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 =

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

*| ''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 H. 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|lastlast1=Buhlmann|first1=Kurt A.|firstlast2=Buhlmann, KurtTuberville|urlfirst2=http://worldcatTracey|last3=Gibbons|first3=Whit|author3-link=J.org/oclc/263712429 Whitfield Gibbons|title=Turtles of the southeastSoutheast|date=2008|___location=Athens, Georgia|publisher=Univ.University of Georgia Press|isbn=978-0-8203-2902-4|oclc=263712429}}</ref> The average size of an adult loggerhead musk turtle is about {{convert|3|–|5|in|cm|abbr=on}} in straight [[carapace]] 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=":28">{{Cite journalbook|lastlast1=Dijk (N/A)Powell|firstfirst1=Peter Paul vanRobert|date=2010author-08-01|titlelink=IUCNRobert RedPowell List of Threatened Species: Sternotherus minor(herpetologist)|urllast2=https://www.iucnredlist.org/enConant|journalfirst2=IUCNRoger|author2-link=Roger RedConant List of Threatened Species}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite book(herpetologist)|lastlast3=PowellCollins|firstfirst3=RobertJoseph T.|urlauthor3-link=https://wwwJoseph T.worldcat.org/oclc/913923783 Collins|title=Peterson fieldField guideGuide to reptilesReptiles and amphibiansAmphibians of easternEastern and centralCentral North America|date=2016|others=Roger Conant, Joseph T. Collins, Isabelle Hunt Conant, Tom R. Johnson, Errol D. Hooper, Travis William Taggart|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 turtlesturtle consists mostly of [[clam]]s and [[snail]]s.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journalthesis|last=Pfaller|first=Joseph Bryce|dateyear=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 Minorminor'': Implications for the Ontogeny of Performance|url=https://fsudiginole.digitallib.flvcfsu.orgedu/islandora/object/fsu%3A176434:176434/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>

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 ==

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|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1423604|title=A fieldField guideGuide to reptilesReptiles and amphibiansAmphibians of Eastern and Central North America|date=1975|___location=Boston|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|others=Isabelle Hunt Conant|isbn=0-395-19979-4|edition=[2d ed.]|___location=BostonSecond|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.<ref name=":0"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 Harcourt|year=1998 |isbn=978-0-395-90452-7 |edition=Third |___location=Boston}}</ref> Juveniles have three keels on the [[carapace]] that usually disappear by adulthood.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":12" /> The loggerhead musk turtle has [[Barbel (anatomy)|barbels]] present on the chin only, not on the throat.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" />

<!-- === Subspecies ===

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==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" />[[File:Sternothernus minor.jpg|thumb|Closeup of head of an adult ''Sternotherus minor''|center]]

==Habitat==

''S. minor'' lives in clean freshwater [[Habitat|habitatshabitat]]s such as springs, [[Stream|streamsstream]]s, runs, [[Wetland|wetlandswetland]]s, [[Pond|pondspond]]s, and [[River|riversriver]]s.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":2" />

== DietBehaviour ==

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

The diet of the loggerhead musk turtle changes as it grows. Younger turtles have a more varied diet, eating [[Insect|insects]], [[Snail|snails]], [[crayfish]], and [[Clam|clams]] while adults eat mostly [[Snail|snails]] and [[Clam|clams]] since adults are larger.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":3" />

The loggerhead musk turtle forages in [[Stream|streams]] with sandy or vegetated bottoms with varying speeds of currents.<ref name=":3" /> 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|via=JSTOR}}</ref>

[[File:Freshwater_snail_(19512479744).jpg|center|thumb|Freshwater snail]]

The loggerhead musk turtle forages in [[Stream|streams]] with sandy or vegetated bottoms with varying speeds of currents.<ref name=":3" /> 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|via=JSTOR}}</ref>

=== Feeding ===

The diet of the loggerhead musk turtle changes as it grows. Younger turtles have a more varied diet, eating [[Insect|insectsinsect]]s, [[Snail|snailssnail]]s, [[crayfish]], and [[Clam|clamsclam]]s while adults eat mostly [[Snail|snailssnail]]s and [[Clam|clamsclam]]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]].<ref name=":8" /> Between AugustJune and JuneAugust, 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 Behaviorbehavior ===

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|cloacalcloaca]]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 Threatsthreats ==

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|carscar]]s or [[Boat|boatsboat]]s or dying after biting [[Fishfish hook|fish hooks]]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|waterwayswaterway]]s within its range are protected by Florida state law. <!-- Also, three states within its range ([[Florida]], [[Mississippi]], and [[Tennessee]]) --> Florida listlists 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 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==