Added February 26 2004.

Deirochelys

Chicken Turtles

Deirochelys is a monotypic genus containing the single species D. reticularia. Although related to the sliders and cooters, they are much less known, either in or outside captivity. The common name arises from the supposed taste of the animal's flesh. Both in the wild and in captivity it is quite shy.

Conant and Collins note that the closest relative of this genus may in fact be Emydoidea, Blanding's Turtle. Both genera have the longest necks of any North American turtle save the soft-shells, and in both the first vertebral scute is in contact with four marginals and the nuchal. The main difference between the two is in the plastron, rigid in Deirochelys but hinged in Emydoidea.

Walls considers the species to have been neglected by both scientists and hobbyists, but also considers it to be a difficult species to keep (owing to the difficulty of maintaining clean enough water) and not for beginners or even moderately advanced hobbyists. Müller also questions its suitability as a beginner's turtle.

Species Name	Common Name	Location	Size	Notes
D. reticularia	Chicken Turtle	SE USA from N Carolina to New Mexico	25cm /10" max: 4-6" avg.	This is a more terrestrial turtle than some of its relatives in the Emydidae, often travelling across land. It prefers shallow, slow or non-moving and quiet water. Diet is relatively omnivorous. The skull and neck are long, about ¾ the length of the carapace, and the head is pointed. Carapace: low; 1st vertebral scute contacts nuchal and 4 marginals. Young are slightly keeled: this disappears in adults. Smooth back edge lacks serrations. Scalation: supracaudal usually undivided, with a horny tip on the tail. Head has obvious supranasals. Wide frontal and complete prefrontals. Large imbricated scales on front limbs in 4-5 longitudinal rows. 5 claws at the front, 4 at the back. Coloration: carapace varies from brown to olive green; strongly striped neck; each foreleg has 1 broad yellow stripe; hindlegs also striped, giving impression of "striped pants" [trousers]: see also subspecies entries. Reproduction: females are larger than males, whose plastron is more convex and whose tails are longer . Courtship is similar to that of other New World emydids, the male waving his foreclaws in front of the female's face. Apart from in Florida, where D. r. chrysea nests from September to March, the species lays two clutches, one in spring and one in autumn. Clutch size averages about 8. See Walls for further details. Females become sexually mature at 6"/3 yrs old, males at 3"/2yrs old.
D. r. reticularia	Eastern Chicken Turtle	SE USA (N Carolina to Mississippi, excluding Florida: isolated colony in SE Virgina)		Coloration: overall much duller than the other subspecies, with the carapace reticulation narrow and greenish or brownish.
D. r. chrysea	Florida Chicken Turtle	USA (Florida peninsula)		This is the species most usually seen in the pet trade. Coloration: carapace has bright orange or yellow reticulation in young that becomes much duller in older specimens: rim is edged with . Plastron is orange or bright yellow and lacks patterning. There are more stripes on the head than in the other subspecies [Walls].
D. r. miaria	Western Chicken Turtle	USA (S Oklahoma, S & E Arkansas, E New Mexico, Louisiana, E Texas)		Coloration: reticulation on carapace is broader than in D. r. reticularia but only slightly lighter than overall colour. Plastron has a lot of black. Chin and throat lack yellowish stripes of the other subspecies.

Biography

Turtles and Tortoises of the World, David Alderton, Blandford, London 1999.

A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, R Conant and J T Collins, Peterson Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin, Boston/New York 1998.

Schildkröten, Gerhard Müller, Eugen Ullmer, Stuttgart 1995.

Cooters, Sliders & Painted Turtles, Jerry G Walls, TFH, New Jersey 1996. Informative book that includes a chapter on "The Neglected Chickens".

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