Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Florida Red-bellied Cooter

Pseudemys nelsoni

Carr, 1938

Florida Red-bellied Cooter

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
URESA Status
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104452
Element CodeARAAD07040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassChelonia
OrderTestudines
FamilyEmydidae
GenusPseudemys
USESAUR
Synonyms
Chrysemys nelsoni
Other Common Names
Florida red-bellied turtle (EN)
Concept Reference
King, F. W., and R. L. Burke, editors. 1989. Crocodilian, tuatara, and turtle species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Association of Systematics Collections, Washington, D.C. 216 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Sometimes has been placed in genus Chrysemys. See Seidel (1994) for a morphometric analysis and taxonomic treatment of the genus Pseudemys.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-11-27
Change Date1996-10-21
Edition Date2023-11-27
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2023)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
This species is widespread, common, and secure throughout its range in Florida and southeastern Georgia, USA.
Range Extent Comments
This species ranges throughout peninsular Florida, extending west to the Suwannee River and north to the Okefenokee region of southeastern Georgia, USA (Ernst and Lovich 2009, Krysko et al. 2019). There are two apparently disjunct populations in the Florida Panhandle (Ernst and Lovich 2009, Krysko et al. 2019). Using post-2004 (the past 20 years) GBIF (2023) records from within its native range, GeoCat (2023) calculated range extent to be approximately 213,324 km². The historical range extended as far north as eastern South Carolina (Ernst and Lovich 2009, GBIF 2023, Krysko et al. 2019).
Occurrences Comments
There are many dozens of large occurrences throughout Florida and several in Georgia (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, Krysko et al. 2019).
Threat Impact Comments
Road mortality, particularly during the summer months when females travel onto land to lay eggs, is an ongoing threat with low overall impact (Dodd et al. 2004, Ernst and Lovich 2009, Smith and Dodd 2003). Habitat loss and degradation is a general threat to turtles throughout the United States (Ernst and Lovich 2009). Invasive fish including vermiculated sailfin armored catfish (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus), blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), triploid grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and black pacu (Colossoma macroponum) are competing herbivores in parts of the range (Riedle et al. 2016).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is a generalist, inhabiting ponds, lakes, ditches, canals, sloughs, rivers, spring runs, cypress swamps, marshes, and mangrove-bordered creeks (Ernst and Lovich 2009). It appears to prefer areas with water lilies (Nymphaea sp.) over emergent grassy vegetation (Jackson 2006).

Ecology

In a Florida spring run, home range length generally was 120 m; in a lake, home range size was an order of magnitude larger (Kramer 1995).

Reproduction

Females lay an average of 19 (6-32) eggs per clutch with 2-3 clutches per season (Ernst and Lovich 2009, Krysko et al. 2019). Egg laying peaks in late spring and early summer, but can take place year-round in southern Florida (Ernst and Lovich 2009, Krysko et al. 2019). Nesting may occur away from water and often nests in alligator nests (Ernst and Lovich 2009, Krysko et al. 2019).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
FloridaS5Yes
GeorgiaS2Yes
TexasSNANo
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
4 - Transportation & service corridorsLarge (31-70%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsLarge (31-70%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

