Common Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
Embedded Files
Avery Owen & Cassie Pham
Avery Owen & Cassie Pham
Introduction
Introduction
Herpetologists of North Carolina (2019) identifies the common musk turtles to have small plastrons (bottom of shell) with a single hinge that provides little to no protection for their legs. Musk turtles have two light stripes on their heads and their carapace (top of shell) is smooth and has a ridge down the center. It is usually black in color and sometimes covered with spots or streaks. Males can be distinguished from females by their thick tail, which is sharp and pointy. Female tails are much smaller and lack the sharp point. They are also known by another nickname, Stinkpot, because they secrete a very foul smelling smell from their anal glands when they feel threatened! Pee-yew! They are also omnivorous, typically an aquatic species, and they also do bite, so be warned.
As shown below, pictures were taken by Cassie Pham at the Halyburton Park Visitor Center in June 2019 or from PhotosForClass.com.
As shown below, pictures were taken by Cassie Pham at the Halyburton Park Visitor Center in June 2019 or from PhotosForClass.com.
Scientific Name: Sternotherus odoratus
Common Name: Common Musk Turtle
The musk turtle is part of the Phylum chordates, Infraphylum gnathostomata, Class reptilia, and Order testudines. Respectively, the taxonomy explains that this animal developed a vertebral spine, developed a jaw, a reptile (ectotherm), and is in the turtle group (McDiamird, 1996).
Niche and Habitat
Niche and Habitat
The common musk turtle feeding/diet is categorized as omnivorous and they feed on small aquatic and semi-aquatic animals and aquatic plants. They are an aquatic species, meaning they'll mostly be found in bodies of freshwater and tend to not stray too far from it. You can find them walking along the bottom of shallow water or sun-basking in trees of heights up to 7 feet! They are active at night, meaning they are nocturnal, and prefers still-standing bodies of freshwater with soft sediment, such as ponds. They are not tolerant of brackish water and hibernate in the mud during winter. They can be found anywhere in North Carolina! (Aardema, 2019).
Pictures depicts a distribution map and scale of hatchling to adult size of the common musk turtle from Herpetologists of NC (Aardema, 2019).
Evolutionary History
Evolutionary History
By studying modern turtles embryos, developmental biologists found that the shell of the turtle is formed by the ribs. Interestingly, tetrapods (animals with limbs) developmentally have ribs formed under and outward of the limbs, like in human development. However, in turtles, ribs are formed over and around the limbs. Amazingly, it turns out that turtles didn't evolve a shell for protection as previously thought! The shell was evolved from ancestral turtles, that looked like lizards, being great diggers. To have ribs develop behind and around the limbs allow ancestral turtles to become great diggers with less constraints, and the ribs becoming a shell for protection was a co-adaptation (Reynolds, 2019).
Cladogram shown is from Integrated Principles of Zoology (16th edition)
Environmental Impacts
Environmental Impacts
This turtle is neither helpful or harmful to most of the human society, except for the fishermen. These turtles are not fun to find on the end of a fishing line, as they will secrete their strong-smelling musk quickly, and aggressively try to bite (Line 1998). As long as they have a permanent body of freshwater to live in, they are as happy as can be. Since they are considered an omnivore with a wide range of food it can eat, it can be found commonly in almost any region.
Conservation
Conservation
The common musk turtle's conservation status in the United States is not endangered, but is considered threatened in Ontario. According to Ernst (1986), water pollution, raccoon predations, and incidental mortality from fishing lines and traps are all threats to this species. Although they move less often and are commonly found in highly fragmented areas, high rates of road mortality can occur. They are also sensitive to land conversion and activity shifts after drainage of an inhabited pond. Simply put, as with other turtles, this species can live a long time (long-lived species) and can't endure chronic rates of mortality.
Friends or Foes?
Friends or Foes?
Common musk turtles have a unique way of deterring their predators which is to release a stench so stinky that the enemy scatter off. They have many predators like raccoons, skunks, large wading birds, large fishes, foxes, American Bullfrog, and snapping turtles. They can coexist with other turtle species, although they can also compete with each other for resources such as other pond dwelling turtles like, the red-eared slider and the yellow-bellied slider. Musk turtles can also take advantage of having a symbiotic relationship with algae on their shell, increasing likelihood of evading and hiding from predators in addition to their dark shell (Ernst, 1986).
Web Resources for Audience to Explore
Web Resources for Audience to Explore
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Reptilia/
- Website for engaging young kids towards reptiles
- Website for engaging audience to learn about the native turtles in NC
https://www.natgeokids.com/nz/discover/animals/sea-life/turtle-facts/
- Ideas on engaging audience towards turtles
https://www.earthrangers.com/wildwire/top-10/top-ten-facts-about-turtle-shells/
- Learn some facts about the shell of a turtle
https://animals.howstuffworks.com/reptiles/turtle-shell1.htm
- Help answers the question "Can turtles outgrow their shell?"
https://www.reptilecentre.com/info-musk-turtle-care-sheet
- How to care and raise a musk turtle in captivity
Resources
Resources
Cite all sources utilized in this assignment (be sure to link back to resource page using embed feature when applicable or creating your own citation)
Cite all sources utilized in this assignment (be sure to link back to resource page using embed feature when applicable or creating your own citation)
Aardema, J. et al. “Snakes.” Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina, 2019, http://herpsofnc.org/common-musk-turtle/.
Ernst, C. H. 1986. Ecology of the turtle, Sternotherus odoratus, in southeastern Pennsylvania. Journal of Herpetology 20(3): 341-352.
McDiarmid, Roy. “ITIS Standard Report Page: Sternotherus Odoratus.” ITIS Standard Report Page: Sternotherus Odoratus, 1996, https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=173758.
Line, L. 1998. When the Best Offense Is a Good Defense. National Wildlife, 36: 28.
Google Sites
Report abuse