Striped mud turtle

Striped mud turtle
Kinosternon baurii
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Kinosternidae
Genus:	Kinosternon
Species:	K. baurii
Binomial name
Kinosternon baurii[1] (Garman, 1891)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Cinosternum baurii Garman, 1891 Kinosternon baurii Lönnberg, 1894 Kinosternon bauri palmarum Stejneger, 1925 Kinosternon bauri bauri Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 Kinosternon baurii baurii Stejneger & Barbour, 1939 Kinosternon baurii palmarum Stejneger & Barbour, 1939

The striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii) is a species of turtle endemic to the United States.

Etymology

The specific name, baurii, is in honor of herpetologist Georg Baur.^[3]

Geographic range

Striped mud turtles are found in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.^[1]

Description

They have three light-colored stripes along the length of the smooth carapace. They can grow to 8–12 cm (3-4¾ inches) carapace length.

Habitat and behavior

Kinosternon baurii is a common species found in freshwater habitats. They wander about on land more than any other mud turtle and can sometimes be observed foraging for food in cow dung.

Diet

Striped mud turtles are omnivorous. They eat insects, snails, fish, carrion, algae, and plants.

Captivity

As pets they are easy to care for, readily eating commercial turtle foods, feeder fish, worms, or if all else fails, turkey cold cuts. They tend to have ornery yet strangely endearing personalities and enjoy sunning themselves more than other mud turtles.

Reproduction

They nest from September to June. The eggs, which are slightly over 2,5 cm (1 in) long, hatch 13 to 19 weeks later. The hatchlings are about the size of the end of a typical man's thumb and, unlike the adult turtles, have keeled carapaces.

References

1. Rhodin 2010, p. 000.96
2. Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology 57 (2): 251. ISSN 1864-5755. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
3. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

• Reptile Database
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians, Alfred A. Knopf, (c)2000 Chanticleer Press, Inc., page 438-9.

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the world, 2010 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status". Chelonian Research Monographs 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-15.