132 Michael E. Seidel and William M. Palmer 



floridana. Many of the specimens in the area of the Fall Line appear to 

 be intermediate between P. concinna and P. floridana, forming an 

 apparent zone of intergradation. In a few instances typical P. floridana 

 and P. concinna appear to be in geographic proximity, but they are 

 rarely, if ever, observed in microsympatry. Pseudemys concinna is 

 found in rivers or impoundments, and P. floridana frequents more 

 lentic habitats, which include backwaters of coastal-plain rivers. Typical 

 examples of these turtles may be distinguished readily by their markings, 

 but there is no consistent external difference in cranial or shell 

 morphology, except perhaps shell depth. Furthermore, some of the 

 diagnostic characters that separate these species elsewhere in their 

 ranges apparently have little diagnostic value for P. concinna and P. 

 floridana on the Atlantic slope. In spite of these observations, we feel it 

 is premature to propose a conspecific relationship for the two taxa. The 

 senior author (MES) is currently examining morphological variation in 

 P. floridana and P. concinna throughout their entire ranges. Results 

 from that analysis, particularly an evaluation of P. f peninsularis, 

 should provide critical data for taxonomic decisions. 



KEY TO ADULT PSEUDEMYS 

 IN ATLANTIC COAST DRAINAGES 



1. Upper jaw with prominent notch bordered on each side by tooth- 

 like cusps (length of cusp 3-7% of head width). Gular and 

 supratemporal stripes narrow, 5-8% of head width. Cervical scute 

 long, 8-9% of carapace length. Lateral angle (slope) of carapace 

 steep, 1 10-1 17° in females and 100-106° in males. Angle formed by 

 lateral edges of xiphiplastron (anal scutes) broad, 68-75° in females 

 and 64-72° in males. Plastral ground color in living specimens pink 

 or coral P. rubriventris 



Upper jaw with only a very shallow notch or notch entirely absent. 

 Cusps either absent or very small (length less than 3% of head 

 width). Gular and supratemporal stripes broad, 8-12% of head 

 width. Cervical scute short, 7-8% of carapace length. Lateral angle 

 (slope) of carapace moderate, 97-109° in females and 87-95° in 

 males. Angle formed by lateral edges of xiphiplastron (anal scutes) 

 sharp, 58-67° in females and 44-55° in males. Plastral ground color 

 in living specimens pale yellow to orange 2 



2. Head and neck stripes numerous, at posterior edge of tympanum 

 more than 11. C-shaped mark on second pleural scute and/ or a 

 dark figure on the plastron. Posterior shell depth (at vertebral III- 

 IV sulcus) 33-36% of carapace length in females and 30-32% in 



