Kinosternon is a genus of small aquatic turtles from the Americas known commonly as mud turtles.
Geographic range 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 They are very similar to the musk turtles, but generally smaller in size, and their carapaces are not as highly domed.
Diet All mud turtles are carnivorous, consuming various aquatic invertebrates (especially molluscs and worms), fish, and even carrion.
Behavior Mud turtles live in the ground layer on the bed of bodies of slowly-flowing or still water. By burrowing deeply into mud, mud turtles are protected from danger. They occasionally like to bask in the sun.
Species
Extant
Central Chiapas mud turtle - K. abaxillare (Baur, 1925) Tabasco mud turtle - K. acutum Gray, 1831 Alamos mud turtle - K. alamosae Berry & Legler, 1980 Central American mud turtle - K. angustipons Legler, 1965 Striped mud turtle - K. baurii (Garman, 1891) Jalisco mud turtle - K. chimalhuaca Berry, Seidel, & Iverson, 1996 Cora mud turtle - K. cora Loc-Barragán et al., 2020 Creaser's mud turtle - K. creaseri Hartweg, 1934 Dunn's mud turtle - K. dunni Schmidt, 1947 Durango mud turtle - K. durangoense Iverson, 1979 Yellow mud turtle - K. flavescens (Agassiz, 1857) Herrera's mud turtle - K. herrerai Stejneger, 1925 Rough-footed mud turtle - K. hirtipes (Wagler, 1830) Valley of Mexico mud turtle - K. h. hirtipes (Wagler, 1830) Lake Chapala mud turtle - K. h. chapalaense Iverson, 1981 San Juanico mud turtle - K. h. magdalense Iverson, 1981 Viesca mud turtle - K. h. megacephalum Iverson, 1981 (extinct) Mexican plateau mud turtle - K. h. murrayi Glass and Hartweg, 1951 Patzcuarco mud turtle - K. h. tarascense Iverson, 1981 Mexican mud turtle - K. integrum (LeConte, 1954) White-lipped mud turtle - K. leucostomum A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 Northern white-lipped mud turtle - K. l. leucostomum A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 Southern white-lipped mud turtle - K. l. postinguinale (Cope, 1887) Pacific red-cheeked mud turtle - K. mexicanum Iverson & Berry, 2024Iverson, J. B., & Berry, J. F. (2024). Morphometric Variation in the Red-Cheeked Mud Turtle (Kinosternon cruentatum) and its Taxonomic Implications. Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World’s Turtle and Tortoise Journal.https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1589.1 Oaxaca mud turtle - K. oaxacae Berry & Iverson, 1980 Scorpion mud turtle - K. scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766) Scorpion mud turtle (subspecies) - K. s. scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766) White-throated mud turtle - K. s. albogulare (A.H.A. Duméril and Bocourt, 1870) Red-cheeked mud turtle - K. s. cruentatum (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851) Sonora mud turtle - K. sonoriense (Le Conte, 1854) Sonora mud turtle (subspecies) - K. s. sonoriense (Le Conte, 1854) Sonoyta mud turtle - K. s. longifemorale (Iverson, 1981) Florida mud turtle - K. steindachneri (Siebenrock, 1906) Arizona mud turtle - K. stejnegeri Gilmore, 1923 Eastern mud turtle - K. subrubrum (Bonnaterre, 1789) Eastern mud turtle (subspecies) - K. s. subrubrum (Bonnaterre, 1789) Mississippi mud turtle - K. s. hippocrepis (Bonnaterre, 1789) Vallarta mud turtle - K. vogti López-Luna et al., 2018
Extinct
†Kinosternon arizonense Gilmore, 1923 (known from Plio-Pleistocene fossil remains, formerly considered conspecific with K. stejnegeri) †Kinosternon notolophus Bourque, 2016 †Kinosternon pannekollops Bourque, 2016 †Kinosternon pojoaque †Kinosternon rincon Bourque, 2016 †Kinosternon skullridgescens †Kinosternon wakeeniense Bourque, 2016
References
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