Head to head
Mississippi Map Turtle vs Alabama Map Turtle
A Mississippi map turtle and an Alabama map turtle both belong to a genus known for many closely related, river-specific species, yet one occupies one of the largest river systems in North America while the other is confined to a single, more limited drainage.
| Mississippi Map Turtle | Alabama Map Turtle | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii | Graptemys pulchra |
| Identifying feature | Crescent mark behind the eye | Dramatic female jaw width |
| Range | Mississippi River drainage and adjacent systems | Mobile River drainage, mainly Alabama |
| Range size | Very large | More restricted |
| Main threat | None major | Dam construction, river alteration |
| Diet | Insects, snails, small crustaceans | Mussels, snails, insect larvae |
| Basking behaviour | Groups on logs and rocks | Groups on logs and sandbars |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mississippi Map Turtle vs Alabama Map Turtle: common questions
How can you tell a Mississippi map turtle from an Alabama map turtle?
The Mississippi map turtle has a distinctive small crescent-shaped mark behind each eye, a convenient identification shortcut, while the Alabama map turtle is instead better distinguished by the dramatic size difference between male and female jaws, along with its more limited range confined mainly to the Mobile River drainage.
Which of these two map turtles has the more restricted range?
The Alabama map turtle has the more restricted range, found largely within the Mobile River drainage of Alabama and adjacent areas, while the Mississippi map turtle ranges much more broadly across the vast Mississippi River drainage and adjacent river systems of the central United States.
Do both species show a size difference between males and females?
Yes, both the Mississippi map turtle and the Alabama map turtle show females growing considerably larger than males, a pattern common among map turtles generally, though the Alabama map turtle's jaw-width difference specifically is particularly pronounced, letting females crush notably harder-shelled prey than males can manage.