Kinosternidae

Sternotherus odoratus

Mud turtles ( Kinosternidae ) are small and medium-sized, mostly inhabiting freshwaters turtles.

Appearance

Some species ( genus and subfamily Sternotherus Staurotypinae ) a back formed plastron ( plastron ) and a series of small shields between the dorsal and ventral tanks. The folding chest turtles ( Kinosternon ) can fold the front and rear part of the belly tank and connect him with it. The top of the tank is usually smooth and flat, with some species also provided with one to three longitudinal keels. The skin on the head and legs is soft and little ossified. On the toes wear webbed. On the chin there are 2-8 barbels. The animals are 12 to 40 inches long. In the Central American Grosskopf Mud Turtle ( Claudius angustatus ) is the head so large that it can not be withdrawn into the shell.

Dissemination

The subfamily cinema Ster Ninae lives in eastern North America, Central America and northern South America and the Amazon. The subfamily Staurotypinae comes in Central America, in rivers that flow into the Pacific, off the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Islands.

Way of life

Mud turtles live on the ground standing or slow-flowing waters and rather continuously move across the ground. Like all turtles, they are also able to get around by swimming. The big-headed turtle lives rather terrestrial mud. Mud turtles are omnivores, which are preferred by insects, molluscs and crustaceans feed; but also water plants, carrion and fallen into water fruit are on the menu.

Propagation

Mud turtles lay only a few eggs, usually in decaying plants or decaying wood.

System

  • Mud turtles ( Kinosternidae ) Subfamily cinema Ster Ninae Genus folding chest turtles ( Kinosternon ) Kinosternon acutum Gray 1831
  • Kinosternon alamosae Berry & Legler 1980
  • Kinosternon angustipons Legler 1965
  • Kinosternon baurii Garman 1891
  • Kinosternon Chimalhuaca Berry, Seidel & Iverson 1997
  • Kinosternon creaseri Hartweg 1934
  • Kinosternon cruentatum Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril 1851
  • Kinosternon dunni Schmidt 1947
  • Kinosternon flavescens Agassiz 1857
  • Kinosternon herrerai Stejneger 1925
  • Kinosternon hirtipes Wagler 1830
  • Kinosternon integrum Le Conte in 1854
  • Kinosternon leucostomum Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril 1851
  • Kinosternon oaxacae Berry & Iverson 1980
  • Kinosternon scorpioides Linnaeus 1766
  • Kinosternon sonoriense Le Conte in 1854
  • Kinosternon spurrelli Boulenger 1913
  • Kinosternon subrubrum Bonnaterre 1789
  • Sternotherus carinatus Gray 1855
  • Sternotherus depressus Tinkle and Webb 1955
  • Sternotherus minor Agassiz 1857
  • Sternotherus odoratus Latreille 1802
  • Genus Claudius Grosskopf Mud Turtle ( Claudius angustatus ) Cope 1865
  • Staurotypus salvinii Gray 1864
  • Staurotypus triporcatus Wiegmann 1828
Middle America (region) Amazon River
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