Morphological Variation in Turtles 



of the Genus Pseudemys (Testudines: Emydidae) 



From Central Atlantic Drainages 



Michael E. Seidel 



Department of Biological Sciences 



Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25701 



AND 



William M. Palmer 



North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences 



P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, North Carolina 2761 1 



ABSTRACT. — Thirty morphometric and 15 qualitative characters 

 were analyzed to compare Pseudemys rubriventris, P. floridana 

 floridana, and P. concinna concinna in the eastern United States. 

 Taxonomic characters that have been employed to define these species 

 are reexamined. Principal components and discriminant analyses 

 indicate that P. rubriventris is morphologically distinct from the other 

 two Pseudemys. Several additional useful taxonomic characters were 

 found, but some character convergence or hybridization between P. 

 rubriventris and congeners was detected. No morphometric divergence 

 was found between P. f. floridana and P. c. concinna, and only 

 markings appear to separate the two forms. As reported in previous 

 works, P. floridana inhabits the coastal plain and P. concinna inhabits 

 the piedmont. Populations occurring in a relatively broad area 

 overlapping the Fall Line of North Carolina have morphological 

 character states that are variable and somewhat intermediate between 

 these two species. 



Cooter and redbelly turtles are aquatic species of emydids that 

 inhabit the eastern and south-central United States. They are relatively 

 large (up to 420 mm carapace length) basking species with striped head 

 markings and primarily herbivorous feeding habits. Following Seidel 

 and Smith (1986) and Ward (1984), current classification places these 

 turtles in the genus Pseudemys, separate from sliders (Trachemys) and 

 painted turtles (Chrysemys) (Collins 1990, Ernst and Barbour 1989, 

 King and Burke 1989). The genus Pseudemys includes three redbelly 

 species [P. alabamensis Baur, P. nelsoni Carr, P. rubriventris (LeConte)] 

 and three cooter species [P. concinna (LeConte), P. floridana (LeConte), 

 P. texana Baur]. 



Taxonomic relationships in the genus Pseudemys are problematic 

 as indicated by an extensive history of species-subspecies revisions (see 

 Smith and Smith 1980 for a review). Frequently, in areas of sympatry, 



Brimleyana 17:105-135, December 1991 105 



