Wild Herps - Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia)

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Deirochelys reticularia — Chicken Turtle

Subspecies I've seen:

D. r. chrysea

Florida Chicken Turtle

Deirochelys reticularia chrysea — Florida Chicken Turtle

Janes Scenic Drive, Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Collier County, Florida—December 26, 2004

Florida Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia chrysea)

Why did the turtle cross the road? To get to the other side, away from curious humans. And if wandering away doesn't scare off the people, making frightening faces might.

I had originally misidentified this turtle as the more common Florida Red-bellied Cooter. Thanks to Jake Scott for correcting me.

Printed references:

Ashton, R. E. Jr., Ashton, P. S. 1991. Handbook of Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida, Part Two: Lizards, Turtles, & Crocodilians, Revised Second Edition
Bartlett, R. D., Bartlett, P. B. 2011. Florida's Turtles, Lizards, and Crocodilians
Conant, R., Collins, J. T. 1998. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Third Edition, expanded
Ernst, C. H., Barbour, R. W. 1989. Turtles of the World
Ernst, C. H., and Lovich, J. E. 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada, Second Edition