Loggerhead musk turtle: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Species of turtle}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = SternotherusSternothernus minor peltifer Jungtier ca. 2 Monate alt.jpg

| image_caption = HatchlingAdult, loggerheadin musk turtlecaptivity

| image2 = Sternotherus minor 251017499 (cropped).jpg

| image2_caption = Young turtle, [[Florida]]

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = <ref name=":2">{{cite iucn|author=[[species:Peter Paul van Dijk|van Dijk, P.P.]]|year=2011|title=''Sternotherus minor''|errata=2016|page=e.T170493A97384102|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T170493A6781671.en|access-date=29 February 2024}}</ref>

| genus = Sternotherus

| species = minor

| authority = ([[Louis Agassiz|Agassiz]], 1857)

| synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true|title=<small>List</small>

| synonyms =

; ''[[Sternotherus minor minor]]''

*| ''Goniochelys minor'' <br>{{small|Agassiz, 1857}}

*| ''Aromochelys minor'' <br>{{small|— [[Alexander Strauch (naturalist)|Strauch]], 1862}}

*| ''Sternotherus minor'' <br>{{small|— [[Leonhard Stejneger|Stejneger]], 1923}}

*| ''Sternotherus carinatus minor'' <br>{{small|— [[Archie Carr|Carr]], 1952}}

*| ''Sternotherus minor minor'' <br>{{small|— [[Donald W. Tinkle|Tinkle]] & [[Robert G. Webb|Webb]], 1955}}

*| ''Sternothaerus minor minor'' <br>{{small|— Tinkle, 1958}}

*| ''Sternotheraerus minor minor'' <br>{{small|— Wharton & Howard, 1971}}

*| ''Kinosternon minor'' <br>{{small|— [[species:John B. Iverson|Iverson]], [[species:Carl HenryH. Ernst|Ernst]], [[Steve W. Gotte|Gotte]] & [[species:Jeffrey E. Lovich|Lovich]], 1989}}

*| ''Kinosternon minor minor'' <br>{{small|— Ernst & [[species:Roger W. Barbour|R. Barbour]], 1989}}

;<!-- ''[[Sternotherus minor peltifer]]''

*| ''Sternotherus peltifer'' <br>{{small|[[Hobart Muir Smith|H.M. Smith]] & [[Bryan P. Glass|Glass]], 1947}}

*| ''Sternotherus carinatus peltifer'' <br>{{small|— Carr, 1952}}

*| ''Sternotherus minor peltifer'' <br>{{small|— Tinkle & Webb, 1955}}

*| ''Sternothaerus minor peltifer'' <br>{{small|— Tinkle, 1958}}

*| ''Kinosternon minor peltifer'' <br>{{small|— Ernst & R. Barbour, 1989}} -->

}}

| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Fritz 2007">{{Cite journal|journal=Vertebrate Zoology|title=Checklist of Chelonians of the World|year=2007|author=Fritz, Uwe|author-link=species:Uwe Fritz|author2=Havaš, Peter|volume=57|issue=2|pages=262–263|issndoi=1864-5755|url=http://www10.cnah.org3897/pdf_files/851vz.pdf|archiveurl=https://www57.webcitation.org/5v20ztMND?url=http://www.cnah.org/pdf_files/851.pdfe30895 |archivedatedoi-access=17 Decemberfree 2010|accessdateissn=29 May 2012|url1864-status=dead5755}}</ref>

}}

The '''loggerhead musk turtle''' ('''''Sternotherus minor)''''') is a [[species]] of [[turtle]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Kinosternidae]]. This turtle has a large head which has a light-colored background with dark spots or stripes present on the head and neck.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last1=Buhlmann|first1=Kurt A.|last2=Tuberville|first2=Tracey|last3=Gibbons|first3=Whit|author3-link=J. Whitfield Gibbons|title=Turtles of the Southeast|date=2008|___location=Athens, Georgia|publisher=University of Georgia Press|isbn=978-0-8203-2902-4|oclc=263712429}}</ref> The speciesaverage size of an adult loggerhead musk turtle is nativeabout to{{convert|3|–|5|in|cm|abbr=on}} thein southernstraight [[United Statescarapace]] length.<ref name=":0" />

