Pseudemys
Pseudemys nelsoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Pseudemys[1] Gray, 1856[1]
Species
See text.

Pseudemys is a genus of large, herbivorous, freshwater turtles of the eastern United States and adjacent northeast Mexico. They are often referred to as cooters, which stems from kuta, the word for turtle in the Bambara and Malinké languages, brought to America by African slaves.^[2]

Description[edit]

Suwannee cooter

The genus Pseudemys comprises approximately seven species, although the validity of some taxa remains in question. Members of this genus are among the largest of the Emydidae, with carapace lengths reaching 17.3 in (44 cm) and weighing up to 22 lbs (10 kg). All are aquatic, spending the majority of their time in lakes, rivers, and ponds where they can easily be seen basking on rocks and logs in sunny weather.

Species[edit]

• Pseudemys alabamensis – Alabama red-bellied cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys concinna – River cooter^[1]
  • Pseudemys concinna concinna – Eastern river cooter^[1]
  • Pseudemys concinna floridana – Coastal plain cooter^[1] or Florida cooter
  • Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis – Suwannee cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys gorzugi – Rio Grande cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys nelsoni – Florida red-bellied cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys peninsularis – Peninsula cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys rubriventris – Northern red-bellied cooter^[1]
• Pseudemys texana – Texas river cooter^[1]

References[edit]

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; Paul van Dijk, Peter; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status". Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-15.  Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)

External links[edit]

• University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
• EMYSystem Genus page

Family Emydidae (pond turtles) Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Testudinoidea Family: Emydidae Genus Species of the subfamily Deirochelyinae Chrysemys Painted turtle Deirochelys Chicken turtle Graptemys Alabama map turtle Barbour's map turtle Black-knobbed map turtle Cagle's map turtle Escambia map turtle False map turtle Northern map turtle Ouachita map turtle Pascagoula map turtle Pearl River map turtle Ringed map turtle Texas map turtle Yellow-blotched map turtle Malaclemys Diamondback terrapin Pseudemys Alabama red-bellied cooter Northern red-bellied cooter Florida red-bellied cooter Peninsula cooter Rio Grande cooter River cooter Texas river cooter Trachemys Big bend slider Baja California slider Central Antillean slider Colombian slider Cuatro Cienegas slider Cuban slider D'Orbigny's slider Hispaniolan slider Jamaican slider Maranhão slider Meso-American slider Nicaraguan slider Ornate slider Pond slider Yaqui slider   Species of the subfamily Emydinae Clemmys Spotted turtle Emys Blanding's turtle European pond turtle Sicilian pond turtle Western pond turtle Glyptemys Bog turtle Wood turtle Terrapene Coahuilan box turtle Common box turtle Ornate box turtle Spotted box turtle Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist. Subspecies and the extinct (Gyremys sectabilis) are not included.