# Peninsular Cooter

*Pseudemys peninsularis*

Unlike many other turtles, Peninsular Cooters can sleep underwater, wedging themselves under logs or rocks to stay submerged and safe from predators.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Reptilia › Testudines › Emydidae › Pseudemys
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Slow-moving freshwater rivers, spring runs, ponds, lakes, and marshes with abundant aquatic vegetation and basking sites.
- **Diet:** Primarily herbivorous, feeding on algae, duckweed, eelgrass, and other aquatic plants; juveniles may occasionally consume small insects or snails.
- **Range:** Florida peninsula (United States)
- **Size:** Carapace length of 9 to 13 inches (23 to 33 cm), with females being significantly larger than males.
- **Lifespan:** 30 to 40 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat degradation, water pollution, road mortality during nesting migrations, and illegal collection for the pet trade.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and shy. If spotted basking, observe quietly from a distance of at least 15 feet to avoid startling them back into the water. Do not attempt to handle them, as they may scratch or deliver a painful bite in self-defense. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water to prevent infection, and seek medical advice if signs of infection develop.

## About

The peninsula cooter ( Pseudemys peninsularis ) is a species of freshwater turtle in the genus Pseudemys . It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the coastal plain cooter ( P. floridana ) when that turtle is not itself considered a subspecies of the river cooter ( P. concinna ).

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/d3235fa5-6919-4041-b695-a4122a77faeb
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/39825
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudemys peninsularis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/31273365/medium.jpg (José Garrido, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.