Barbour's map turtle
Barbour's map turtle is a freshwater turtle species native to the southeastern United States, particularly found in the coastal waters of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. This species is characterized by its detailed shell patterns, featuring olive to dark-brown carapaces and cream-colored plastrons. There is a notable size difference between the sexes, with males measuring between 3.5 to 5 inches and females ranging from 6.5 to 10 inches in length. Barbour's map turtles inhabit clear, limestone-bottomed streams and are often seen basking on logs or snags to absorb warmth.
These turtles are carnivorous, with females primarily consuming mussels and larger snails, while males eat smaller snails, insects, crayfish, and fish. Nesting occurs from April to August, during which females lay 7 to 10 eggs per clutch, usually producing up to four clutches annually. While they are not social creatures and do not provide care for their young, Barbour's map turtles are adept at self-defense, often retracting their limbs into their shells when threatened. Though their lifespan is uncertain, estimates suggest they may live up to 40 years. The species is currently considered threatened, with various predators potentially impacting their eggs and hatchlings. Barbour's map turtle is named after scientist Thomas Barbour, who significantly contributed to turtle research.
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Barbour's map turtle
Barbour's map turtles are a freshwater turtle species native to the southeastern United States. They are one of the many different kinds of map turtles. Map turtles are those with detailed designs and stripes on the backs of their shells and on their heads.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Chelonia
Family: Emydidae
Genus: Graptemys
Species: Barbouri
Barbour's map turtles, like other turtles, have hard, protective, outer shells covering their softer body parts. These shells are made up of two parts. The parts covering the turtles' backs are called carapaces and the parts covering the turtles' bellies are called plastrons. The carapaces and plastrons are connected by a bridge of tiny bones extending upwards from the plastrons. Barbour's map turtles have olive to dark-brown carapaces and greenish-yellow to cream-colored plastrons. Their skin is dark brown to black with cream strips. Male Barbour's map turtles are much smaller than the females. The males grow to be between 3 1/2 and 5 inches (9 and 13 centimeters) long, while the females grow to be between 6 1/2 and 10 inches (17 and 26 centimeters) long.
Barbour's map turtles live in clear, limestone-bottomed streams with snags and limbs hanging over them. They are usually found near the coastal waters around Georgia, Alabama, and Florida near the Gulf of Mexico. Although they rarely travel onto land, they are often found basking, or sunbathing, on logs and snags leaning over the water. They do this for warmth. If they are startled or disturbed while they are basking they dive into the water for safety. Barbour's map turtles, like many other turtles, paddle through the water by moving their right forelimb and their left hindlimb, followed by their left forelimb and their right hindlimb. This pattern helps them in two ways. It helps propel them through the water and it also helps keep them moving in a straight direction. This system is very similar to paddling a canoe.
Barbour's map turtles are carnivorous, or meat-eating, turtles. The females live on a diet of mussels and large snails, while the males eat smaller snails, insects, crayfish, and fish. This difference in their diet is because of the size difference between males and females. The females eat bigger things, because they are bigger turtles. Barbour's map turtles catch their food by gaping their mouths open and sucking in whatever is near. This process causes a rush of water to be sucked in along with their food. Barbour's map turtles eat the food and push the water back out of their mouths.
Nesting season for the species is from April until August. Female Barbour's map turtles crawl onto the dry shores on the sides of the streams to lay their eggs. A group of eggs is called a clutch. Females produce several clutches a year, up to about four. Each clutch numbers about 7 to 10 eggs.
Barbour's map turtles are not social. Adult Barbour's map turtles have little involvement with their young. Males depart females after they mate. Females will move on from their young after they lay their eggs. After the eggs have hatched, the young turtles, or hatchlings, make their way into the water and survive on their own. The time between the laying and hatching of the eggs is called the incubation period.
Barbour's map turtles spend most of their time in water unless basking in the sun.
When Barbour's map turtles are frightened they may pull all of their limbs inside their hard, protective outer shell. It is not known exactly what preys on Barbour's map turtles, but raccoons, skunks, dogs, and foxes probably threaten their eggs and hatchlings.
The life span for Barbour's map turtles is not known for certain, but scientists estimat they may live about 40 years.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers Barbour's map turtles a threatened species.
Barbour's map turtles are named after the scientist Thomas Barbour who spent much of his life studying turtles.
Similar species from the genus Graptemys include:
- Cagle's Map Turtle(Gratemys caglei)
- Yellow-blotched Map Turtle(Graptemys flavmaculatata)
- Northern Map Turtle (Gratemys geographica)
Bibliography
“Barbour’s Map Turtle.” Animalia, 2024, animalia.bio/barbours-map-turtle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
“Barbour’s Map Turtle.” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/freshwater-turtles/barbours-map-turtle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
Vasseur, Gina. “Graptemys barbourin Barbour's Map Turtle.” Animal Diversity Web, 2012, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Graptemys‗barbouri. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.