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Turtle Species of the Mississippi Delta

Turtles are classified in the order Chelonia along with tortoises. Though turtles and tortoises exhibit many similarities -- most notably the possession of a shell -- most turtles live in water. Box turtles are the exception to this rule and are defined by their partially webbed feet and dome-shaped shell. The Mississippi Delta is an ideal climate for turtles because of its abundant vegetation, warm climate and many rivers and streams.

Eastern Box Turtle
- Box turtles have bright markings on their shells.
  
  The eastern box turtle is one of the most common turtle species of the Mississippi Delta. It's a relatively small turtle, growing only five to 10 inches as an adult. The plastron -- the bottom part of the shell -- is hinged and the turtle can pull its head in and completely close the hinge, unlike most other turtles. Eastern box turtles are typically brown or black with brightly-colored yellow or orange spots and stripes on their shells, heads and bodies. Though these turtles live on land and look more like tortoises than turtles, they are more closely related to water turtles like cooters and sliders and are therefore classified as turtles.
Mississippi Mud Turtle
- Mud turtles tend to live in muddy water.
  
  Mississippi mud turtles are found in shallow, stagnant water along the Mississippi Delta. They are unusually small water turtles and only grow to about five inches as adults. They can be identified by their brown, slightly dome-shaped shells. Their heads are brown or tan and may have faint yellow markings.
Cooter Turtles
- Cooters are large water turtles that grow as large as 15 inches as adults. They prefer living in rivers and are completely herbivorous. As babies they are brightly-colored with green shells and yellow markings on their heads. As adults they are drab brown or dark green in color with faint markings. Males are typically darker than females. Healthy turtles have shells that are mostly flat, with only a very slight dome, but disease can lead to a disfigured dome-shaped shell. Cooters are popular in the pet trade.
Chicken Turtle
- Chicken turtles are river turtles and can be identified by their long, striped necks. Adults have dark green shells and yellow or orange markings, while babies are brightly colored with intricate shell patterns. Their shells are typically rimmed with yellow or orange. These turtles are omnivores and eat a variety of river life, including crayfish, plants, fish and snails.
Mississippi Map Turtle
- Map turtles can be easily identified by their spiny shells. Some map turtles may have bony protrusions from their shells and all map turtles have a visible spine. Most are light brown and some have white or yellow markings on their shells with yellow patterns on their heads. Female map turtles are double the size of males and can grow as large as 10 inches, while males are typically only four to six inches. These turtles are omnivores and live in rivers.

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