systems in the panhandle, and the map turtles love them. Some believe the introduction of the Asian Clam may have “saved” the Escambia Map.
In addition to the stressors mentioned with the Barbour’s Map, the Escambia Map has had problems with local ATVs riding all over their nesting beaches destroying nests. Because of their small geographic range, and the increase in potential threats, Florida prohibits the possession of this map turtle as well.
The cool thing about these map turtles is that they are only found in a small area of the planet – in our north Florida rivers. I hope we can protect them, and that you get to see some one day.
by Rick O'Connor | Apr 19, 2020
Bet you have never heard of these?
Chicken Turtles?
But they exist!
And the reason you probably have not heard of them is because, unlike so many other turtles, they do not spend a lot of time in the water.
The long neck and oval shell of the Florida Chicken Turtle.
This one is missing a rear leg, probably attacked by a raccoon.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
Chicken turtles are fans of the ephemeral ponds, these are ponds that have water in them after heavy rain but are dry otherwise. These turtles inhabit such locations and hide in the brush and leaf litter during the dry periods. They are predators within this system, feeding on insects and crayfish mostly.
It is one of the many emydid turtles and their shells are more oval in shape than round. It is a dark black to olive color and has a distinct pattern of yellow stripes looking like a fish net on the shell. Most shells are in the 10-inch range in length and, like many species of turtles, the males are smaller. The plastron (belly shell) is a beautiful solid creamy yellow color with no dark marking at all.
This turtle is found in the Atlantic coastal plains and there are two subspecies found in Florida: Deirochelys reticularia reticularia and D. r. chrysea. The primary difference is that D. r. reticularia has a single dark spot on the underside of the marginal scutes of the bridge connecting the carapace to the plastron; D. r. chrysea does not have these spots. D. r. reticularia are found north and west of the Suwannee River and D. r. chrysea are found in the peninsula south of the Suwannee.
Most of the ponds where these turtles have been found are less than 20 inches deep. It seems to avoid river flood plains, preferring small ponds in savannas, sandhill depressions, and wetlands. They seem to be out more in the early mornings and shortly after sunset.
Unlike most emydid turtles, chicken turtles BEGIN their nesting season in August and continue into the winter. The females wander over open ground seeking good nesting sites. They prefer open grassy areas and dig the nest during daylight hours. The average number of eggs deposited is around 10 and, like other turtles, more than one clutch will be laid each season.
They do not seem to be very abundant in the ponds they inhabit; 3-5 turtles/hectare seems to about the norm. When encountered in the water, they seem to be solitary. As mentioned, their favorite foods are arthropods – primarily insects and crayfish.
It appears one of the largest threats in our state is roadkill. Seasonal changes in rainfall force the turtles to move and, being more active in winter when we have more visitors, road kills are common. Raccoons also take quite of few from their habitat of not living in deep water. And there is ALWAYS the issue of habitat loss – the number one cause of biodiversity declines everywhere. Florida continues to grow, and these turtles will continue to be threatened.
I have only found one of these in the years I have been “turtling”. It was pretty exciting, and it was a day or so before we figured out what kind it was – you don’t see chicken turtles very often, so it was a surprise. It was missing one leg, we are guessing raccoon attack, and we kept it for the afternoon before letting it go. I have not seen one since.
That said, they are around – and I hope you find one someday. It is one of those rare finds.
Hopefully, you will be able to get out and discover many of Florida’s turtles during this YEAR OF THE TURTLE.
References
Meylan P.A. (Ed). 2006. Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs No.3, 376 pp.
by Rick O'Connor | Apr 7, 2020
These are some of the more familiar Florida turtles we have. Working with youth, I often hear them called “snapping turtles” because (a) these are the most common turtles they encounter, and (b) snapping turtles are the only name they know 😊
I myself had a “pet” box turtle when I was young named… “snappy”. Yep…
This Gulf Coast box turtle has a lot of yellow on the shell. Their shell coloration varies.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
That said, they do seem to be very common everywhere. Neighborhoods, parks, gardens, farms, you name it, people find these things. However, research suggests that the “commonness” of these guys maybe just in encounters with the same individuals, we really do not know how common they are.
They are a great way to introduce youth to the world of turtles. When picked up they quickly withdraw and close their shells – the only turtles we have that can completely do this (watch out though, they do have a habit of urinating when held).
There is debate as to how many kinds of box turtles we have. Most agree that the four that have been listed are all subspecies of Terrapene carolina. This turtle is typically called the “Eastern” box turtle. This species does exist and is quite common along the Atlantic seaboard. If differs from other subspecies in that the back end of the carapace ends abruptly – there is no “flare” to the margins of the carapace.
The lined pattern of this carapace identifies it as the Florida box turtle.
Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History
What they do agree on is that two subspecies – the Florida box turtle (T. carolina bauri) does live in Florida – in the peninsular part of the state; and the Gulf Coast box turtle (T. c. major) does as well – in the panhandle. The two that are questionable are the Eastern box turtle (T. c. carolina) and the Three-toed box turtle (T. c. triunguis). As said before the Eastern definitely exists north of us but not sure whether it is in Florida. The Three-toed lives west of us but, again, not sure in Florida.
The Florida box turtle has a dark carapace with straight lined yellow streaks (like a sunbeam burst) pattern across its shell. The back end of the shell ends abruptly as it does in the Eastern. The Gulf Coast box turtle is the big boy of the group. Most of these box turtles have carapace lengths no more than 7 inches long. The Gulf Coast can be as long as 8 inches and the back-end margin of the carapace is flared. The pattern of color on the Gulf Coast varies. It can be red, yellow, brown and the lighter colored markings can be varied as well.
