Map turtle is more common species of turtles, some of which are very popular in the domestic market. Common, but some species are relatively rare, that is to say, there are many subspecies of map turtles, and the appearance of these subspecies varies widely, making it difficult to identify.

They are freshwater turtles found in the eastern United States and southern Canada. They are similar in appearance to other turtles in the family Pseudoceratidae, such as Pseudoceretus and Pseudomonas, but are smaller and have a scaly rib in the center of the shell. Their turtle shell patterns resemble maps, hence the name. They can live up to 15 to 20 years old. Map turtles have many unique features that make them different from other terrapins that inhabit the same area. They are a diverse group of turtles, each with different habits, diets and habitats.

Kind: Animalia Animalia

Domain: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Testudines

Family: Emydidae

Existing species of map turtles are:

Barbour's Map Turtle (Graptemys barbouri)

Cagle's Map Turtle (Graptemys caglei)

Escambia Map Turtle (Graptemys ernsti)

Yellow-blotched Map Turtle (Graptemys flavimaculata) Turtle

Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)

Pascagoula Map Turtle (Graptemys gibbonsi) Delta Map Turtle (Graptemys nigrinoda delticola) ) Delta Map Turtle

Black-knobbed Map Turtle (Graptemys nigrinoda nigrinoda)

Ringed Map Turtle (Graptemys oculifera)

Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis) Ouachita Map Turtle

Sabine Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis sabinensis) Sabine Map Turtle

Pearl River Map Turtle (Graptemys pearlensis) Pearl River Map

Mississippi Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii) Mississippi Map Turtle

False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica pseudogeo graphica) Map Turtle

Alabama Map Turtle (Graptemys pulchra)

Texas Map Turtle (Graptemys versa)

What we usually see in the market should be Mississippi map turtles and simulacrum turtles.

The appearance of different subspecies of map turtle has certain changes, but the same thing is the map turtle shell The spines in the middle and the enigmatic patterns, some small changes in details allow us to recognize the difference between different subspecies, and at the same time admire the magic of nature.

Map turtles are similar in size to the more common sliding and painted turtles. Unlike these turtles, however, the map turtle has a distinct ridge in its carapace. In many species, this crest is more like a large spine or nodule extending posteriorly and superiorly. This feature has given the map turtle another common name: the sawtooth-ridged turtle. The fringe shield at the rear of the carapace of most map turtles also protrudes rearward, giving the rear edge of the carapace a distinct serration. Some species have huge heads and jaws, which allow them to crush snails and other mollusks. Finally, the most striking difference is the characteristic thin lines on their skin and scutellum, which is where the name "map turtles" comes from, as they look like contour lines and road traffic on a map Figure, which is difficult for other turtles to match.

It is relatively easy to distinguish males and females within the genus Maptortoise. Like most other turtles, the male has a thicker and longer tail than the female, and its cloaca is located beyond the rear edge of the carapace. Male tortoises have elongated claws on their front feet. Body size in adulthood can also be a distinguishing feature. For most adult turtles, the smallest females are also equal to or larger than the largest males.

Under natural conditions, most species within the genus Graptemys are omnivorous. Mollusks and snails make up a large portion of the diet, and this is especially evident in the diet of female turtles (who have larger heads and jaws). Other foods include insects, crayfish, worms, aquatic plants, and sometimes fish and carrion. [5] In captivity, they are known to eat fish, crustaceans and shellfish, chicken, liver, certain lettuces, insects, lean meat, and a few others.

Reproduction

Some common behaviors are well known among map turtles whose courtship and reproduction habits have been described. Those types of males with elongated front claws use their front claws like male slippery turtles. At first the male swept past the female while swimming, then turned his head to face her. Then he would shake his forelegs and long front paws against her cheeks[6]. After such a long period of courtship, the male will mate with the female. In species with short forepaws, this courtship sequence will be replaced by some other behavior. For example, it has been reported that the male Albama map turtle will quickly swing his head sideways toward the female's nose [7]. Female map turtles routinely lay several clutches of eggs during a breeding season. The number of eggs per clutch averages from 4 to 16, depending on the species. They take 60 to 75 days to hatch. When laying eggs, females usually choose well-drained locations such as sandy beaches and open fields. For some species of map turtles, the temperature at which the eggs hatch can affect their eventual sex. When the incubation temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, most of the hatched male turtles are hatched, while the eggs are kept at a temperature of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, and the hatching is female turtles.