The species is native to the southern [[United States]], being found in [[river]]s, [[wetland]]s, and [[stream]]s in the states of [[Alabama]], [[Florida]], and [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].<ref name=":2"/><ref name=RDB>{{EMBL species|genus=Sternotherus|species=minor}} www.reptile-database.org.</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite book|last1=Powell|first1=Robert|author-link=Robert Powell (herpetologist)|last2=Conant|first2=Roger|author2-link=Roger Conant (herpetologist)|last3=Collins|first3=Joseph T.|author3-link=Joseph T. Collins|title=Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America|date=2016|isbn=978-0-544-12997-9|edition=Fourth|___location=Boston and New York|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|oclc=913923783}}</ref> The diet of an adult loggerhead musk turtle consists mostly of [[clam]]s and [[snail]]s.<ref name=":7">{{Cite thesis|last=Pfaller|first=Joseph Bryce|year=2009|degree=MSc|institution=Florida State University College of Arts and Sciences|title=Bite-Force Generation and Feeding Biomechanics in the Loggerhead Musk Turtle, ''Sternotherus minor'': Implications for the Ontogeny of Performance|url=https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu:176434/datastream/PDF/view|access-date=29 February 2024|via=DigiNole|language=en|s2cid=82423019}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=Cox|first1=William A.|last2=Wyatt|first2=Steven T.|last3=Wilhelm|first3=Walter E.|last4=Marion|first4=Ken R.|date=December 1988|title=Infection of the Turtle, ''Sternotherus minor'', by the Lung Fluke, ''Heronimus mollis'': Incidence of Infection and Correlations to Host Life History and Ecology in a Florida Spring|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1564348|journal=Journal of Herpetology|volume=22|issue=4|pages=488|doi=10.2307/1564348|jstor=1564348|issn=0022-1511|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Geographic distribution==

Within the southeastern United States, the loggerhead musk turtle can be found in [[Alabama]], northern [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], extreme southeastern [[Kentucky]], extreme eastern [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], extreme western [[North Carolina]], eastern [[Tennessee]], and extreme southwestern [[Virginia]].<ref name=Powell>[[Robert Powell (herpetologist)|Powell R]], [[Roger Conant (herpetologist)|Conant R]], [[Joseph T. Collins|Collins JT]] (2016). ''Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition''. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 Plates, 207 Figures. {{ISBN|978-0-544-12997-9}}. (''Sternotherus minor'', pp. 227-228, Figure 104 + Plates 19, 21 + photo on p. ix).</ref>

As of 2016 the [[conservation status]] of the loggerhead musk turtle is "[[Least-concern species|Least Concern]]", and its common threats include [[Habitat destruction|habitat loss]] and human interactions such as car or boating accidents.<ref name=":2" />

==Description and Differences==

[[File:Sternothernus minor.jpg|thumb|Closeup of head of an adult ''Sternotherus minor'']]

==Description andDescription Differences==

The loggerhead musk turtle gets its common name from its unusually large head, compared to the common musk turtle (''[[Sternotherus odoratus]]''). Adults can be 8–13&nbsp;cm (3–5&nbsp;inches) in straight [[carapace]] length. It is very similar to the [[Razor-backed musk turtle|razorback musk turtle]] (''Sternotherus carinatus'') which is slightly larger. Adult loggerhead musk turtles have a flatter-shaped carapace, whereas adult razorback musk turtles have a higher and more dome-shaped carapace. ''S. minor'' has barbels present on the chin only, not on the throat.<ref>Conant R (1975). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition''. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 429 pp. + Plates 1-48. {{ISBN|0-395-19977-8}}. (''Sternotherus minor'', p. 42 + Plates 4,5 + Map 8).</ref>

The loggerhead musk turtle gets its [[common name]] from its unusually large head, compared to the common musk turtle (''[[Sternotherus odoratus]]'').<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Conant|first=Roger|title=A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America|date=1975|___location=Boston|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|isbn=0-395-19979-4|edition=Second|oclc=1423604}}</ref>

[[File:Sternotherus minor 347150741 (cropped 2).jpg|left|thumb|Adult underwater, [[Florida]]]]

Its head has a light-colored background with dark spots or stripes. Hatchlings are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in straight carapace length and grow up to around 3 to 5 inches (about 8 to 13 cm) by adulthood. Juveniles have three keels on the [[carapace]] that usually disappear by adulthood.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |last1=Conant |first1=Roger |title=A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America |last2=Collins |first2=Joseph T. |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-395-90452-7 |edition=Third |___location=Boston}}</ref> The loggerhead musk turtle has [[Barbel (anatomy)|barbels]] present on the chin only, not on the throat.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" />

