Kinosternidae
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The Kinosternidae are a family of mostly small turtles that includes the mud turtles and musk turtles. The family contains 25 species within four genera, but taxonomic reclassification is an ongoing p
Sternotherus odoratus
Red-cheeked mud turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides cruentatum
Mississippi mud turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis
Lake Chapala mud turtle, Kinosternon hirtipes chapalaense
Sternotherus
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Sternotherus is a genus of turtles in the family Kinosternidae including six species commonly known as musk turtles. The genus is endemic to North America, occurring in the eastern third of the US and
Kinosternidae
…exhibit genetic sex determination; in Staurotypus this is XY sex determination, and the same is suspected to be true of Claudius as well. Kinosternon and Sternotherus have temperature-dependent sex determination as is typical of turtles. Family Kinosternidae…
Distinguishing characteristics between musk turtles (Sternotherus) and the closely related mud turtles (Kinosternon) include a smaller plastron with legs exposed vs. a large plastron with legs concealed and: A, pectoral scute squarish vs. triangular; B, hinges less developed vs. well developed; C, skin between plastron scutes.
S. odoratus x S. carinatus hybrid
Eastern musk turtle (S. odoratus), captive hatchling