Sternotherus odoratus
Encyclopedia
Sternotherus odoratus is a species
of small turtle
native to southeastern Canada
and much of the Eastern United States
. It is also known as the common musk turtle or stinkpot due to its ability to release a foul musky odor to deter predation
. They are sometimes bred specifically to be kept as pet
s.
, grey
or brown
turtles with highly dome
d shells. They grow to approximately 8 to 14 cm (about 3 to 5 inches). They have long necks and rather short legs. Males can usually be distinguished from females by their significantly longer tail
s. The head is vaguely triangular in shape, with a pointed snout and sharp beak, and yellow
-green
striping from the tip of the nose to the neck. Barbels are present on the chin and the throat. Their plastrons are relatively small, offering little protection for the legs, and have only one transverse, anterior hinge. Algae
often grow on their carapace
s. Their tiny tongues are covered in bud-like papillae that allow them to respire underwater
.
s. They typically only venture onto land when the female lays her eggs
, or in some cases, to bask. They can climb sloping, partially submerged tree trunks or branches to as much as 2 m above the water surface, and have been known to drop into boats or canoes passing underneath.
, consuming a wide variety of aquatic invertebrate
s, including crayfish
, freshwater clam
s, snail
s, and various insect
s. They will also eat fish
and carrion
. Their common names are derived from the scent glands located just under the rear of their shell, which allows them to release a foul, musk
y odor to deter predation, which hardly ever occurs . Wild turtles often will not hesitate to bite if harassed, though they are not particularly fast-moving and their reach is limited.
or under shoreline debris. The eggs hatch in late summer or early fall. Hatchlings are usually less than one inch long. Their lifespan, as with most turtles, is quite long, with specimens in captivity being recorded at 50+ years of age. Male stinkpots usually reproduce in water temperature which is neither very warm nor very cool. Females mostly reproduce either in the temperature of very cool or very warm but, not in between like the males.
, southern Quebec
, and in the Eastern United States
from southern Maine
in the north, south through to Florida
, and west to central Texas
, with a disjunct population
located in central Wisconsin
.
taxonomist
Pierre André Latreille in 1802, from a specimen collected near Charleston, South Carolina
. At the time, almost all turtles were classified in the genus Testudo
, and he gave it the name Testudo odorata. In 1825, John Edward Gray
created the genus Sternotherus to include species of musk turtle and it became Sternotherus odoratus. The species has been redescribed numerous times by many authors, leading to a large amount of confusion in its classification. To confuse it further, the differences between mud turtle
s and musk turtle
s are a point of debate, with some researchers considering them the same genus, Kinosternon
.
in the state of Iowa
. In Canada, the stinkpot is listed as a species at risk, and is protected by the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA).
turtle than other commonly available species, such as the red-eared slider
(Trachemys scripta elegans). Throughout their range, wild-caught specimens are commonly available, but the species is also frequently captive-bred
specifically for the pet trade. (In the United States, USDA regulations ban the sale of turtles under four inches long as pets. This technically excludes all musk turtles.) They readily accept a diet of commercially available turtle pellets and various insects, such as crickets
and mealworm
s, or earthworm
s. Due to their almost entirely aquatic nature, common musk turtles also do not necessarily require the same ultraviolet (UV) lighting most other turtle species do for proper captive care, though it is usually recommended to give them a more natural light cycle than normal indoor lighting and because some UV lighting will strengthen the shell.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of small turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
native to southeastern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and much of the Eastern United States
Eastern United States
The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
. It is also known as the common musk turtle or stinkpot due to its ability to release a foul musky odor to deter predation
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
. They are sometimes bred specifically to be kept as pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
s.
Description
Stinkpots are blackBlack
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
, grey
Grey
Grey or gray is an achromatic or neutral color.Complementary colors are defined to mix to grey, either additively or subtractively, and many color models place complements opposite each other in a color wheel. To produce grey in RGB displays, the R, G, and B primary light sources are combined in...
or brown
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
turtles with highly dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d shells. They grow to approximately 8 to 14 cm (about 3 to 5 inches). They have long necks and rather short legs. Males can usually be distinguished from females by their significantly longer tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
s. The head is vaguely triangular in shape, with a pointed snout and sharp beak, and yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
-green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
striping from the tip of the nose to the neck. Barbels are present on the chin and the throat. Their plastrons are relatively small, offering little protection for the legs, and have only one transverse, anterior hinge. Algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
often grow on their carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
s. Their tiny tongues are covered in bud-like papillae that allow them to respire underwater
Aquatic respiration
Aquatic respiration is the process whereby an aquatic animal obtains oxygen from water.-Fish:In most fish respiration takes place through gills. Lungfish, however, possess one or two lungs...
