Females reach a body size of almost 30 cm, while males rarely exceed 12 cm. This condition is not unusual in turtles with many species exhibiting similar differences in male and female body size. Since males don t need this advantage, they mature earlier at a smaller size so that they can begin to reproduce as early as possible. Life for map turtles is fairly relaxed. They spend long hours basking on logs in the river and intermittently feed on mussels and invertebrates.
Males tend to favor the invertebrates with females specializing on mussels.
The large jaws and crushing surfaces of the female mouth are special adaptations to this diet. During the night they sleep just below the surface clinging to log jams. Most of what we know of the reproductive ecology of these species is based on research on the Escambia map turtle. The nesting season lasts from late April to late July. Females lay clutches of about 7 eggs and several clutches can be produced in a single year.