Loggerhead musk turtle: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:33, 29 September 2024

Revision as of 06:45, 29 September 2024

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{{Speciesbox

| image = Sternothernus minor.jpg

| image_caption = Adult

File:| image2 = Sternotherus minor 93031585251017499 (cropped).jpg

| image2_caption = Young

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

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== Description ==

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

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 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 251017529.jpg|left|thumb|Young, turtle, Florida]]

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 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> 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 ===

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==Geographic distribution==

[[File:Sternotherus minor 25101752963437690.jpg|left|thumb|Young,Next turtleto a [[brown water snake]], [[Florida]]|232x232px]]

''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}}</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==

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== Diet ==

[[File:Freshwater_snail_(19512479744).jpg|thumb|Freshwater snail|left|196x196px]]

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" />

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==Reproduction==

[[File:Sternotherus minor 63437690251017529 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Next to a [[brown waterYoung snake]]turtle, [[Florida]]]]

''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}}</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" />

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== Gallery ==

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