Pseudemys concinna
(River Cooter)
Reptiles-Turtles
Native Transplant |
|
Common name: River Cooter
Taxonomy: available through
www.itis.gov
Identification: Pseudemys concinna (LeConte, 1830) is recognized by its large olive, dark brown, or black carapace with yellow to cream colored transverse or rugose markings, posterior serrated scutes, and a light yellow to orange plastron that lacks a hinge and has a posterior notch (Seidel and Dreslik, 1996; Ernst and Lovich, 2009). The head, neck, limbs, and tail are characterized by yellow or cream stripes. Dark markings are variably present on the bridge of the plastron and on the ventral side of the marginal scutes. Older individuals can be melanistic and, as a result, the light markings on their carapaces can be obscured (Seidel and Dreslik, 1996; Ernst and Lovich, 2009). The River Cooter has three recognized subspecies, the Eastern River Cooter (P. c. concinna; Le Conte, 1830), the Florida Cooter (P. c. floridana; Le Conte 1830), and the Suwannee Cooter (P. c. suwanniensis; Carr, 1937). See remarks.
Size: Females can reach up to 40 cm in carapace length while males reach up to 30 cm (Ward and Jackson, 2008).
Native Range: Pseudemys concinna naturally occurs from Maryland to northern Florida, west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and north through the southern part of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana (Ernst and Lovich, 2009). Its total native distribution includes the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia (Ernst and Lovich, 2009).
|
Alaska |
Hawaii |
Puerto Rico &
Virgin Islands |
Guam Saipan |
Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) Explained
Interactive maps: Point Distribution Maps
Nonindigenous Occurrences:
Table 1. States with nonindigenous occurrences, the earliest and latest observations in each state, and the tally and names of HUCs with observations†. Names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records. The list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of Pseudemys concinna are found here.
Table last updated 1/11/2026
† Populations may not be currently present.
Ecology: River Cooters are plant eaters that spend most of their time in the water, rarely entering land except when basking or nesting. These turtles are cautious animals and will flee into the water column if slightly disturbed. On occasion, River Cooters can be found consuming animal matter and tend to do so more frequently when young (Dreslik, 2007). Studies on the diet of P. concinna found algae, plants, insects, sponges, gastropods, bryozoans, small fish, and tadpoles in its gut contents. This species prefers habitats with moderate to fast currents, rocky substrates, depths exceeding 1 meter, clear water, and plentiful aquatic vegetation, often occupying areas with large rivers and streams (Ward and Jackson, 2008; Ernst and Lovich, 2009). Adult river cooters rarely encounter natural predators due to their large size, though smaller individuals have been observed to be eaten by alligators, raccoons, and wild dogs. The eggs, hatchlings, and juveniles of the species are preyed upon by fire ants, river otters, racoons, foxes, shrews, crows, and rats (Ernst and Lovich, 2009).
Each year, P. concinna lays about 1-6 clutches in nest sites with sandy or loam soil, with an average of 2.3 clutches (varies with subspecies; Buhlmann, 1986). On average, clutch size is about 14.6 eggs, the total number varying from 4–30 eggs per clutch (Ernst and Lovich, 2009; Iverson, 2001). In West Virginia, hatchlings have been observed to overwinter in their nests when laid later in the summer, and emerge in early spring (Buhlmann, 1986). When winter temperatures get low, River Cooters hibernate at the bottom of water bodies (Ernst and Lovich, 2009).
References: (click for full references)
Crother, B.I. (chair). Committee on Standard and English and Scientific Names. 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular. No. 37. iii + 86p.
Author:
Gregoire, D.R. and C. Cameron
Revision Date: 12/29/2025
Citation Information:
Gregoire, D.R. and C. Cameron, 2026, Pseudemys concinna (LeConte, 1830): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=1250, Revision Date: 12/29/2025, Access Date: 1/12/2026
This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.
