Razor-backed musk turtle with legs and head retracted into its shell
The razor-backed musk turtle grows to a straight carapace length of about 15 cm (5.9 in). It has a brown-colored carapace, with black markings at the edges of each scute. The carapace has a distinct, sharp keel down the center of its length, giving the species its common name.[4]
The body is typically grey-brown in color, with black spotting, as is the head, which tends to have a bulbous shape to it. It has a long neck, short legs, and a sharp beak. Males can usually be distinguished from females by their longer tails.
S. carinatus is almost entirely aquatic, spending most of its time in shallow, heavily vegetated, slow-moving creeks, ponds, streams, and swamps.[6] The only time it typically ventures onto land is when the female lays eggs.[citation needed] However, both sexes bask often.[5]
The razor-backed musk turtle is frequently kept in captivity, and is regularly captive bred.[9] Its relatively small size, hardiness and ease of care makes it a more attractive choice as a pet turtle for many keepers, than the more commonly available red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans).[9] There is disagreement in sources how old musk turtles can get in captivity with estimates ranging between 20 and 50 years.[10][9]
Referencesedit
^van Dijk, P.P. (2016) [errata version of 2011 assessment]. "Sternotherus carinatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T170492A97383360. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T170492A6781357.en. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
^Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 262. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
^ ab"Sternotherus carinatus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org
^Behler JL, King FW (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp., 657 colored plates. ISBN0-394-50824-6. (Sternotherus carinatus, p. 443 + Plate 310).
^ abConant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. ISBN0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Sternotherus carinatus, pp. 41, 46 (Fig. 7) + Plate 4 + Map 9).
^Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN0-307-47009-1 (hardcover), ISBN0-307-13666-3 (paperback). (Sternotherus carinatus, pp. 28–29).
^ abMossburg, Chelsea (2015). Jordan, Mark (ed.). "Sternotherus carinatus (Razorback Musk Turtle)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
^Atkinson, Carla L. (2013). "Razor-Backed Musk Turtle (Sternotherus carinatus) Diet Across a Gradient of Invasion". Herpetological Conservation and Biology8 (3): 561–570.
^ abc"Turtles that Stay Small: Finding the Perfect Pet Turtle". Pet Territory. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
^"Common Musk Turtle Care Sheet". www.reptilesmagazine.com. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
Further readingedit
Boulenger GA (1889). Catalogue of the Chelonians, Rhynchocephalians, and Crocodiles in the British Museum (Natural History). New Edition. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). x + 311 pp. + Plates I–VI. (Cinosternum carinatum, p. 38).
Carr AF (1952). Handbook of Turtles: The Turtles of the United States, Canada, and Baja California. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press. 542 pp.
Goin CJ, Goin OB, Zug GR (1978). Introduction to Herpetology, Third Edition. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman. xi + 378 pp. ISBN0-7167-0020-4. (Sternotherus carinatus, p. 263).
Gray JE (1856). "On some New Species of Freshwater Tortoises from North America, Ceylon and Australia". Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Second Series18: 263–268. (Aromochelys carinata, new species, p. 266).
Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 plates, 207 figures. ISBN978-0-544-12997-9. (Sternotherus carinatus, pp. 227–228 + Plate 19 + Figures 86, 104).
Stejneger L, Barbour T (1917). A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (Kinosternon carinatum, p. 111).
Tinkle DW, Webb RG (1955). "A new species of Sternotherus with a discussion of the Sternotherus carinatus complex (Chelonia, Kinosternidae)". Tulane Studies in Zoology3 (3): 53–67.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sternotherus carinatus.
Wikispecies has information related to Sternotherus carinatus.