—

Roadless Areas (2)
Florida (2)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Farles PrairieOcala National Forest1,901
References (28)
  1. Ashton, R. E., Jr., and P. S. Ashton. 1985. Handbook of reptiles and amphibians of Florida. Part two. Lizards, turtles & crocodilians. Windward Pub., Inc., Miami. 191 pp.
  2. Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999b. A field guide to Florida reptiles and amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. xvi + 278 pp.
  3. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  4. Conant, R. and J. T. Collins. 1991. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 450 pp.
  5. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  6. Dodd, K. C., Jr., W. J. Barichivich, and L. L. Smith. 2004. Effectiveness of a barrier wall and culverts in reducing wildlife mortality on a heavily traveled highway in Florida. Biological Conservation 118: 619-631.
  7. Ernst. C. H., and J. E. Lovich. 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Second edition, revised and updated. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. xii + 827 pp.
  8. Ernst, C. H., and R. W. Barbour. 1972. Turtles of the United States. Univ. Press of Kentucky, Lexington. x + 347 pp.
  9. Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT). 2023. Online. Available: http://geocat.kew.org/ (Accessed 2023)
  10. Gibbs, M. A, B. N. Kurth, and C. D. Bridges. 2013. Age and growth of the loricariid catfish <i>Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus</i> in Volusia Blue Spring, Florida. Aquatic Invasions 8: 207–218.
  11. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
  12. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  13. Jackson, D. R. 1978. <i>Chrysemys nelsoni</i>. Cat. Am. Amph. Rep. 210.1-210.2.
  14. Jackson, D. R. 2006. <i>Pseudemys nelsoni</i> - Florida red-bellied turtle. In P. A. Meylan (ed.), Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 3:313-324.
  15. Jackson, D.R. 2010. <i>Pseudemys nelsoni</i> Carr 1938 – Florida red-bellied turtle. In: Rhodin, A.G.J., Pritchard, P.C.H., van Dijk, P.P., Saumure, R.A., Buhlmann, K.A., Iverson, J.B., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 5, pp. 041.1–041.8, doi:10.3854/crm.5.041.nelsoni.v1.2010, //iucn-tftsg.org/cbftt/.
  16. King, F. W., and R. L. Burke, editors. 1989. Crocodilian, tuatara, and turtle species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Association of Systematics Collections, Washington, D.C. 216 pp.
  17. Kramer, M. 1995. Home range of the Florida red-bellied turtle (<i>Pseudemys nelsoni</i>) in a Florida spring run. Copeia 1995:883-890.
  18. Krysko, K. L., K. M. Enge, and P. E. Moler. 2019. Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, Florida, USA, 706 pp.
  19. Munscher, E. C., A. D. Walde, E. M. Walton, N. Salvatico, B. P. Butterfield, W. Osborne, C. McAvinchey, and J. B. Hauge. 2017. Turtle survey of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park reveals more than mermaids. Herpetology Notes 10: 601-609.
  20. Munscher, E. C., A. D. Walde, T. Stratmann, and B. P. Butterfield. 2015. Exceptional growth rates observed in immature <i>Pseudemys </i>from a protected spring system in Florida. Herpetological Notes 8: 133-140.
  21. Riedle, J. D., E. H. Kuhns, E. C. Munscher, A. D. Walde, N. Salvatico, M. Keserauskis, B. P. Butterfield, and J. B. Hauge. 2016. The freshwater turtle community at Blue Spring State Park, Volusia County, Florida, USA. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 11(2): 362-372.
  22. Seidel, M. E. 1994. Morphometric analysis and taxonomy of cooter and red-bellied turtles in the North American genus <i>Pseudemys</i> (Emydidae). Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1(2):117-130.
  23. Seidel, M. E., and C. H. Ernst. 1996. <i>Pseudemys</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 625.1-625.7.
  24. Siders, Z. A., T. A. Stratmann, C. N. T. Tomaszewicz, A. D. Walde, and E. C. Munscher. 2023. Somatic growth and maturity for four species of river cooter including <i>Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis</i>, <i>P. nelsoni</i>, <i>P. peninsularis</i>, and <i>P. texana</i>. Biology 2023, 12, 965. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12070965
  25. Smith, L. L. and C. K. Dodd, Jr. 2003. Wildlife mortality on U.S. Highway 441 across Paynes Prairie, Alachua County, Florida. Florida Scientist 66(2):128-140.
  26. Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (TTWG) [Rhodin, A. G. J., J. B. Iverson, R. Bour, U. Fritz, A. Georges, H. B. Shaffer, and P. P. van Dijk]. 2021. Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status (9th Ed.). In: Rhodin, A. G. J., J. B. Iverson , P. P. van Dijk, C. B. Stanford, E. V. Goode, K. A. Buhlmann, and R. A. Mittermeier (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs 8:1–472. doi: 10.3854/crm.8.checklist.atlas.v9.2021.
  27. Turtle Taxonomy Working Group [van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Shaffer, H.B., Bour, R., and Rhodin, A.G.J.]. 2012. Turtles of the world, 2012 update: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. In: Rhodin, A.G.J., Pritchard, P.C.H., van Dijk, P.P., Saumure, R.A., Buhlmann, K.A., Iverson, J.B., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 5:000.243-000.328. Online. Available: www.iucn-tftsg.org/cbftt/.
  28. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2011. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; partial 90-day finding on a petition to list 404 species in the southeastern United States as threatened or endangered with critical habitat. Federal Register 76(187):59836-59862.