Identification

• There is a yellowish mark that resembles a backward crescent behind each eye of a Mississippi map turtle. A much thinner yellow line exists on the top of the turtle's head that appears to separate these crescents.
  
  

Size

• While female Mississippi map turtles are sometimes twice as long as males, with some reaching 10 inches in length, the males have longer tails.The base of the male's tail is also thicker than the female's, which is the main way people identify the turtle's sex.
  
  

Geography

• This turtle species lives throughout most of the Mississippi River Valley, from as far north as Nebraska and Illinois southward into Mississippi and portions of Texas.
  
  

Habitat

• Mississippi map turtles prefer to live in lakes, rivers and larger brooks and streams. They typically do not make their way into small farm ponds or isolated creeks and swamps. Map turtles will look for a habitat with plenty of vegetation to dine upon.
  
  

Considerations

• Mississippi map turtles make poor pets because they are shy and need large areas of water to thrive, but this has not stopped people from trying.