Turtle's
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
Common slider is normally referred to as a red eared slider......or the dime store turtle. It is found in nj after being introduced(by accident) during the 50's-70's. Slider's refer to a whole species with many subspecies.
The red belly turtles in south jersey are northern red bellies (Pseudemys rubriventris). There are three subspecies of the red belly that are recognized with each separated geographically along the east coast from Massachusetts to Alabama. The Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana) is sometimes added to the group but is found only in central and eastern Texas. Other than the notching and cusping of the upper jaw, it has little resemblance to the northern red bellies and instead looks much like a form of the river cooter, which it was long associated with. The northern belly's range is from southern New Jersey south to northeastern North Carolina. There is isolated northern red bellies in southeastern Massachusetts and has long been distinguished as a separate subspecies (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi) but repeated studies have failed to find any characters to distinguish it from its southerly members of the same species. The northern red belly as (5) yellow lines on the face and as they grow older they become melanistic or get darker which obscures the lines on the face. The Florida red belly (Pseudemys nelsoni) is a southern form of Pseudemys rubriventris, differing mostly in having a brighter color and less dark patterning on the plastron of juveniles. The yellow stripes on the head are reduced in number (3) and sometimes partially fused. Lastly, the Alabama red belly (Pseudemys alabamensis). This subspecies is restricted to the rivers and streams around Mobile Bay in southern Alabama. The only reason this form of red belly is considered a distinct subspecies is because it presently does not come into contact with the Florida red belly. There is fossil evidence to show that the Florida red belly's range once extended north to South Carolina, and the recent discovery of an apparently undescribed red belly turtle to the north west of the range of the Alabama red belly ties in well with the idea that the red bellies all are part of what was one continuous species.
I was walking in BR state park last week and my father and I saw about 8 or 10 turtles sitting on a log in the part of the lake nearest the ranger station. I assumed they were painters but they were much larger than I am used to seeing them, I would say a foot or more from the back of the shell to the front. Am I correct in my assumption?
Usually painted turtles only get about 4 to 5 inches in length. I have only seen one painted turtle in the wild larger than that and i would say it was roughly 6 to 8 inches but most painted turtles are only the size of your hand or smaller. Im not sure where the BR park your talking about is but my guess on the turtle you saw would be a northern red belly.
Infinite sameness and I saw a ginormous snapping turtle the other day. It was spashing around in the water when I noticed it, but I didn;t realize what it was at that time. It's tail was so thick that I thought I might be looking at a beaver. I then noticed that it was very long, so I started suspecting that it might be a large pickerel. I'd say the turtle was at least 2 feet long. Sorry, no pics.
he he
I remember spotting him swimming along in the water oh the little buddy, I just fell in love with him at first sight he was happy and super friendly, I miss him!!! Everytime we canoe past that spot where we found him on the mulica i think about that cute little guy and hope he is doing happy turtle stuff lol!!! There are so many turtles along the canoe root upstream from sweetwater so good to see them thriving.
I remember spotting him swimming along in the water oh the little buddy, I just fell in love with him at first sight he was happy and super friendly, I miss him!!! Everytime we canoe past that spot where we found him on the mulica i think about that cute little guy and hope he is doing happy turtle stuff lol!!! There are so many turtles along the canoe root upstream from sweetwater so good to see them thriving.
We were in Bass River. Is there anothr name for the Northern Red Belly? Can't find any pics online. Thanks
here is an article i found on northern red bellies
http://www.thorntonburgess.org/Red Bellied Turtles.htm
As far as them going by another name i guess one could call them a cooter or a slider. I guess if you are not familiar with turtles you couldn't properly id one from far away.
Another article i found that has a picture of a northern red belly adult.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ar...rtle_could_put_snag_in_resort_casino_project/
http://www.thorntonburgess.org/Red Bellied Turtles.htm
As far as them going by another name i guess one could call them a cooter or a slider. I guess if you are not familiar with turtles you couldn't properly id one from far away.
Another article i found that has a picture of a northern red belly adult.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ar...rtle_could_put_snag_in_resort_casino_project/
That's it. Thanks. I found a bunch of info. on red belly cooters. In the article you posted it says they only inhabit a specific area in mass.
That article was from a Mass. newspaper. If you read the previous post that i posted you will see the range of the red belly and the different sub-species. I posted the link because i found them interesting and also because it has a picture which you wanted to see.
I see, I went back to your earlier post where you ID subspecies. Great info. Thanks for the help.
Silly question but I have to ask
This might be a silly question but I am new to the area. We are moving to a house on a large estuary in LEHT and I noticed a lot of turtles by the dock. My dogs love to swim. They won't bother the turtles but will the turtles bother them? Is there anything else out there that might pose a problem?
Where we came from, there were alligators waiting to chomp down on unsuspecting dogs. I'm just concerned. Thanks!
This might be a silly question but I am new to the area. We are moving to a house on a large estuary in LEHT and I noticed a lot of turtles by the dock. My dogs love to swim. They won't bother the turtles but will the turtles bother them? Is there anything else out there that might pose a problem?
Where we came from, there were alligators waiting to chomp down on unsuspecting dogs. I'm just concerned. Thanks!
Does LEHT refer to lower egg harbor township? If so you are probably seeing diamondback terrapins. There are completely harmless to your dogs as would anything else off your dock. Snapping turtles may be around but pose no real threat to a dog. Is the water brackish/salt?
If they are terrapins they are awesome turtles and a real treasure to have in your backyard...there protected too.
If they are terrapins they are awesome turtles and a real treasure to have in your backyard...there protected too.
snakes?
I'm referring to Little Egg Harbor Township, dragoncjo. Thanks for answering. I believe it's brackish but I'm not certain. Yes, they were terrapins but where I've seen them, there are other turtles and I was concerned about the snapping and alligator turtles. I love the little critters though!
I appreciate you responding and I will try to keep my dogs from disturbing them because, after all, I know it is their territory.
Are there moccasins around there?
I'm referring to Little Egg Harbor Township, dragoncjo. Thanks for answering. I believe it's brackish but I'm not certain. Yes, they were terrapins but where I've seen them, there are other turtles and I was concerned about the snapping and alligator turtles. I love the little critters though!
I appreciate you responding and I will try to keep my dogs from disturbing them because, after all, I know it is their territory.
Are there moccasins around there?
There are experts on this site that can correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read their northern most range is coastal Virginia.
Greg