NORTHERN FALSE MAP TURTLES

     Every summer I see several northern false map turtles basking in sunlight on logs fallen into Lake Onalaska through a live camera and our computer screen.  Onalaska is a large backwater off the Mississippi River in Wisconsin.  

     This type of map turtle favors river and lake habitats, where they feed on snails, crayfish, tadpoles, insect larvae, carrion and aquatic vegetation.  

     Avid baskers, these turtles spend much time each sunny day lying in warming sunlight on shorelines, half-submerged rocks and trees lying in the water.  Basking kills parasites on their bodies, and warms these cold-blooded reptiles enough to enable them to be able to search for food and mates.  Being communal creatures, several of them are on a log or rock at once to soak up warming rays.  But being alert and cautious, they drop into the water whenever danger threatens.  

     We can admire the beauties of these mostly camouflaged turtles when they are basking together, quietly.  Their upper shells are dark, but they have attractive, yellow markings on their heads, necks and front legs.  

     Adult female false map turtles are noticeably larger than mature males of the same species.  Female top shells are as much as ten and a half inches long.  But those of males are only six inches at most.  Adult males, however, have longer front foot nails to tickle the faces of females when courting them.  And longer, thicker tails than females to be able to fertilize their mates.

     All species of turtles lay eggs on land.  Female false map turtles usually lay two sets of eggs per summer, with up to ten eggs in each clutch.  They dig holes in soft soil with their back legs, lay eggs in those holes, then cover them with the soil they dug out.  Striped skunks dig up and eat some nests of turtle eggs.  And raccoons, herons and other kinds of predators consume some of the small young.  Surviving young grow up without parental help.

     Interestingly, the top shells [carapaces] of turtles grow from ribs and backbone all grown together.  And their bottom shells [plastrons] develop from the breast bone.

     Turtles, including northern false map turtles, are handsome and interesting creatures, in the wild where they belong.  If readers find live, wild turtles in their native habitats, please leave them there!             

     

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