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Share your observations of plants or non-game animals with the Natural Heritage Inventory.
Help care for rare plants and animals by ordering an Endangered Resources plate.
- Contact information
- For information on Wisconsin's rare animals, contact:
- Rich Staffen
Conservation Biologist
608-266-4340
False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)
Photo © A.B. Sheldon
Overview
Overview
False map turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica) are a Species of Special Concern in Wisconsin and prefer large rivers with sand, gravel and coble substrates. They overwinter in deeper water behind structures that create an immediate downstream eddy where they singly or communally sit up on top of the substrate, which is almost always sand. False maps are active from April through mid-October, breed in spring or fall and nest in late May through early July. This species may double clutch during this period. Eggs hatch from early August to early September but can overwinter in nests. This species is not actively tracked in the Natural Heritage Inventory Database, but it could be tracked in the future if there is further evidence of its decline.
State status
Status and Natural Heritage Inventory documented occurrences in Wisconsin
The table below provides information about the protected status - both state and federal - and the rank (S and G Ranks) for False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica). See the Working List Key for more information about abbreviations. Counties shaded blue have documented occurrences for this species in the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory database. The map is provided as a general reference of where occurrences of this species meet NHI data standards and is not meant as a comprehensive map of all observations.
Note: Species recently added to the NHI Working List may temporarily have blank occurrence maps.
| Summary Information | |
|---|---|
| State Status | none |
| Federal Status in Wisconsin | none |
| State Rank | S3? |
| Global Rank | G5 |
| Tracked by NHI | W |
| WWAP | m-SIN |
Species guidance
A guidance document is not available at this time. Use the information from the other tabs and contact local biologists, as needed, to develop management and avoidance strategies.
Other resources
Links to additional False Map Turtle information
Other links related to reptiles
Photos/Video
Video
Photos
Click to view a larger version. Please considering donating a photo to the Natural Heritage Conservation Program for educational uses. Photo use
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Female False Map Turtle
Photo © A.B. Sheldon.
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False Map Turtle
Photo © A.B. Sheldon.
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Photo © A.B. Sheldon.
