Someone dumped this turtle on me. I'm trying to determine the type of mud turtle it is.
Any help is appreciated.
Any help is appreciated.
Need to ID Mud turtle
- Thread starter Raymo2477
- Start date
Do you know anything about the turtle's history or backstory? It would be helpful If you can get pictures of the turtle with his or her neck out. How big is it? It doesn't look like a young turtle, so I'm guessing it's full grown. Adult size may help with the identification.
If it has two hinges on its plastron, it's a Kinosternon species (mud turtle, vs. musk turtle). You can safely rule out K. baurii, the three-striped mud turtle. I have those.
With the light face, I would consider K. flavescens, the yellow mud turtle, as a possible ID. However, some K. subrubrum subspecies have variable, lighter markings on the face. I'm not familiar enough with the range of mud turtles for a reliable identification on this one.
@Markw84 @cdmay
If it has two hinges on its plastron, it's a Kinosternon species (mud turtle, vs. musk turtle). You can safely rule out K. baurii, the three-striped mud turtle. I have those.
With the light face, I would consider K. flavescens, the yellow mud turtle, as a possible ID. However, some K. subrubrum subspecies have variable, lighter markings on the face. I'm not familiar enough with the range of mud turtles for a reliable identification on this one.
@Markw84 @cdmay
I've only ever had an Eastern Mud Turtle. Your turtle's face and plastron are different from mine, although the overall shape and carapace look similar.
It has a sweet face!
I'm sure someone more knowledgable will come along soon!
It has a sweet face!
I'm sure someone more knowledgable will come along soon!
Looks like an eastern mud turtle to me. Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum
With the first vertebral seam quite separated from the second marginal it has to be a K subrubrum. The Yellow Mud (Kinosternon flavescens) has that seam in contact with the second marginal.
Subspecies wise - The eastern (K s subrubrum) can be more plain looking while the Mississippi (K s hippocrepis) tends to be more speckled on the face and neck.
With the first vertebral seam quite separated from the second marginal it has to be a K subrubrum. The Yellow Mud (Kinosternon flavescens) has that seam in contact with the second marginal.
Subspecies wise - The eastern (K s subrubrum) can be more plain looking while the Mississippi (K s hippocrepis) tends to be more speckled on the face and neck.
Oh, COOL! Since my muddy had a beautifully speckled head and neck, then she was a hippocrepis!
