Reptiles
Texas Cooter
Pseudemys texana · also called Texas cooters
Basking on a sun-warmed log along a central Texas river, a Texas cooter occupies one of the more narrowly defined ranges of any North American turtle, found almost nowhere outside the specific river systems its name references.
Overview
The Texas cooter, Pseudemys texana, is a large, herbivorous turtle native to rivers and associated wetland habitat across a range concentrated in central Texas. Its naturally narrow, state-specific range, close resemblance to several other cooter species, and typical basking lifestyle make it a fitting namesake among a genus of turtles that often carry the name of the specific region they call home.
A cooter that rarely leaves its home state
While several of its cooter relatives range across multiple southeastern states, the Texas cooter stays remarkably close to home, found almost exclusively within the river systems of the one state its common name references.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable river and wetland habitat within its naturally narrow range in central Texas.
Texas Cooter: common questions
Why is the Texas cooter found almost only in Texas?
This species has a naturally narrow native range concentrated in river systems within Texas, making it one of the more geographically specific turtle species found in the United States, a distribution pattern shaped by the specific river systems and habitat conditions the species has adapted to over time.
How can you tell a Texas cooter from other cooter species?
This species closely resembles several other cooter species in general shell shape and colouration, so precise range is often more useful for confirming identification than appearance alone, since a basking turtle found specifically within central Texas river systems is considerably more likely to be this species than a similarly patterned relative found elsewhere.
What does the Texas cooter eat?
This species feeds mainly on aquatic vegetation, supplemented with some algae and small aquatic invertebrates, a diet consistent with the broader herbivorous tendency shared across most cooter species within the same genus.
Where does the Texas cooter bask?
This species relies on exposed logs, rocks, and banks for basking, spending considerable time out of the water to regulate its body temperature in the sun before returning to forage, a basking habit typical of cooter species generally.