Turtles Of Mississippi: Species And Habitats Explored

Mississippi is home to a diverse range of turtles, with 35 native species. These include land-dwellers like the Eastern Box Turtle, fully aquatic turtles like the Common Snapping Turtle, and even five species of sea turtles that can be spotted from the state's shorelines. Mississippi's turtles vary in size, with some growing to be over 100 years old. The state's turtles can be found in a variety of habitats, from grasslands and marshes to lakes and rivers. While some are endangered, others are popular pets.

Freshwater turtles

Mississippi is home to a diverse range of freshwater turtles, with 24 species native to the state. These turtles are strong swimmers and spend most of their lives in or near the water. Here is a detailed description of some of the most common freshwater turtles found in Mississippi:

Common Snapping Turtle

The common snapping turtle is widespread throughout Mississippi and can be found in marshes, lakes, ponds, rivers, and slow streams. It weighs between 10 and 35 lbs and is 8 to 18.5 inches long. It has a distinctive long tail, chunky head, and large webbed feet. The carapace (upper shell) is usually black, brown, or olive with no distinct pattern. These turtles are known for their powerful jaws and aggressive behaviour when removed from the water.

Alligator Snapping Turtle

The Alligator Snapping Turtle is the largest freshwater turtle species found in Mississippi, weighing up to 115 lbs and reaching two feet in length. It has a long, tough shell with triangular ridges resembling an alligator's back, and a black, brown, or olive carapace. This species prefers deeper water habitats such as canals, rivers, swamps, and lakes. They have an interesting feeding strategy, luring prey with a worm-like appendage in their mouth before ambushing them.

Southern Painted Turtle

The Southern Painted Turtle is the smallest painted turtle species in Mississippi. It is easily recognised by the distinctive red or orange stripe down its shell. These turtles are often kept as pets due to their small size and unique colouring. They can be found near the edges of lakes and streams, and their diet consists mostly of vegetation as they mature.

Northern Map Turtle

The Northern Map Turtle is identified by the thin yellowish lines on its carapace, resembling the contour lines of a map. The colouring is typically dark brown or dark green with lighter green stripes on the neck. These turtles are found near rivers and lakes in northeastern Mississippi and prefer large bodies of water with debris for basking. They are primarily carnivorous, feeding on mollusks, insects, and occasionally plant matter.

Alabama Map Turtle

The Alabama Map Turtle is identified by the spiny black line running down the middle of its carapace. This species is found only in the Mobile Bay Drainage system. Females can grow up to 11.5 inches long, while males reach 3.5 to 5.25 inches.

Black-Knobbed Map Turtle

The Black-Knobbed Map Turtle is found in the sandy-bottomed river systems of central Mississippi. It is distinguished by the black knobs or spines along the middle of its back. Females can grow up to 8.75 inches, while males reach 3.5 to 4.75 inches.

Ringed Map Turtle

The Ringed Map Turtle is easily identified by the prominent light circles on its dark-coloured shell. This species is endemic to the Pearl River System of central southern Mississippi. Females can grow up to 8.75 inches, while males reach 3 to 4.5 inches.

Pearl River Map Turtle

The Pearl River Map Turtle is named after the Pearl River System in which it is found. It can be challenging to distinguish from its close cousins, but females have a larger head and a flattened, wide beak used for crushing food. Females can grow up to 11.5 inches, while males reach 2.75 to 4.75 inches.

Yellow-Blotched Map Turtle

The Yellow-Blotched Map Turtle is identified by the solid yellow or light orange circles on its shell, with the rest of the shell being dark brown or olive. This species is found in the Pascagoula and Escatawpa rivers in Mississippi. Females can grow up to 10.75 inches, while males reach 3 to 4.5 inches.

Pascagoula Map Turtle

The Pascagoula Map Turtle is endemic to the Pascagoula River, as its name suggests. It can be recognised by the yellow, fork-shaped marking on its snout, known as a nasal trident. Females can grow up to 10.5 inches, while males reach 2.75 to 5.5 inches.

Ouachita Map Turtle

The Ouachita Map Turtle is found in the swift rivers and streams of far northern Mississippi that form the Mississippi River and its tributaries. It is named after the river where it was discovered. Females can grow up to 9.5 inches, while males are significantly smaller, reaching 2.75 to 5.5 inches. It is distinguished by the three prominent spots on its face—one behind the eye, one under the eye, and one under the jawline.

Diamond-Backed Terrapin

The Diamond-Backed Terrapin is the only freshwater turtle in Mississippi adapted to live in salty water. It is found along the coast in salt marshes, tidal flats, brackish streams, and barrier beaches. The carapace is usually dark, ranging from black to brown or olive, with concentric rings formed by grooves and ridges or alternating light and dark lines. The skin is gray with black flecks and spots over the limbs and head.

Eastern River Cooter

The Eastern River Cooter is a highly omnivorous species, feeding on aquatic vegetation, land plants, and both live and dead animals. It is often seen basking in groups with other turtle species, such as Painted Turtles and sliders. Females can grow up to 12 inches, while males reach 8 to 12 inches.

