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Chicken turtle
Florida chicken turtles (Deirochelys reticularia chrysea).
chicken turtle
reptile
Also known as: Deirochelys reticularia
chicken turtle, (Deirochelys reticularia), edible freshwater turtle (family Emydidae) found in the southeastern United States. The chicken turtle has an exceptionally long neck and a finely grooved upper shell covered with an open network of yellowish lines on a brownish background. Shell length is usually about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches).
The chicken turtle inhabits quiet bodies of water and probably feeds on both animal and vegetable material. It frequently leaves the water and travels about on land.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
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