Texas map turtle

Texas map turtle
A Texas map turtle in an aquarium
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Emydidae
Subfamily:	Deirochelyinae
Genus:	Graptemys
Species:	G. versa
Binomial name
Graptemys versa Stejneger, 1925[1]
Range map
Synonyms
Graptemys pseudogeographica versa Stejneger, 1925 Graptemys versa — H.M. Smith, 1946 Malaclemys versa — McDowell, 1964[2] Graptemys versa — Conant, 1975[3]

The Texas map turtle (Graptemys versa) is a species of emydid turtle endemic to the southern United States. Texas map turtles are popular in the pet trade. However, they became more common because of captive breeding.

Geographic range

It is found in central Texas in the Colorado River drainage on the Edwards Plateau.

Description

Graptemys versa is a smaller map turtle; females only attain a carapace length of 12.5 cm (5.0 in).^[3] Males are even smaller, only attaining a carapace length of 9.0 cm (3.5 in).^[4] The keel on this map turtle is not black, and a J-shaped head marking is seen.

Diet

They feed mainly on mollusks, insects, carrion, and vegetation.

References

Further reading

• Stejneger, L. 1925. New species and subspecies of American turtles. Journ. Washington Acad. Sci. 15 (20): 462-463. ("Graptemys pseudogeographica versa, new subspecies", p. 463.)

External links

• Austin's Turtle Page
• Graptemys versa at "Graptemys.com, Home of the Map Turtles" 2013
• www.Texasturtles.org

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.