Florida Redbelly

Basking turtle with a highly-domed shell. Pseudemys nelsoni usually has strong reddish to orangish tint on plastron that is very distinctive in young. Juveniles also exhibit plastral markings in complete semicircular form also the seams of the plastron. Broad vertical stripe on second costal is also indicative of this species. Few head stripes are seen but a light stripe running between the eyes creates an arrowhead pointing at the snout. The notch on the upper jaw of the Florida Redbelly is bordered on either side by strong cusps.