Flattened musk turtle

Flattened musk turtle
adult and hatchling
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Kinosternidae
Genus: Sternotherus
Species: S. depressus
Binomial name
Sternotherus depressus
Tinkle & Webb, 1955
Synonyms

Sternothaerus depressus - Tinkle, 1958
Sternotherus minor depressus - Wermuth & Mertens, 1961
Kinosternon depressum - Iverson, 1989
Kinosternon depressus - Welch, 1994

The Flattened musk turtle (Sternotherus depressus) is a species of turtle in the Kinosternidae family. It is endemic to the United States.

Contents

Geographic range

It is found only in northern Alabama.[2]

Description

These little turtles can be 7.5–10 cm (3-4 inches) long, record 11.4 cm (4½ inches). Both the common name and specific name refer to the fact that the species' carapace (upper shell) is much lower and flatter than the other members of the genus Sternotherus. In fact they look as if someone had accidentally stepped on them.[2]

Captivity

Individuals of this species have survived for more than 20 years in captivity.

Source

  1. ^ van Dijk, P.P. (2010). "Sternotherus depressus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/20824. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 
  2. ^ a b Conant, Roger. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, 2nd edition. Houghton Mifflin. Boston.
Turtle family Kinosternidae
Genus
Species of the subfamily Kinosterninae
Kinosternon
Sternotherus
Genus
Species of the subfamily Staurotypinae
Claudius
Staurotypus