Coastal Plain Cooter

The Coastal Plain Cooter is one of the largest cooter turtle species in Mississippi.

Box turtles

Mississippi is home to three species of box turtles: the Eastern box turtle, the Gulf Coast box turtle, and the Three-toed box turtle.

Eastern Box Turtle

The scientific name for the Eastern box turtle is Terrapene carolina carolina. They are a terrestrial species that inhabits grasslands, marshes, and woodland areas with small ponds and streams. They have high-domed dark brown shells with vibrant yellow and orange striped markings. Their skin is orange with dark brown or black flecks. They are omnivores and will eat anything from fish and insects to mollusks, worms, and plants. They are a popular pet species and are classed as vulnerable but are not a protected species in Mississippi.

Gulf Coast Box Turtle

The scientific name for the Gulf Coast box turtle is Terrapene carolina major. They are the largest of the common box turtle subspecies. These terrestrial turtles are found near brackish waters, estuaries, and swamps around the Gulf of Mexico. They have dark brown or black shells with fluted edges and yellow dot or stripe markings. Their skin is much darker than that of other box turtle species. They are omnivores and mainly eat amphibians, insects, mollusks, and occasionally plants. They can make good pets.

Three-toed Box Turtle

The scientific name for the Three-toed box turtle is Terrapene carolina triunguis. They are land-dwelling turtles found in grasslands, meadows, and woodland regions that provide some humidity. They have brown or olive-colored high-domed carapaces with lighter scutes towards the dome. They have three claws on their hind legs. Their plastrons are yellowish. They are omnivores and will eat insects, mollusks, and plants.

Sea turtles

Mississippi's coastline is home to five species of sea turtles. These include:

Green Sea Turtle

The Green Sea Turtle is classified as endangered. It has a smooth shell, shaped like a heart, with a yellow trim. Its shell is green to brown, and its skin is cream-coloured with shades of green. This species is mostly herbivorous, eating algae, sea grasses, and seaweed.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is critically endangered. It has a prominent, hawk-like, beak-shaped mouth. Its shell is oval-shaped and coloured in shades of amber, with unique markings. Its flippers have claws at the elbows. Hawksbill Sea Turtles are omnivores, consuming crustaceans, molluscs, and algae.

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle is critically endangered. It has a slightly hooked beak and a triangular-shaped head. Its shell is green to grey and round-shaped. Its undersides are cream to yellow. Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles eat crustaceans and shellfish.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

The Leatherback Sea Turtle is vulnerable. It has a large, soft carapace, unique among sea turtles, with prominent ridges. Its shell is black to dark grey. The Leatherback Sea Turtle's diet consists mostly of jellyfish, but it also eats other sea creatures.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is endangered. It is the largest hard-shelled turtle, with a reddish-brown carapace and a large head. Its undersides are cream to yellow. It is carnivorous, eating shellfish, molluscs, and crustaceans.

Softshell turtles

Gulf Coast Smooth Softshell

The scientific name for this subspecies of the smooth softshell turtle is Apalone mutica calvata. They are fully aquatic and inhabit the major river systems of the Gulf Coast states, including Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. They are the fastest swimmers of all turtles in Mississippi. Their shell colour ranges from olive to dark brown, and their shells are rounder and flatter than other softshell species. They are carnivores and eat crustaceans, insects, and molluscs.

Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell

The scientific name for this subspecies of the spiny softshell turtle is Apalone spinifera aspera. They are found in small pockets across Mississippi and inhabit the major river systems of the Gulf of Mexico states. They are characterised by their leathery, pancake-shaped shell with small spines. Their shell colour ranges from brown to tan, and they have snorkel-like snouts. They are carnivores and will eat anything that comes their way, including crayfish, insects, and small fish.

Tortoises

Mississippi is home to a single tortoise species: the vulnerable Gopher tortoise (*Gopherus polyphemus*). It is illegal to capture, own, or sell Gopher tortoises in Mississippi.

Gopher tortoises are native to the southeastern United States and are considered a keystone species due to their burrowing habits, which provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species. They are herbivores, consuming a wide range of plants, including broad-leaved grass, regular grass, wiregrass, and terrestrial legumes. They are also known to eat mushrooms and fruits such as gopher apples, pawpaws, blackberries, and saw palmetto berries.

Gopher tortoises are terrestrial reptiles with well-adapted forefeet for burrowing and elephantine hind feet, a common feature among most tortoise species. Their shells are dark brown to gray-black, with a yellow plastron (bottom shell). Adult Gopher tortoises typically range from 10 to 15 inches (25.5 to 38 cm) in length and weigh between 10 and 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg). They can live for more than 40 years in the wild.

Gopher tortoises are considered vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to threats such as predation and habitat destruction. Their burrows are commonly found in grasslands and longleaf pine savannas, where they play an essential role in the ecosystem. Conservation efforts, such as head-start and release programs, are in place to help protect this vulnerable species.

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