The Delta map turtle is one of the "sawbacked" types.
At the time I decided I wished to photograph the Delta map turtle in the wild, it was considered a named subspecies, Graptemys nigrinoda delticola, the darker and easternmore of the 2 forms of the. black-knobbed map turtle. Even back then, the subspecific differences, hence validity, had been questioned. And with the 2 races interbreeding widely and seeminly at every given opportunity, the differentiating features between the western and the eastern races were fast melding. It was becoming ever more difficult to separate them by appearance alone. But it still seemed that the map turtles at the eastern most periphery of the species range north of Mobile Bay were darker overall, often had linear postorbital markings, and had larger dark plastral figures than examples from further west. So, when, a couple of springs ago, I still wanted to see this turtle, Curtis suggested a “can’t miss” locale and Kenny and I, in the region for other reasons, headed northward from Mobile Bay.

Within 10 miles the sky darkened, the sun was obscured, immense cumulus clouds gathered and we drove into storms so intense that traffic was almost at a standstill. Still we crawled northward, eventually left the rain (but not the clouds) behind. An hour and a half later, in late afternoon, when we arrived at the map turtle destination it was still so dark that the cameras had problems focusing on the few Delta maps that were still hoping for sunlight on exposed snags. Although we decided to remain overnight and try our luck the next morning, cloudy conditions continued to prevail. The few pix we managed to take were suitable for vouchers but marginal (as you can see here) for more definitive purposes. Next time though—next time!

The entire head of some red-cheeked mud turtles is suffused with red.
Whether you consider the red-cheek a full species (Kinosternon cruentatum) or a subspecies of the scorpion mud turtle (K. scorpioides cruentatum), there can be little argument that some examples are one of, if not the, prettiest of the genus.

Long (and with good reason) a hobbyist favorite, the amount of red on the face of this 4 to 6 inch long aquatic turtle, can vary from little more than a facial smudge (and even this may dull with advancing age) to a long-lasting brilliant suffusion encompassing the entire head.

This small and easily kept turtle is native to the Yucatan Peninsula region (southeastern Mexico and Belize). Wild collected adult examples are still occasionally available and a fair number of hatchlings are produced in captivity.

Although these (and other kinosternids) can be kept in aquaria with shallow clean water, and although they seldom bask even when it is easy for them to do so, I do offer a shelf (or smooth flat rock, where they can rest an inch or two below the water’s surface. The turtles usually thrive on a diet of high quality pelleted food but will appreciate a periodic offering of a nightcrawler or a freshly killed minnow. Hardy and easily kept, be prepared to have your red-cheeks for decades.