Few specimens have been found on the Savannah River Site. The head and neck may be sprinkled with additional yellow or orange spots. The spotted turtle occupies shallow wetlands and slow-moving streams with soft substrates and aquatic vegetation. The spotted turtle is most active in the spring. Males have a thickened tail, brown eyes, tan chin, and a concave plastron.
Females have a yellow chin and orange eyes.
The nesting season occurs from May to July, but varies throughout the species' range. The spotted turtle feeds primarily on plants and invertebrates. The chicken turtle has an extremely long neck and is named for a yellow reticulate pattern on its carapace. The smooth, pear-shaped carapace is olive to dark brown. The black markings on the bridge between the plastron and carapace are variable in appearance or may be lacking altogether.