The distribution of the Escambia map turtle, Graptemys ernsti, long thought to be a variant of the Alabama map turtle, is restricted to parts of the Choctawhatchee, Escambia, Yellow, and Shoal rivers and tributaries in western Florida and adjoining Alabama.



The Escambia map turtle is quite similar in appearance and habits to the more easterly Barbour's map turtle and the more westerly Alabama map turtles.

As with other map turtles, there is marked sexual dimorphism in this species. Females attain an adult carapace length of 9 to 11 inches and males are less than half that size. Like several other map turtle species, females develop an immense head and the diet of the adult shifts from the insects of the juveniles to the snails, clams, and mussels of the adult. Males eat insects throughout their lives.

At 14 to 20 years of age the females attain sexual maturity. Males, as noted, smaller and less bulky, may begin breeding when only 3 to 6 years old. Females nest from late spring through midsummer. From 3 to 6 nests are produced, more or less at 3 week intervals and produce an average of four nests containing 5 to 13 eggs.