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Student Name: Mildred Cortez
Grade:10th
Lamar High School
"Critter Information" must include:
Common Name: Yellow-blotched Map turtle.
Scientific Name: Graptemys flavimaculata.
Nick name: "narrow-headed."
What category is the species? Reptile
What does the species look like? The ground color of the carapace is olive to light green-brown. Each lateral plate of the carapace has a central yellow or orange blotch. The marginals have orange bars or semicircles opening posteriorly. The plates along the middle of the carapace have black, spine-like projections flanked by irregular orange blotches. The plastron is yellow to light beige with dark pigment, often fading with age, present along the seams of the plastron's plates.
What does the species eat?
They eat aquatic insects with some plant materials, algae, bryozoans, sponges, mollusks, and insects.
Describe their breeding (times of year, # of offspring, etc.).
Describe the environment that the species live best in.
They live in rivers and large creeks. Its preferred habitat has been described as river stretches with moderate currents, abundant basking sites, and sand bars.
Describe why the species has become endangered.
It is not known whether these deaths were a result of disease or were caused by some toxic agent in the water.
What steps have been taken to protect the species?
Measures to establish conservations easements could include cooperative agreements with landowners and identification of important habitat areas for protection emphasis or for fee title acquisition from willing sellers. If water quality degradation is found to be a problem in these areas the Enviromental Protection agency and the Mississippi Departmento of environmental quality regulations are met and to raise water quality standads if necessary.
What are some organizations that have assisted in improving the environment (living space) of the species?
Describe why you decided to study this particular organism.
What have you learned that you haven't already described above?
Where did you find the information you have collected?
I found information in the following page: http://acos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plans/1993/930315.pdf
Paste a graphic or picture of your organism here.
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