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Red-bellied Terrapin
- Colouration
- The carapace is brownish or olive, with blotches, streaks or irregular bands of red. Each of the marginal shields, both above and beneath, have a reddish band passing through the centre. Plastron usually dull red, or deep orange, tinged with red at the borders.
- Dimensions
- Grows to a length of about twelve inches; the width of a specimen this size would be about 7 1/2 inches and the height of the shell about 4 1/2 inches.
- Distribution
- Occurs in eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, the two Virginias and northern North Carolina. It is numerous in the Delaware River, in New Jersey and commonly sold in the larger markets.
- Habits
- This terrapin occurs principally in rivers with a rocky bed.
Differs from the preceding in the much narrower shell, which is well rounded at the front and rear borders; the jaws are deeply serrated.
Head markings.--Head and neck dark brown, with obscure, reddish bands; two distinct, narrow, reddish-yellow lines from behind the eye to the neck, broad, red bands on the throat.