Family: Emydidae, Pond and Box Turtles view all from this family

Description 4-10" (10.2-25.4 cm). Easily identified by extraordinarily long, striped neck, almost as long as shell. Carapace finely wrinkled, has netlike pattern. Vertical light stripes on rump; wide stripe on each foreleg. Male smaller than female and has long thick tail.

Subspecies Eastern Chicken Turtle (D. r. reticularia), carapace with narrow greenish or brownish netlike lines, and narrow yellow rim; coastal plain from se. Virginia to Mississippi River.
Florida Chicken Turtle (D. r. chrysea), carapace with bold orange rim, plastron orange or bright yellow; Florida peninsula.
Western Chicken Turtle (D. r. miaria), carapace with broad but faint netlike lines, plastron with dark seam; west of Mississippi River from se. Oklahoma to Louisiana and e. Texas.

Breeding Nesting season varies with latitude; March in South Carolina, throughout the year in Florida. Lays several clutches each year of 5-15 elliptical eggs, 1 3/8" (37 mm) long, in cavity about 4" (10.2 cm) deep. Males mature in 2-4 years or at 4" (10.2 cm) long; females 6-8 years at 7" (18 cm).

Habitat Shallow ponds and lakes with dense vegetation; also ditches and cypress swamps.

Range The coastal plain from se. Virginia to Florida, west to e. Texas, north to Oklahoma and Missouri.

Discussion It is often observed basking or encountered wandering on land. Some are struck down crossing highways. It is generally shy, but most bite. Chicken Turtle meat was once favored in southern markets.