Pseudemys alabamensis

Geographic Range

The range of Pseudemys alabamensis is limited to a total of four counties in coastal Alabama (Mobile & Baldwin) and Mississippi (Harrison and Jackson). It is associated with the Mobile-Tensaw delta in Alabama and in Mississippi, the lower Pascagoula and Biloxi river systems.

• Biogeographic Regions
• nearctic nearctic
  • native native

Habitat

This is a freshwater turtle that prefers large areas of aquatic vegetation such as marshes. This species lives in shallower waters, typically a few meters deep. It can also be found in areas of marginally brackish water.

• Habitat Regions
• temperate temperate
• terrestrial terrestrial
• freshwater freshwater

• Aquatic Biomes
• rivers and streams
• coastal coastal

• Wetlands
• marsh marsh

• Other Habitat Features
• estuarine estuarine

Physical Description

The Alabama red-bellied turtle has streaks on the head with many narrow yellow lines. One of these lines can be found between the eyes and ends near the nose. The carapace is ovaloid with brown coloration. The scutes have an orange coloration similar to that of a tangerine. The plastron has a red hue with darker intensity at the seams. The vertical markings on the carapace of both male and female turtles can vary in color. The marginal scutes on the young can range from yellow to orange-red. The carapace of the hatchlings are almost circular in shape, green in color, and have yellow markings. Hatchlings may have eyebars and maxillary cusps. The mass has not been reported for this species.

Males are usually smaller than females but have a longer tail. A typical male will have a average carapace length of 305 cm. The longest carapace length of a female is about 381 cm. This species has a notch in the upper jaw and cusps that are along the sides of each jaw. There is a terminal notch nearby the cusp that distinguishes this turtle from any other.

• Other Physical Features
• ectothermic ectothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• female larger

Development

This animal is oviparous. Once the turtle hatches, there is not any parental care. The sex of the turtles is determined by the temperature of the eggs.

• Development - Life Cycle
• temperature sex determination
• indeterminate growth indeterminate growth

Reproduction

There is very little known published information about the reproduction and mating of this animal. However, mating probably occurs between April and August. The earliest month known for this species is April while the latest month is August. The females will dig a nest to lay her eggs. The females lay more eggs in the later afternoon hours. Genetic analysis of eggs suggest that a clutch may have multiple paternity.

• Mating System
• polyandrous polyandrous

There is little published information known for reproduction of this species including size or age of maturity for either sex. The majority of females will nest on sands. Females need to nest in open dry areas that are high enough that will not flood. These are areas like sandbars and levees. Winter most likely influences the length of the nesting season. The average incubation period is between 50-70 days. The nesting season can be early as April with the prime time ranging from May to August. Hatchlings that do not overwinter in the nest had a development period of 101 days. Those that overwinter emerged in March of the next year.

• Key Reproductive Features
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• oviparous oviparous

There is no parental care of the hatchlings in this species.

• Parental Investment
• no parental involvement

Lifespan/Longevity

There is nothing known about the lifespan of this species in the wild or in captivity. The lifespan of Pseudemys alabamensis is thought to be similar to a related species, the river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) . The river cooter is thought to live greater than forty years.

Behavior

Pseudemys alabamensis may be active at any time during the year. Cold spells may be a factor in decreased activity for this turtle. During the period of cold weather this turtle may become sluggish and rest along bottoms of rivers. During the warmer periods of the year, this species may bask on logs and feed on aquatic vegetation. When the turtles are startled they will move away from anything that comes near.

• Key Behaviors
• terricolous
• natatorial natatorial
• diurnal diurnal
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• solitary solitary

Home Range

Home range is unknown for this species.

Communication and Perception

There is no known evidence of communication in this species.

• Communication Channels
• tactile tactile

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• vibrations vibrations
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Most adults are herbivorous and feed on aquatic vegetation and algae. Some turtles may eat dead fish.

