| 4"-10", with an olive to black carapace that is oval, smooth, and flattened.
Scute seams are bordered with olive, yellow, or red and had red bars or
crescents on marginal scutes. Yellow plastron, and yellow or red
stripes on the neck, legs, and tail. This is the most widespread
turtle in North America, living throughout the eastern, modwestern, and
upper western portions of the U.S., from coast to coast. It lives
in slow-moving shallow streams, rivers, and lakes, usually with lots of
logs for basking. Very fond of basking and dozens can be seen on
the same log. Young begin carnivorous, but become herbivorous as
they mature. |
