Loggerhead musk turtle: Difference between revisions

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''S. minor'' is [[Oviparity|oviparous]].<ref name=":8" /> Between August and June, 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}}</ref> Larger females tend to have larger eggs and more eggs per clutch.<ref name=":92" /> Females lay their eggs in 8 to 15 cm holes on the shore.<ref name=":92" /> Hatchlings typically have a carapace length of 2.47 cm.<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|cloacal]] sniffing, bridge sniffing, mounting, following the female, biting, moving the head from one side to another, 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}}</ref>