Type of Shell: Hard, oval and elongated shells.

The Missouri River Cooter is one of three subspecies of the Eastern River Cooter. It's found in East Texas, Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma, Southern Missouri, Northwest Louisiana, and Southeast Kansas. Like the Texas River Cooter, it likes the river habitat, but can also be found in still water. Males are smaller than females. The males also have longer foreclaws; which are used during courtship.

This subspecies was named in honor of Dean E. Metter (1932-2001), was was a professor of zoology at Universtiy of Missouri-Columbia.

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