Red-Bellied Turtle

## Physical Description

The carapaces of adult red-bellied turtles are on average 26 to 32 cm in length. The carapace is a mahogany black color with red lines running dorso-ventrally. They have a serrated front upper-jaw. The head is brown and arrow-shaped with a yellow line that extends between the eyes and snout. A series of consecutive thick and thin yellow bands come off the anterior of the eye and travel laterally down the neck. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism. The plastrons of male red-bellied turtles are light pink. They have long, straight claws on their feet and an anal opening that extends beyond the shell. The females are larger than the males with brighter red plastrons containing gray borders. The hatchlings of P. rubriventris have an orange plastron and a green carapace covered with light green markings. The skin is light green as well. A possible subspecies, P. rubriventris bangsi of Massachusetts, has a greater height (by 2.4 times) due to a more domed carapace.

## Geographic Range

The range of Pseudemys rubriventris spans the Mid-Atlantic coastal waters of the USA from New Jersey to North Carolina. This includes areas east to the Potomac River and west to W. Virginia. There is a disjunctive population of eastern red-bellied turtles in Massachusetts, as well as a small, introduced population in Long Island, New York.

## Habitat

Eastern red-bellied turtles inhabit large freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and creeks. Most of these waters are fast moving, deep-bodied, and contain a muddy bottom where the water depth ranges from 2-3.5 m. Occasionally, P. rubriventris are found in brackish water at the mouths of rivers. They surround themselves with aquatic vegetation, rocks, and logs for basking in the sun. Eastern red-bellied turtles become terrestrial for short periods of time while laying eggs in June or July. They show little evidence of migration and often occupy the same habitat year-round.

## Reproduction

The mating of P. rubriventris has never been observed. Scientists know mating does occur in shallow water in the fall or spring. With regards to a closely related species, the male pursues the female and sniffs her tail after the female releases a pheromone. In the following mating ritual, he then swims above and in front of her in the water and rapidly strokes her face with his claws. If a female accepts his advances, the male then swims behind the female, mounting her for copulation.

Female eastern red-bellied turtles dig a nest cavity 10 cm wide by 10 cm deep in the sand in early June or July. This nest cavity is found in a well-insulated area 90 m from the water, and 1 m above pond level.  Pseudemys rubriventris produce one clutch of eggs yearly containing 8 to 22 eggs. Hatching occurs in 73 to 80 days. The hatchlings emerge from August to October. If late nesting occurs, hatchlings do not emerge before the winter. Eggs incubated on natural sand are larger and have a better chance of survival than eggs incubated in artificial settings. Due to the loss of natural habitats, female red-bellied turtles sometimes lay eggs in homeowner's yards. Females try to return to the same nesting sights every year. Female P. rubriventris provide no parental care once they lay their eggs and cover the nest

Psuedemys rubriventris lay eggs under 10 cm of sand. The young emerge as hatchlings after 73 to 80 days and quickly make their way to the nearest water source, where they will develop into adults. Hatchlings are typically between 29 and 36 mm in plastron length. Eastern red-bellied turtles reach sexual maturity after 5 to 9 years.

## Behavior

Red-bellied turtles are diurnal reptiles, spending most of their days basking on logs and swimming. They are most active from April to October. During winter, when water is covered with ice, Pseudemys rubriventris hibernate in the mud at the bottom of rivers. Red-bellied turtles are not territorial. They are shy and wary of humans and predators and swim rapidly and bury themselves in the mud when scared. Numerous individuals frequently inhabit the same rocks or logs while sunbathing. However, aggression over basking spots between P. rubriventris and Chrysemys picta has been observed.

## Communication and Perception

There is little known communication among P. rubriventris. They frequent the same rocks and logs while sunbathing and often sit on top of each other. Regarding a closely related species, females communicate by the emission of pheromones and males by tactile contact and a mating dance.

## Food Habits

Red-bellied turtles primarily eat aquatic vegetation and algae such as Myriophyllum, Utricularia, and Sagittaria. Secondary food sources include crayfish, snails, fish and tadpoles. Juveniles are herbivorous and adults are omnivorous. Laboratory hatchlings can be fed brine shrimp.

## Predation

Common predators of P. rubriventris include raccoons, skunks, crows, herons and bullfrogs Lawn mowers frequently kill turtles resting in grass. Housing developments around rivers and ponds result in loss of nesting sights. Crows, rats and mice eat the hatchlings and eggs. Red-bellied turtles escape predators by burying themselves in the mud, swimming aggressively, or by withdrawing into their shells.