Striped Mud Turtle Kinosternon baurii
Description
The striped mud turtle does not exceed a carapace length of 4-3/4 inches. It has three long, light stripes on a smooth, keelless carapace. The color varies from a horn color to black and is often a reddish-brown. Stripes may become obscured with age. The plastron has two well-developed hinges and 11 scutes. The hinges allow the turtle to partially withdraw into its shell, but the closure is not as complete as in box turtles. Males have a spine-tipped tail and rough scale patches on the inside of the hind legs. It has musk glands on the sides of the body that it will empty when frightened. (Long time captives give up this habit.)
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Range
The range of the striped mud turtle is southern Georgia through the Florida Keys.
Habitat
Striped mud turtles inhabit cypress swamps, sloughs, ponds, drainage canals, wet meadows.
Gestation
13 to 19 weeks
Litter
1 to 4 eggs
Behavior
The striped mud turtle is the most terrestrial of the mud turtles, and is often seen crossing roads and visiting puddles after downpours. It is otherwise aquatic and crawls along the bottom. It is very adept at finding insect larvae that are crawling in the ooze at the bottom of ponds and creeks.
Reproduction
Striped mud turtles nest from September to June with the nests being dug in sand or decaying vegetation. The eggs are oval, and measure approximately 1” by .6”. The hatchlings are just under an inch long, but grow quickly for a few years, then slow down for the rest of their life.
Diet (Wild)
Insects, snails, dead fish, algae, cabbage-palm seeds
Diet (Zoo)
Meat, fish
Conservation Status
Least Concern
