Santa Fe River Basking Turtles

Meet the Turtles

Basking Turtles

The following turtles spend large portions of their days basking on fallen trees, logs, or rocks. The benefits of basking include thermoregulation, removal of leeches, and absorption of ultraviolet radiation to facilitate bone growth. Because of this habit, these are the turtles most frequently observed by people who visit the river or springs.

Watch the video "Turtle Party" taken at Blue Springs, Gilchrist County to see Suwannee Cooters underwater.

Suwannee Cooter
Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis

ID: black V-shaped mark on front of plastron
adult males have long foreclaws used for courtship
carapace length*: female 16.1" (408mm); male 14.1" (359mm)

Habitat: river and springs

Diet: herbivore

Nesting season: March - August

• most abundant basking turtle
• only found in rivers between Tallahassee and Tampa
• largest member of family Emydidae
• nesting females dig 3 holes
• threatened by illegal collection for food and boat propeller strikes
• take or possession from the wild prohibited by Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission [Rule 68A-25.002(9)]

	plastron
	baby
female and male	measuring plastron

Video courtesy of Lesley Gamble

Peninsular Cooter
Pseudemys floridana peninsularis

ID: yellow plastron with no markings
adult males have long foreclaws used for courtship
carapace length*: female 14.0" (356mm); male 11.3" (287mm)

Habitat: river and springs

Diet: herbivore

Nesting season: September – June

• threatened by illegal collection for food and boat propeller strikes
• take or possession from the wild prohibited by Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission [Rule 68A-25.002(9)]

	plastron
	carapace detail

Florida Red-bellied Turtle
Pseudemys nelsoni

ID: red bar on each side of carapace
reddish-orange plastron
adult males have long foreclaws used for courtship
carapace length*: female 12.6" (319mm); male 11.2" (285mm)

Habitat: river and springs

Diet: herbivore

Nesting season: May – August

• only lives in Florida and extreme southern Georgia
• threatened by illegal collection for food and boat propeller strikes
• take or possession from the wild prohibited by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [Rule 68A-25.002(9)]

	plastron
	baby

Yellow-bellied Slider
Trachemys scripta scripta

ID: yellow patch on each side of head
two dark spots on front of plastron
some males with black head
rough textured carapace
adult males have long foreclaws used for courtship
carapace length*: female 11.0" (279mm); male 9.3 (236mm)

Habitat: river and springs

Diet: omnivore

Nesting season: April - August

• second most abundant basking turtle
• does not naturally occur south of Alachua County

	plastron
	melanistic male

* Carapace length listed is longest recorded in Santa Fe River