Habitat

The habitat of map turtles varies by species. Many map turtles seem to prefer living in rivers to ponds and lakes. In fact, the distribution of some species is limited to the water system of a certain river. G. geographica, G. ouachitensis, and G. pseudogeographica inhabit ponds and swamps in addition to slow-moving rivers. Among these turtles, places with dense aquatic vegetation seem to be more popular [5]. While other species [G. versa (Annotation: Texas map turtle, English name: Texas map turtle), G. nigrinoda, G. flavimaculata and G. oculifera], live in medium or even faster flow, the bottom is sand and clay There are also traces of them in the streams, although the bottom is covered with limestone, silt, gravel. Regardless of the type of habitat, adequate sunbathing space is an essential element.

Map turtle care knowledge

Although captive feeding Map turtles have achieved great success, but the living environment of wild map turtles is worrying, so now people have mastered certain rules for the breeding of map turtles, and now map turtles in the wild need people to protect their homes.

Captive map turtles are not as common as sliding and painted turtles, and when they are, they tend to be single individuals, usually males. Map turtles can live well in captivity, but they must be cared for in the right way. For the most part, their care methods are similar to those for sliding and painted turtles. Compared with other aquatic turtles, map turtles have poor tolerance to poor water quality. For the turtle's health, the water must be kept clean.

Map turtles are in constant danger due to their limited range. Many different factors, natural and man-made, can affect their long-term survival. Inhabited colonies are more likely to be wiped out by natural disasters than scattered colonies.

The degradation of the habitat may also have a greater impact on these small populations. Agricultural competition, waste from upstream industrial areas and cities, and large-scale development along rivers have all hit the local map turtles. Collecting wild animals, especially rare species, has also contributed to population declines. Unfortunately, it is not enough to protect areas where map turtles are infested. Because they live in rivers and not in ponds or lakes, things that happen upstream can also have a huge impact on them going beyond protected areas. This is not a problem specific to map turtles, but it must be successfully addressed if the next generation is to enjoy the pleasure of observing these shy but rare and showy turtles in their natural environment.

Feeding points for map turtles

The food that map turtles like to eat will surprise you, because his teeth are very strong, so he will eat some Very hard food, we don't necessarily need to give him all the food when we raise it at ordinary times, but we must ensure comprehensive nutrition.

The survey found that keeping map turtles is still not as common as sliding and painted turtles. Under normal circumstances, map turtles can live well under the conditions of artificial breeding, but this premise still needs to be taken care of in the correct way, and it is necessary to formulate suitable breeding rules for different map turtles. In more cases, the care methods of map turtles are similar to the requirements for raising sliding and painted turtles. Compared with other aquatic turtles, map turtles have poor tolerance to poor water quality. Therefore, to ensure the health of map turtles, it is necessary to keep the water quality clean.

Whether the map turtle is easy to raise, in addition to examining its individual living habits and characteristics, it also depends on how the breeder raises it. When it comes to how to raise map turtles, it also depends on the breeder. Usually, it is the key to know more about the living habits and requirements of map turtles, and to do what they like, and targeted feeding is the key. The map turtle is very similar to the Brazilian tortoise. Head markings and raised dorsal ridges are common features of this species. It is named after the yellow markings all over the body that are very similar to a map. There are many subspecies, Taiwan introduced the Mississippi map turtle distributed in the Mississippi River Basin. Most of the other subspecies have not been introduced.

Map turtles feed on aquatic clams and snails as their staple food, so their tooth plates are very hard and can crush carapaces. It is also important to note that they will bite the tail or neck of other gentle turtles in polyculture. It is more suitable for mixing with North American turtles. In the artificial environment, any food is eaten and the appetite is large, and it grows rapidly. Male and female discrimination is the same as that of the Brazilian tortoise. Egg-laying and reproductive habits are also the same. It is just that the adaptability to the environment is poor, and the number of introductions is small. Therefore, it did not multiply locally like the Brazilian tortoise.