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Turtle Species
Chicken Turtle
Deirochelys reticularia
- Scientific nameDeirochelys reticularia
- Japanese nameアミメガメ
- FamilyPond turtles (Emydidae)
- Max carapace length26 cm
- Longest recorded lifespan24 years
- DietOmnivorous
- iNaturalist observations1,338
About this species
The chicken turtle is a turtle native to the southeastern United States. It is the only extant member of the genus Deirochelys and is a member of the freshwater marsh turtle family Emydidae. The chicken turtle's scientific name refers to its extremely long neck and distinctive net-like pattern on its upper shell. There are three regionally distinct subspecies, which are thought to have evolved when populations became separated during periods of glaciation. These subspecies can be distinguished by their appearance; the western chicken turtle displays dark markings along the seams of its plastron, while the plastron of the Florida subspecies is a bright yellow or orange color. Fossil records show that the chicken turtle has been present in the region for up to five million years.
Source: Wikipedia「Chicken turtle」 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
