Kinosternon
Mississippi mud turtle Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Kinosternoidea
Family:	Kinosternidae
Genus:	Kinosternon Spix, 1824[1]

Kinosternon is a genus of small aquatic turtles from the Americas known commonly as mud turtles.

Geographic range[edit]

They are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The greatest species richness is in Mexico, and only three species (K. dunni, K. leucostomum, and K. scorpioides) are found in South America.

Description[edit]

They are very similar to the musk turtles, but generally smaller in size, and their carapaces are not as highly domed.

Diet[edit]

All mud turtles are carnivorous, consuming various aquatic invertebrates, fish, and even carrion.

Species[edit]

• Genus Kinosternon
  • Tabasco mud turtle - K. acutum Gray, 1831^[1]
  • Alamos mud turtle - K. alamosae Berry & Legler, 1980^[1]
  • Central American mud turtle - K. angustipons Legler, 1965^[1]
  • Arizona mud turtle - K. arizonense Gilmore, 1923^[1]
  • Striped mud turtle - K. baurii (Garman, 1891)^[1]
  • Jalisco mud turtle - K. chimalhuaca Berry, Seidel, & Iverson, 1996 ^[1]
  • Creaser's mud turtle - K. creaseri Hartweg, 1934^[1]
  • Dunn's mud turtle - K. dunni Schmidt, 1947^[1]
  • Durango mud turtle - K. durangoense Iverson, 1979^[1]
  • Yellow mud turtle - K. flavescens (Agassiz, 1857)^[1]
  • Herrera's mud turtle - K. herrerai Stejneger, 1925^[1]
  • Rough-footed mud turtle - K. hirtipes (Wagler, 1830)^[1]
    • Valley of Mexico mud turtle - K. h. hirtipes (Wagler, 1830)^[1]
    • Lake Chapala mud turtle - K. h. chapalaense (Iverson, 1981)^[1]
    • San Juanico mud turtle - K. h. magdalense (Iverson, 1981)^[1]
    • Viesca mud turtle - K. h. megacephalum (extinct) (Iverson, 1981)^[1]
    • Mexican plateau mud turtle - K. h. murrayi (Glass and Hartweg, 1951)^[1]
    • Patzcuarco mud turtle - K. h. tarascense (Inverson, 1981)^[1]
  • Mexican mud turtle - K. integrum (LeConte, 1954)^[1]
  • White-lipped mud turtle - K. leucostomum Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1851^[1]
    • Northern white-lipped mud turtle - K. l. leucostomum Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1851^[1]
    • Southern white-lipped mud turtle - K. l. postinguinale (Cope, 1887)^[1]
  • Oaxaca mud turtle - K. oaxacae Berry & Iverson, 1980^[1]
  • Scorpion mud turtle - K. scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766)^[1]
    • Scorpion mud turtle (subspecies) - K. s. scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766)^[1]
    • Central Chiapas mud turtle - K. s. abaxillare (Baur, 1925)^[1]
    • White-throated mud turtle - K. s. albogulare (Duméril and Bibron, 1870)^[1]
    • Red-cheeked mud turtle - K. s. cruentatum (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1851)^[1]
  • Sonora mud turtle - K. sonoriense (Le Conte, 1854)^[1]
    • Sonora mud turtle (subspecies) - K. s. sonoriense (Le Conte, 1854)^[1]
    • Sonoyta mud turtle - K. s. longifemorale (Inverson, 1981)^[1]
  • Eastern mud turtle - K. subrubrum (Bonnaterre, 1789)^[1]
    • Eastern mud turtle (subspecies) - K. s. subrubrum (Bonnaterre, 1789)^[1]
    • Mississippi mud turtle - K. s. hippocrepis (Bonnaterre, 1789)^[1]
    • Florida mud turtle - K. s. steindachneri (Siebenrock,1906)^[1]

References[edit]

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the world, 2010 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status". Chelonian Research Monographs 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-15. 

External links[edit]

• Genus Kinosternon at The Reptile Database