Razor-backed musk turtle

Roof musk turtle ( Sternotherus carinatus )

The roof musk turtle ( Sternotherus carinatus ) is a small to medium-sized freshwater turtle.

Description

The carapace is light brown, beige to olive brown in color and has dark spots and line drawings on each plate, while the individual Carapaxschilde are surrounded by a dark narrow strips. The German trivial name refers to the pronounced center keel, which is reminiscent of a roof. In younger specimens of the keel can be particularly strong and flatten with age.

The plastron shields are only very weakly developed ( in the female somewhat more ), where the color can vary from yellow to brown. Between the horn plates themselves are bright Bindegewebsnähte ( better developed in the male ).

The soft parts of the species are gray to gray- brown in color with black speckles, the jaw is indulged with black stripes. On the chin is a pair of barbels.

In the young animals the type carapace, plastron, and the soft parts are light brown in color and have different dot and line patterns. The rear edge of the carapace is serrated.

The males of the roof musk turtle can be up to 17.5 cm long, females reach a body length of up to 13 cm. Thus, it is the largest species of the genus Sternotherus.

Dissemination

The species is widespread in the southern United States. It is widespread in the area of southeastern Oklahoma and central Arkansas to central Texas and Mississippi and comes to the Gulf of Mexico off.

Natural Habitat

The habitat of the musk turtle roof extends over large, slow-flowing rivers to swamps and flood plains with rich vegetation, with soft sandy ground is preferred.

Way of life

The roof musk turtle, like all species of the genus Sternotherus a strong aquatile kind that leaves the waters rarely for sunbathing. It is strongly linked to their territory and does not undergo large excursions. From December to February, the animals fall where hiding in the ground and in the embankments are visited in a hibernation. Active is the way into the early hours of the morning and afternoon to evening. The animal feeds on omnivorous; its diet ranges from insects, crabs, clams, snails and amphibians on carrion to water plants.

Attitude in Aquaterrarium

It is an easy to reserved way, which manages also grown with a basin below 200 liters. Due to the low compared to other types of buoyancy should be paid to a well-structured tank with hiding places. After an acclimatization period, they can also handle a higher water level, but it should always opportunities for advancement exist, so that the water surface can also be achieved climbing. The diet consists of animal and vegetable shares. Since there may be incompatibilities with each other, the animals should be kept singly.

Reproduction

The propagation time is in focus in the period from spring to autumn. Thus, up to two clutches per season can be deducted. The clutch usually comprise 2 to 5 eggs. Under natural conditions, the incubation period lasts 100 to 140 days. Thus, the young animals the roof musk turtle hatch on the latest in the comparison of the different Sternotherus species.

Particularity

The German name musk turtle turtle owes its musk glands, with which they can secrete a strong smelling secretion to drive away predators. When keeping in Aquaterrarium the use of the glands is very rare, for example, when taken in the hand. Free floating in aqua terrarium they are not used.