.
Behavior
Musk turtles are almost entirely aquatic, spending the vast majority of their time in shallow, heavily vegetated waters of slow moving creeks, or in pondPond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s. They typically only venture onto land when the female lays her eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, or in some cases, to bask. They can climb sloping, partially submerged tree trunks or branches to as much as 2 m above the water surface, and have been known to drop into boats or canoes passing underneath.
Diet
They are carnivorousCarnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
, consuming a wide variety of aquatic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s, including crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
, freshwater clam
Clam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
s, snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s, and various insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s. They will also eat fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and carrion
Carrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
. Their common names are derived from the scent glands located just under the rear of their shell, which allows them to release a foul, musk
Musk
Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. Musk was a name originally given to a substance with a...
y odor to deter predation, which hardly ever occurs . Wild turtles often will not hesitate to bite if harassed, though they are not particularly fast-moving and their reach is limited.
Reproduction
Breeding occurs in the spring, and females lay two to 9 elliptical, hard-shelled eggs in a shallow burrowBurrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
or under shoreline debris. The eggs hatch in late summer or early fall. Hatchlings are usually less than one inch long. Their lifespan, as with most turtles, is quite long, with specimens in captivity being recorded at 50+ years of age. Male stinkpots usually reproduce in water temperature which is neither very warm nor very cool. Females mostly reproduce either in the temperature of very cool or very warm but, not in between like the males.
Geographic distribution
The common musk turtle ranges in Canada in southern OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, southern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and in the Eastern United States
Eastern United States
The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
from southern Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
in the north, south through to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and west to central Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, with a disjunct population
Disjunct distribution
In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but widely separated from each other geographically...
located in central Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Taxonomy
The species was first described by the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
taxonomist
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
Pierre André Latreille in 1802, from a specimen collected near Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. At the time, almost all turtles were classified in the genus Testudo
Testudo (genus)
Testudo is a genus of tortoises found in North Africa, western Asia, and Europe. Several species are under threat in the wild, mainly from habitat destruction....
, and he gave it the name Testudo odorata. In 1825, John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray ....
created the genus Sternotherus to include species of musk turtle and it became Sternotherus odoratus. The species has been redescribed numerous times by many authors, leading to a large amount of confusion in its classification. To confuse it further, the differences between mud turtle
Mud turtle
The Eastern Mud Turtle, or Kinosternon subrubrum is a small semi-aquatic, generally freshwater turtle. Turtles are members of the phylum Chordata and the class Reptilia. The eastern mud turtle lives in the southeastern parts of the United States...
s and musk turtle
Sternotherus
Sternotherus is a genus of aquatic turtles known commonly as musk turtles.-Description:They are very similar to the American mud turtles, but tend to have a more domed carapace, with a distinctive keel down the center of it...
s are a point of debate, with some researchers considering them the same genus, Kinosternon
Kinosternon
Kinosternon is a genus of aquatic turtles known commonly as mud turtles.-Geographic range:They are found throughout the United States, Mexico and Central America, south into South America in Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru.-Description:...
.
Conservation
Though the common musk turtle holds no federal conservation status in the US and is quite common throughout most of its range, it is listed as a threatened speciesThreatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
in the state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. In Canada, the stinkpot is listed as a species at risk, and is protected by the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA).
In captivity
Due to its small size, the common musk turtle generally makes a better choice for a petPet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
turtle than other commonly available species, such as the red-eared slider
Red-eared slider
The red-eared slider is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and also popular in the rest of the world...
(Trachemys scripta elegans). Throughout their range, wild-caught specimens are commonly available, but the species is also frequently captive-bred
Captive breeding
Captive breedingis the process of breeding animals in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos and other conservation facilities; sometimes the process is construed to include release of individual organisms to the wild, when there is sufficient...
specifically for the pet trade. (In the United States, USDA regulations ban the sale of turtles under four inches long as pets. This technically excludes all musk turtles.) They readily accept a diet of commercially available turtle pellets and various insects, such as crickets
Cricket (insect)
Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
and mealworm
Mealworm
Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. Like all holometabolic insects, they go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult...
s, or earthworm
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
s. Due to their almost entirely aquatic nature, common musk turtles also do not necessarily require the same ultraviolet (UV) lighting most other turtle species do for proper captive care, though it is usually recommended to give them a more natural light cycle than normal indoor lighting and because some UV lighting will strengthen the shell.
External links
- Tortoise Trust: Common Musk Turtle
- Stinkpot Turtle, Natural Resources Canada