Box turtles are emydid turtles – which are usually associated with freshwater – but box turtles are much more terrestrial than their cousins. Some even referred to them as tortoises, but they are not. They like a variety of habitats being found in dry scrub pine forests, damp wet palm hammocks, and occasionally in marshes. Their hind feet are slightly webbed, but they are not great swimmers and are rarely found in deep water. That said, they do love rain. When it rains, they are on the move looking for food and places to lay eggs.
The abrupt downward end of the carapace and blotched pattern of the shell identifies this as an Eastern box turtle.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
Research suggests that each turtle will inhabit about 5 acres and that a single acre can support up to 16 animals. They are omnivorous and eat a variety of invertebrates and plants – they particular like worms and snails. They have also been known to feed on dead animals lying about, – and this should make some folks happy… they like to eat cockroaches!
Males look different than females in that their plastron has a concaved depression in it and their tails are much longer. Females will usually lay about 2 eggs in a nest she digs during rainy afternoons. She will lay more than one nest each season usually producing about 9 eggs each year. Baby box turtles are usually dark brown with a yellow stripe running down the middle of their carapace.
Many turtles, eggs, and hatchlings are lost to predators. Fire ants are a big problem as are birds, mammals and reptiles. Scarlet snakes are particularly good at finding nests. Most adults’ bare scars from attacks but usually survive by withdrawing into their shells. One animal, the wild pig, is believed to be strong enough to crush the entire shell consuming the turtle. Raccoons are also good at grabbing a limb before they can withdraw – there are many 3-legged box turtles running around, but they seem fine and still hunt well.
Gulf Coast box turtle heading across an open field.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
One problem they do have is fire. They prefer wooded areas, even the flowerbeds around your house. They do not dig burrows like the gopher tortoise but rather make “forms” in the pine straw or leaves – where they spend the cold and hot days of the year – they also do not like low humidity days and will build forms during these times as well – but these do not protect them from fires, whether wildfires or prescribed ones.
Despite all of this – they are one of the longer-lived turtles in our state. Though most do not reach the age of 40 years these days, they have the ability to reach 100!
No doubt this is one of the coolest turtles we have – and we really enjoy encountering them. Take a walk around after a rainy day and see if you can find one in your yard!
References
Meylan P.A. (Ed). 2006. Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs No.3, 376 pp.
by Rick O'Connor | Mar 20, 2020
As with mud turtles, full grown musk turtles are no bigger than your hand. They differ from mud turtles in that they have a single hinge on their plastron and the scutes just above that hinge are rectangular instead of triangular. Like mud turtles, they are very aquatic and not seen basking or out of water at anytime other than to lay eggs. Also like mud turtles, few people know they exist.
There are only two species in Florida, the Loggerhead Musk (Sternotherus minor) and the Common Musk (Sternotherus odoratus). There is a subspecies of the Loggerhead Musk in the far western panhandle, the striped-necked (Sternotherus minor peltifer).
Loggerhead Musk Turtle.
Photo: Flickr
The Loggerhead Musk is found through much of the southeastern United States and much of Florida. Like all musk and mud turtles it is small, with an average carapace length of 6 inches. The carapace will have 3 keels and small black flecks scattered across the light brown/olive colored shell. The head is large and wide with large jaws for crushing mollusk shells, a favorte food. The head is light colored with dark markings and 2 barbels (fleshy whiskers) under the chin. These barbels are chemosynthetic and help locate food. There are no striped on the head.
They prefer to walk across the bottom of either calm or flowing waterways, rarely leaving the water and have been found as deep as 44 feet into springs. In the waterways where they are found they have some of the highest densities of any turtle in the area – as much as 3000 individuals in a hectare. They breed in both fall and spring and the female usually does not travel far from the water to lay her eggs. Eggs have been found near logs and stumps. She will usually lay about 1-5 and they may take 100 days to incubate. Loggerheads feed on insects when young and switch to mollusk as adults. They have been known to eat other small turtles in captivity. They are preyed upon by alligator snapping turtles and maybe the alligator itself. They have been popular in the pet trade.
This common musk turtle (stinkpot) shows the dark head with stripes but also shows at bullet hole from a practice by some people called “plinking”. Where they practice shooting at turtles.
The Common Musk turtle is just that… common. It is found across the entire eastern portion of the United States and all of Florida. As its scientific name suggests (S. odoratus) it releases a pungent musk from glands near the bridge between the carapace and the plastron. This strong musk gives the turtle is other common name “Stinkpot”.
It too has a carapace about 6 inches long but differs from the Loggerhead in that its head is dark with 2 Yellow-White stripes running laterally. There is also a notch in the plastron near the tail. It is very aquatic, and can be found in high densities, but prefers still quite waters. They are known to be deep divers as well, diving to depths of 30 feet.
They will nest more inland than Loggerheads and usually lay multiple clutches of 1-9 eggs sometimes not burying them. Stinkpots are omnivorous, preferring mollusk but will also consume other invertebrates and seeds. Being small, they are preyed upon by raccoons, wading birds, fox, skunks, water snakes, hawks, eagles, alligators, snapping turtles, bull frogs, and even large mouth bass.
The handling of small turtles must be done with care. They have a long reach and nasty bite. But they are very cool turtles and very common. It is very cool to see them while snorkeling or paddling our rivers and springs.
Resource:
Meylan, P.A. (Ed.). 2005. Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 3, 376 pp.
