Description: The carapace of males and females is dark olive with some yellow and orange spots on the scutes (scales). The scutes around the perimeter of the carapace show a yellow semicircle pattern and the under shell is yellow. Skin on the head and body is blackish with yellow strips. There is a large yellow stripe found on top of the head that runs from the tip of snout to behind the eyes. There are also lateral stripes that sometimes connect with the larger central stripe. The legs have one or two stripes dorsally, ventrally, and laterally. The carapace has flattened spines on vertebral scutes 1 to 4. The spines on vertebral scutes 1 and 4 are smaller and directed strongly posterior, whereas those on vertebral scutes 2 and 3 are larger and directed moderately posterior.
Females are much larger than males with an average carapace length of 8.6 inches. The average carapace length of males is 4.3 inches The carapace in both males and females is longer than it is wide. The smallest recorded plastron (bottom part of shell) length of a male was 22 inches. There are some physical differences between males and females other than body size. Females are microcephalic with narrow heads. Males have a more pronounced tail, a more narrow head, and larger foreclaws. Offspring show slightly more resemblance to adult males than adult females, but generally the characteristics are the same. Offspring have an almost round carapace that is more grey in color than that of an adult. Also, spines on offspring are more posterior directed than on adults.
Habitat: Ringed map turtles prefer wide rivers, with either a clay or sandy bottom, that have moderate to strong currents. They require areas with abundant basking sites formed from debris and fallen trees. On occasion, individuals have been found in oxbow lakes in the same region that have clay or sandy lake beds. Females venture into terrestrial areas when laying eggs. This occurs on sandbars adjacent to river channels. It has been documented that these sandbars are 39% sand, 38% herbaceous vegetation, and 23% woody vegetation.
Range:Graptemys oculifera is endemic to the Pearl River system in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is most common in the main channel of the Pearl River, especially upstream of the Ross Barnett Reservoir, but is also found in the lowest reaches and the largest tributary of the Bougue Chitto River. The total length of the river the turtle inhabits is about 575 miles.
Diet: Ringed map turtles are omnivorous. They feed on plant material growing on the undersurfaces of logs, a majority being algae and flowers belonging to the family Asteraceae. They also feed heavily on adult and larval caddisflies (Trichoptera), true flies (Diptera), mayflies (Ephemeroptera), snails (Gastropoda), aquatic beetles and their larvae (Coleoptera), dragonfly nymphs (Odonata), and damselflies (Odonata).
Reproduction: Males and females become sexually mature at different ages. Males become sexually mature during the third or fourth season of growth, whereas females mature after nine seasons. Although there is little information about mating, it occurs at the end of April during the daytime. The gestation period is about two and a half weeks, and eggs are laid in nests on sandbars from mid-May to mid-June with the peak occurring in mid-June. The nests are 30 mm in diameter and depth, and are found 7 to 17.4 m from the edge of the river and close to vegetation. Females can lay up to two clutches a year, but they usually only lay one. Clutch size ranges from 1 to 10 eggs, with an average of 3 to 4 eggs. Offspring emerge from the nest in late July to early August after sunset and travel from the nest to the river.
Status: Ringed map turtles are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List as of August 2010. Populations remain stable or in decline due to threats of pollution, sedimentation, habitat loss through channel size decrease, and weather (hurricane) effects. Human destruction of the habitat is also negatively affecting populations of these turtles. Capture for the pet trade is likely to also negatively impact populations. This species is considered threatened throughout its range under the United States Endangered Species Act.
Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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