<!-- === Subspecies ===

There are two [[subspecies]] of ''Sternotherus minor'': ''Sternotherus minor minor'' and ''Sternotherus minor peltifer'', also known as the loggerhead musk turtle and the stripe-necked musk turtle, respectively.<ref name=":0" /> The two subspecies are visibly different, with ''S. m. minor'' having a darker tan colored head covered with dark spots and three keels on its [[carapace]] and ''S. m. peltifer'' having a yellow colored head with some dark spots, but mostly dark stripes and a ridged carapace.<ref name=":0" /> ''S. m. minor'' are generally a little larger in size than ''S. m. peltifer'' ranging from 3 to 5.625 inches (7.5 to 14.5 cm) in carapace length, while ''S. m. peltifer'' range from 3 to 4.625 inches (7.5 to 11.7 cm).<ref name=":12" />

[[File:Sternotherus_minor_peltifer_Jungtier_ca._2_Monate_alt_ventral.jpg|thumb|''Sternotherus minor peltifer''|center]] -->

==Geographic distribution==

''S. minor'' is found in freshwaters of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.<ref name=RDB/><ref name=":2" />It occurs in the [[Ogeechee River|Ogeechee]], [[Altamaha River|Altamaha]], and [[Apalachicola River|Apalachicola]] river systems.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite journal|last=Iverson|first=John B.|author-link=species:John B. Iverson|date=1977-08-25|title=Geographic Variation in the Musk Turtle, ''Sternotherus minor ''|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1443269|journal=Copeia|volume=1977|issue=3|pages=502–517|doi=10.2307/1443269|jstor=1443269|issn=0045-8511|url-access=subscription}}</ref> <!-- ''S. peltifer'' is generally found throughout Alabama, east Mississippi, and east Tennessee and can be found in rivers such as the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]] and [[Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana)|Pearl]].<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":6" /> --> It shares parts of its range in southeast Alabama, west Florida, and west Georgia with the [[stripeneck musk turtle]] (''Sternotherus peltifer''), and both species can be found in rivers such as the [[Choctawhatchee River|Choctawhatchee]] and [[Perdido River|Perdido]].<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":6" />

==Habitat==

''S. minor'' lives in clean freshwater [[habitat]]s such as springs, streams[[stream]]s, runs, [[wetland]]s, [[pond]]s, and rivers[[river]]s.<ref name=Powell":8" /><ref name=":2" />

== Behaviour ==

[[File:Sternotherus minor 63437690.jpg|thumb|Next to a [[brown water snake]], [[Florida]]|232x232px|left]]

It spends most of its time in the water with less time spent basking out in the sun than is observed in other species.<ref name=":92">{{Cite journal|last1=Cox|first1=William A.|last2=Marion|first2=Ken R.|date=1978|title=Observations on the female reproductive cycle and associated phenomena in spring-dwelling populations of ''Sternotherus minor'' in North Florida (Reptilia: Testudines)|journal=Herpetologica|pages=20–33}}</ref>

=== Feeding ===

The diet of the loggerhead musk turtle changes as it grows. Younger turtles have a more varied diet, eating [[insect]]s, [[snail]]s, [[crayfish]], and [[clam]]s while adults eat mostly [[snail]]s and [[clam]]s since adults are larger.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":3" />

The loggerhead musk turtle forages in [[stream]]s with sandy or vegetated bottoms with varying speeds of currents.<ref name=":3" />

==Reproduction==

[[File:Sternotherus minor 251017529 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Young turtle, Florida]]

''S. minor'' is [[Oviparity|oviparous]]. Hatchlings have a straight carapace length of {{convert|2.2|–|2.8|cm|in|abbr=on}}. They have three prominent keels on the carapace, and they have a pinkish unmarked [[plastron]].<ref name=Powell/>

