Mississippi map turtle explained

The Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii), also known commonly as Kohn's map turtle, is a subspecies of land and water turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. G. p. kohnii is native to the central United States.

Etymology

The common name, Mississippi map turtle, derives not from the state of Mississippi, but rather from the Mississippi River.

The specific name, kohnii, is in honor of amateur naturalist Joseph Gustave Kohn (1837–1906) of New Orleans, Louisiana, who collected the type specimen.^{[1] [2]}

Geographic range

G. p. kohnii is found along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, from Illinois and Missouri southward.

Description

The gray carapace of G. p. kohnii is covered in yellow lines which resemble contour lines of a map.

Captivity

The Mississippi map turtle is a popular pet for aquarists and is very enjoyable to watch.

Further reading

• Conant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + 48 plates. (hardback), (paperback). (Graptemys kohni, pp. 56–57 + Plates 5, 8 + Map 19).
• Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 Plates, 207 Figures. . (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii, pp. 208–209, Figure 93 + Plates 16, 21).
• Smith HM

Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. (paperback). (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni, pp. 50–51.)

Notes and References

1. [Georg Baur|Baur G]
2. [species:Bo Beolens|Beolens, Bo]