Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Plymouth Red-Bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris ssp. bangsi)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Emydidae

Listing Status:   

Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND

General Information

10-15 3/4" (25.4-40 cm). Carapace brown to black with flattened or slightly concave vertebral scutes; red bar on each marginal scute. Prominent notch at tip of upper jaw flanked by toothlike cusps; arrow-shaped stripe runs atop head, between eyes, to snout. Plastron reddish; dark markings along scute seams fade with age. Male has elongated, straight claws on front feet.

Map of Species occurrence

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Map Image Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence

This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)



This species is listed wherever it is found, but
    • States/US Territories in which the Plymouth Red-Bellied Cooter, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  Massachusetts
    • US Counties in which the Plymouth Red-Bellied Cooter, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
    • USFWS Refuges in which the Plymouth Red-Bellied Cooter, Entire is known to occur:  MASSASOIT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
04/02/1980 Northeast Region (Region 5) Entire

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 5)
Date Citation Page Title
10/03/2006 71 FR 58363 58364 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Plymouth Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi)
04/21/2006 71 FR 20717 20718 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Listed Species: the Purple Bean (Villosa perpurpurea), Clubshell (Pleurobema clava), Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi), Roanoke Logperch (Percina rex), Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata), Northern Riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana), Flat-spired Three-toothed Land Snail (Triodopsis platysayoides), Puritan Tiger Beetle (Cicindela puritana), and Dwarf Wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon)
04/02/1980 45 FR 21828 21833 ETWP; Listing as Endangered With Critical Habitat for the Plymouth Red- Bellied Turtle in Massachusetts
09/13/1979 44 FR 53422 53424 ETWP; Reproposal of Critical Habitat for the Plymouth Red-bellied Turtle
05/19/1978 43 FR 21702 21705 Proposed Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for Two Species of Turtles (Key mud turtle and Plymouth red-bellied turtle);

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
05/06/1994 Plymouth Redbelly Turtle View Implementation Progress Final Revision 2
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 1 of 1)
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
04/21/2006 71 FR 20717 20718 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Listed Species: the Purple Bean (Villosa perpurpurea), Clubshell (Pleurobema clava), Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi), Roanoke Logperch (Percina rex), Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata), Northern Riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana), Flat-spired Three-toothed Land Snail (Triodopsis platysayoides), Puritan Tiger Beetle (Cicindela puritana), and Dwarf Wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon)
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    09/10/2007 Northern Red-Bellied Cooter 5-Year Review

    » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 3 of 3)
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    04/02/1980 45 FR 21828 21833 ETWP; Listing as Endangered With Critical Habitat for the Plymouth Red- Bellied Turtle in Massachusetts Final Rule Final designated
    09/13/1979 44 FR 53422 53424 ETWP; Reproposal of Critical Habitat for the Plymouth Red-bellied Turtle Proposed Rule Not Required
    05/19/1978 43 FR 21702 21705 Proposed Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for Two Species of Turtles (Key mud turtle and Plymouth red-bellied turtle); Proposed Rule Final designated

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for Plymouth Red-Bellied Cooter, Entire

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 1 of 1)
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    10/03/2006 71 FR 58363 58364 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Plymouth Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi)
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: June 18, 2013