Austin's Turtle Pages: Razorback Musk
Turtles of the World: Sternotherus carinatus
January 01, 1970
razor, backed, musk, turtle, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Razor backed musk turtle news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message The razor backed musk turtle Sternotherus carinatus is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae The species is native to the southern United States There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid 3 Razor backed musk turtle Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Testudines Suborder Cryptodira Family Kinosternidae Genus Sternotherus Species S carinatus Binomial name Sternotherus carinatus Gray 1856 Synonyms 2 Aromochelys carinata Gray 1856 Aromochelys carinatum Gray 1856 Ozotheca triquetra Agassiz 1857 Goniochelys triquetra Agassiz 1857 Aromochelys carinatus Cope 1867 Goniochelys carinata Garman 1884 Cinosternum carinatum Boulenger 1889 Kinosternon carinatum Stejneger amp Barbour 1917 Sternotherus carinatus Stejneger 1923 Sternotherus carinatus carinatus Carr 1952 Sternothaerus carinatus Tinkle 1958 Kinosternon carinatus Welch 1994 Contents 1 Geographic range 2 Description 3 Behavior 4 Diet 5 In captivity 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksGeographic range editS carinatus is found in the states of Alabama Arkansas Louisiana Mississippi Oklahoma Florida and Texas 3 Description edit nbsp Razor backed musk turtle with legs and head retracted into its shell The razor backed musk turtle grows to a straight carapace length of about 15 cm 5 9 in It has a brown colored carapace with black markings at the edges of each scute The carapace has a distinct sharp keel down the center of its length giving the species its common name 4 The body is typically grey brown in color with black spotting as is the head which tends to have a bulbous shape to it It has a long neck short legs and a sharp beak Males can usually be distinguished from females by their longer tails The plastron is small with only one hinge which is located anteriorly There is no gular scute Barbels are present on the chin only 5 Behavior editS carinatus is almost entirely aquatic spending most of its time in shallow heavily vegetated slow moving creeks ponds streams and swamps 6 The only time it typically ventures onto land is when the female lays eggs citation needed However both sexes bask often 5 Diet editThe diet of S carinatus consists primarily of aquatic invertebrates including freshwater clams crayfish snails and various insects It also feeds on fish amphibians 7 carrion 8 seeds and aquatic plants 7 In captivity editThe razor backed musk turtle is frequently kept in captivity and is regularly captive bred 9 Its relatively small size hardiness and ease of care makes it a more attractive choice as a pet turtle for many keepers than the more commonly available red eared slider Trachemys scripta elegans 9 There is disagreement in sources how old musk turtles can get in captivity with estimates ranging between 20 and 50 years 10 9 References edit van Dijk P P 2016 errata version of 2011 assessment Sternotherus carinatus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011 e T170492A97383360 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2011 1 RLTS T170492A6781357 en Retrieved 3 July 2023 Fritz Uwe Havas Peter 2007 Checklist of Chelonians of the World Vertebrate Zoology 57 2 262 doi 10 3897 vz 57 e30895 ISSN 1864 5755 a b Sternotherus carinatus The Reptile Database www reptile database org Behler JL King FW 1979 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians New York Alfred A Knopf 743 pp 657 colored plates ISBN 0 394 50824 6 Sternotherus carinatus p 443 Plate 310 a b Conant R 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Second Edition Boston Houghton Mifflin xviii 429 pp ISBN 0 395 19979 4 hardcover ISBN 0 395 19977 8 paperback Sternotherus carinatus pp 41 46 Fig 7 Plate 4 Map 9 Smith HM Brodie ED Jr 1982 Reptiles of North America A Guide to Field Identification New York Golden Press 240 pp ISBN 0 307 47009 1 hardcover ISBN 0 307 13666 3 paperback Sternotherus carinatus pp 28 29 a b Mossburg Chelsea 2015 Jordan Mark ed Sternotherus carinatus Razorback Musk Turtle Animal Diversity Web Retrieved 3 July 2023 Atkinson Carla L 2013 Razor Backed Musk Turtle Sternotherus carinatus Diet Across a Gradient of Invasion Herpetological Conservation and Biology 8 3 561 570 a b c Turtles that Stay Small Finding the Perfect Pet Turtle Pet Territory 2018 07 25 Retrieved 2019 07 25 Common Musk Turtle Care Sheet www reptilesmagazine com 3 December 2013 Retrieved 2019 07 25 Further reading editBoulenger GA 1889 Catalogue of the Chelonians Rhynchocephalians and Crocodiles in the British Museum Natural History New Edition London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers x 311 pp Plates I VI Cinosternum carinatum p 38 Carr AF 1952 Handbook of Turtles The Turtles of the United States Canada and Baja California Ithaca New York Comstock Publishing Associates a Division of Cornell University Press 542 pp Goin CJ Goin OB Zug GR 1978 Introduction to Herpetology Third Edition San Francisco W H Freeman xi 378 pp ISBN 0 7167 0020 4 Sternotherus carinatus p 263 Gray JE 1856 On some New Species of Freshwater Tortoises from North America Ceylon and Australia Annals and Magazine of Natural History Second Series 18 263 268 Aromochelys carinata new species p 266 Powell R Conant R Collins JT 2016 Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Fourth Edition Boston and New York Houghton Mifflin Harcourt xiv 494 pp 47 plates 207 figures ISBN 978 0 544 12997 9 Sternotherus carinatus pp 227 228 Plate 19 Figures 86 104 Stejneger L Barbour T 1917 A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press 125 pp Kinosternon carinatum p 111 Tinkle DW Webb RG 1955 A new species of Sternotherus with a discussion of the Sternotherus carinatus complex Chelonia Kinosternidae Tulane Studies in Zoology 3 3 53 67 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sternotherus carinatus nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Sternotherus carinatus Austin s Turtle Pages Razorback Musk Turtles of the World Sternotherus carinatus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Razor backed musk turtle amp oldid 1211948606, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
