Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)

County List:

Rule:

Forested or Nonforested Landscapes

      (Lake or River)
   containing:
      Dead Down Woody Debris

Habitat List:

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Literature:

Map turtles live in the larger lakes, rivers, and oxbow sloughs, where they are often seen basking on emergent logs and rocks. When disturbed, these shy animals dive into the water and hide under logjams or submerged brush. Map turtles are powerful swimmers and, unlike most turtle species, will inhabit waters with fairly strong currents.

The wide jaws of adult females are well adapted for crushing the shells of snails, other mollusks, and crayfish. The males feed on aquatic insects and smaller mollusks. Feeding takes place under water.

Female map turtles dig their nest holes in sunny spots near the water, often on warm, rainy evenings, from late May to early July.

Habitat: Aquatic, inhabiting rivers and lakes. Prefers large bodies of water with soft bottoms and aquatic vegetation. Hibernates in mud of shallow water from late fall to early spring. May be active on or under ice. Gregariously basks on logs or rocks or along beaches and grassy shores. In Michigan, found in riffles of pebble-bottom streams that have interspersed, deeper, muddier pools. Move from shallow bays to nesting areas and reenter bays to overwinter in Quebec.

Special Habitat Requirements: Water bodies with muddy or soft bottom substrate.

Nests made in soft sand or soil away from beaches.