• Primary Diet
• carnivore carnivore
  • piscivore piscivore
  • eats non-insect arthropods
• herbivore herbivore
  • algivore
• omnivore omnivore

• Animal Foods
• fish
• aquatic crustaceans

• Plant Foods
• algae

Predation

The main threats to this turtle are from predation on eggs and hatchlings by humans, hogs, raccoons, crows, armadillos, and fire ants. Hatchlings may also be consumed by aquatic snakes and large wading birds such as herons. Alligators may prey upon adult turtles. Females and hatchlings are killed by automobiles while crossing roads.

Ecosystem Roles

There is little information known about the roles of this animal and its effects on the ecosystem. Eggs and hatchlings serve as food for some mammals, birds and snakes.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Humans eat the eggs of this species. This species may also be collected for the herpetological trade. However, these activities have contributed to the decline of this species.

This species contributes to the rich biodiversity of the Gulf Coast of the United States and can be used as a teaching example for conservationists.

• Positive Impacts
• pet trade pet trade
• food food
• ecotourism ecotourism

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There is no documented negative economic importance of P. alabamensis .

Conservation Status

The Alabama red bellied turtle was listed as endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987 and by the IUCN Red list in 2010. Predation, habitat loss, and the high rate of road mortality are significant contributors to its decline.

In 2008, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) erected fencing along portions of the Mobile Causeway (US 90/98) between Spanish Fort and Mobile, AL to reduce road mortality.

Other Comments

In 1990, this animal was listed as the Alabama's official State Reptile. It has two common names, the Alabama red-bellied turtle or the Alabama red-bellied cooter.

Pseudemys comes from the Greek "pseudes" which means false and "emys" which means turtle. Alabamensis refers to the area where this turtle is found.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Delilah Spencer (author), Samford University, Kristin Bakkegard (editor), Samford University, Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

References

Buhlmann, K., T. Tuberville, W. Gibbons. 2008. Turtles of the Southeast . Athens: University of Georgia Press.

Ernst, C., J. Lovich. 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada . Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.

Hieb, E., D. Nelson, A. Morris. 2014. Genetic monitoring reveals loss of microsatellite diversity in a breeding population of the endangered Alabama red-bellied turtle. Endangered Species Research , 23: 253-261. Accessed March 31, 2015 at http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v23/n3/p253-261/ .

Hieb, E., D. Nelson, A. Morris. 2014. Oviductal eggs from road-kill turtles provide a novel source of DNA for population studies of the Alabama red-bellied turtle. Conservation Genetics Resources , 6 (4): 837-839.

Hieb, E., T. Jackson, D. Nelson, A. Morris. 2011. Characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the endangered Alabama red-bellied turtle ( Pseudemys alabamensis ; Emydidae). Conservation Genetics Resources , 3 (4): 781-783.

Jackson, T., D. Nelson, A. Morris. 2012. Phylogenetic relationships in the North American genus Pseudemys (Emydidae) inferred from two mitochondrial genes. Southeastern Naturalist , 11 (2): 297-310.

Leary, C., J. Dobie, T. Mann, P. Floyd, D. Nelson. 2008. Pseudemys alabamensis Baur 1893-Alabama red-bellied cooter, Alabama red-bellied turtle. Pp. 019.1-019.9 in Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compiliation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group , Vol. Chelonian Research Monographs 5. Lunenburg: Chelonian Research Foundation. Accessed March 31, 2015 at http;//www.iucn-tftsg.org/cbftt .

Nelson, D., G. Langford, J. Borden, W. Turner. 2009. Reproductive and hatchling ecology of the Alabama Red-bellied Cooter ( Pseudemys alabamensis ): Implications for conservation and management. Chelonian Conservation and Biology , 8 (1): 66-73.

Nelson, D., W. Turner Jr. 2004. Alabama Red-bellied cooter. Pp. 54-55 in Alabama Wildlife, Volume 3: Imperiled Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals . Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.

Turner Jr, W., D. Nelson. 2000. Composition of the diet of the Alabama Red-bellied turtle Pseudemys alabamensis . Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science , 18: 18.