1904 ID M. Pileata

More from the 1904 Hay publication: Malaclemmys pileata. The Louisiana Terrapin Distribution. So far as is known, the range of this terrapin is along the Gulf coast from the region about the mouth of the Mississippi River eastward as far as Mobile Bay, and possibly well along the coast of Florida. Characters. This species is very similar to M. macrospilota in form and sculpture of carapace, size and shape of head, and proportion of parts, but it differs in coloration. The carapace is entirely black or very dark brown, except for the clear orange or dark yellow of the upturned marginal plates; the plastron is yellow, more or less inclined to dusky or olive, and sometimes with cloudings of brown or dusky. The ground color of the head and neck is a gray or green gray, very clear and light on the sides and lower part of the head, but gradually shading into dark olive brown or dusky on the neck, and everywhere thickly strewn with black or dark brown spots and specks; a large rhomboidal blackish patch on top of the head covers the entire area from nose to occiput, and touches the eyelids on each side; the horny covering of the upper lip is very broad and usually white, but often is strongly marked with dusky; between the upper lip and the black rhomboidal patch on top of the head and extending from nose to front of eye there is usually a streak of olive. The legs, tail, and soft skin of the body are nearly black, owing to the great quantity of black spots which practically cover the surface. The male is similar to the female, but the crests of the vertebral plates are nearly always knob-like, and the size is, of course, much smaller than the adult female. The black marking on the upper lip seems to be constantly present in the male, and has been compared by Maximilian to a moustache. The plastron is nearly always quite strongly clouded with brownish black. Maximilian’s specimens were received from New Orleans while he was at New Harmony, Indiana. Since then no specimens have been obtained until two years ago, when Dr. H. M. Smith, of the Bureau of Fisheries, received two or three from the same locality. These fit Maximilian’s description in every way and place the species on a firm basis. ………………. It has been possible to examine only three or four specimens of this turtle from the type locality, but I have seen large numbers of females from Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile, Alabama. They appear in the markets under the name of Biloxi terrapin or Gulf terrapin, and, next to the northern form of M. centrata, command the highest prices. They are said to be rather tough, however, and according to some opinions are not so delicately flavored as the “genuine Chesapeakes.” In one or two instances among the Mobile specimens there was the faintest possible indication of a large whitish blotch on each plate of the carapace, and subsequent investigation may show that the present specie sand M. macrospilota intergrade at some point on the Florida coast. At present, however, the indications of this are so slight that the two must be regarded as distinct.