turtle id w/ scientific names

large head, strong jaws, sharp beak,

powerful claws, long, saw-toothed tail,

deeply serrated rear margin of carapace,

small cross-shaped plastron,

dist: cosmop.

commonly eaten in KY

Chelydra serpentina

massive head, hooked beak, three

longitudinal keels; deeply serrated in

rear; extra row of scutes between

marginal and costal scutes on side of

carapace, tail is long with round bumps

dist: W KY

Macrochelys temminckii

tan to black carapace, brownish-

yellowish, triangular pectoral scutes;

11 marginal scutes; hinged plastron

k shaped plastron near head (belly)

dist: W and C KY

Kinosternon subrubrum

brown shell, yellowish carapace with

11 scutes, nonfunctional hinge, barbells on

chin and neck; rectangular pectoral scutes;

pale yellow stripes on side of head

glands that ooze orange substance

dist: cosmop. besides E KY

males: longer tail than females

Sternotherus odoratus

front portion of carapace lined with

spinelike protuberances; small horizontal

ridge in each nostril; dark blotches on

plastron and a marginal dark line, more flipper-like feet than A. mutica

habitat: sandy bottom rivers, oxbows and

reservoirs

dist: cosmop.

Apalone spinifera

Nostril round, with no ridge

projecting from septum; anterior

carapace rim without tubercles,

usually distinct white eye stripe, and

white chin and throat are unmarked;

fainter dots on carapace; forelimbs lack

pattern/mottling

habitat: Riverine, occasionally lakes

dist: W and N KY

Apalone mutica

olive green carapace with low

keel along midline and faint yellow

lines that resemble topographic

map, triangular shaped postorbital

blotch; line of lower neck forming

a “hockey stick”; no spines on vertebral

scutes, serrated carapace

habitat: Rivers, streams and lakes

dist: cosmop.

Graptemys geographica

thicker, boomerang/L shaped yellow stripe behind eye;

yellowish plastron with dark figure;

light iris with horizontal black bar or

eye iris with no bar; keel at midline

dist: W KY

habitat: Rivers, swamps, oxbows

Graptemys pseudogeographica

median keel and blunt knobs or spines

on the second and third vertebral scutes;

yellow plastron with dark figure; yellow

blotch behind eye and often 3 spots on

underneath lower jaw

dist: W and C KY

Habitat: riverine

Graptemys ouachitensis

black to brown carapace with

prominent patterns of orange or pink,

head with orangish to yellowish

stripes; underside of marginal scutes is

yellow/orange with open, dark marks that resemble targets, elonngated U shape on side of face.

often shot

dist: lower W and C KY

Pseudemys concinna

variable shell color; often serrated;

plastron yellowish with dark spots on

scutes; line behind eye is usually red, but

can be orange or yellowish; line usually

thickest behind eye

dist: cosmo

habitat aquatic generalist

Trachemys scripta

Smooth, blackish or olive shell, head

with numerous yellow lines, limbs have

red stripes, dark blotch on plastron;

colorful

dist: W and C KY

Chrysemys picta

features a broad red or orange

middorsal stripe on the carapace and an

immaculate yellow plastron

dist: far W KY, jackson purchase

Chrysemys dorsalis

variable color, shape; remnants

of keel; hinged plastron

habitat: forests, fields

dist: cosmop. line across highway dist.

Terrapene carolina