''S. minor'' is [[Oviparity|oviparous]].<ref name=":8" /> Between June and August, females can lay up to five [[Clutch (eggs)|clutches]] with one to four eggs per clutch.<ref name=":92" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last1=Cox|first1=William A.|last2=Nowak|first2=Martin C.|last3=Marion|first3=Ken R.|date=1980-06-06|title=Observations on Courtship and Mating Behavior in the Musk Turtle, ''Sternotherus minor ''|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1563862|journal=Journal of Herpetology|volume=14|issue=2|pages=200|doi=10.2307/1563862|jstor=1563862|issn=0022-1511|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Larger females tend to have larger eggs and more eggs per clutch.<ref name=":92" /> Females lay their eggs on the shore, in holes {{convert|8|–|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} deep.<ref name=":92" /> Hatchlings typically have a carapace length of {{convert|2.47|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":92" />

=== Mating behavior ===

In the wild, [[mating]] takes place [[Underwater environment|underwater]] in shaded areas.<ref name=":4" /> Males exhibit several different behaviors during the mating process including [[cloaca]]l sniffing, bridge sniffing, mounting, following the female, biting, moving the head from one side to the other, and interlocking of tails.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal|last1=Bels|first1=Vincent L.|last2=Crama|first2=Yves J.-M.|date=1994-08-17|title=Quantitative Analysis of the Courtship and Mating Behavior in the Loggerhead Musk Turtle ''Sternotherus minor'' (Reptilia: Kinosternidae) with Comments on Courtship Behavior in Turtles|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1447183|journal=Copeia|volume=1994|issue=3|pages=676|doi=10.2307/1447183|jstor=1447183|issn=0045-8511|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== Conservation and threats ==

The [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]] has listed the loggerhead musk turtle as an [[animal]] of [[Least-concern species|least concern]].<ref name=":2" />

Some common threats to this turtle include [[Habitat destruction|habitat loss]], negative interactions with humans, such as being killed by [[car]]s or [[boat]]s or dying after biting [[fish hook]]s, and indirect threats such as threats to their food sources.<ref name=":2" /> While this turtle is vulnerable to [[Habitat destruction|habitat loss]], many [[waterway]]s within its range are protected by Florida state law. <!-- Also, three states within its range ([[Florida]], [[Mississippi]], and [[Tennessee]]) --> Florida lists it as a protected [[species]].<ref name=":2" />

== Gallery ==

<gallery mode="packed" heights="190">

File:Sternotherus minor 251017405 (cropped).jpg|Young turtle plastron, Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 251017451 (cropped).jpg|Young turtle plastron, Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 93031585 (cropped).jpg|Plastron, Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 112525157.jpg|Plastron, Florida

; ''[[File:Sternotherus minor minor]]''112525165.jpg|Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 112525146.jpg|Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 112525152.jpg|Carapace, Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 333014484.jpg|Florida

File:Sternotherus minor 347150719.jpg|Underwater, Florida

</gallery>

==References==

Line 47 ⟶ 92:

==Further reading==

*[[Louis Agassiz|Agassiz L]] (1857). ''Contributions to the Natural History of the United States of America. Vol. I.'' Boston: Little, Brown, and Co. li + 452 pp. (''Goniochelys minor'', new species, p.&nbsp;424).

*[[John L. Behler|Behler JL]], [[F.species:Frederic Wayne King|King FW]] (1979). ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. {{ISBN|0-394-50824-6}}. (''Sternotherus minor'', p.&nbsp;444 + Plates 311–312).

*{{cite book|last=[[species:Carl HenryH. Ernst|Ernst CH]], [[species:Jeffrey E. Lovich|Lovich JE]]|title=Turtles of the United States and Canada|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nNOQghYEXZMC&lpgpg=PA37|edition=2|publisher=Johns Hopkins University |___location=Baltimore|isbn=978-0-8018-9121-2|year=2009|pages=519–525}}

*[[species:Clarence John "Jack" McCoy|McCoy CJ]], [[species:Arthur V. Bianculli|Bianculli AV]], [[Richard Vogt (herpetologist)|Vogt RC]] (1978). "''Sternotherus minor'' in the Pascagoula River system, Mississippi". ''Herpetological Review'' '''9''' (3): 109.

*[[Hobart Muir Smith|Smith HM]], [[species:Edmund D.Darrell Brodie, Jr.|Brodie ED Jr]] (1982). ''Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification''. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. {{ISBN|0-307-13666-3}}. (''Sternotherus minor'', pp.&nbsp;28–29).

*Smith HM, [[Bryan P. Glass|Glass BP]] (1947). "A new musk turtle from the southeastern United States". ''Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences'' '''37''' (1): 22–24. (''Sternotherus peltifer'', new species).