Loggerhead Musk Turtle
Sternotherus minor
Adult carapace length between 3 and 4.5 inches, tan to dark brown in color with black spots or streaks. Unusually large head. Head, legs, and tail occur in varying shades…
How to identify
Adult carapace length between 3 and 4.5 inches, tan to dark brown in color with black spots or streaks. Unusually large head. Head, legs, and tail occur in varying shades of light brown with dark spots.
Range
Southeastern United States. Range is in Georgia, Florida and some portions of Alabama.
Habitat
Aquatic. Found in springs, streams, rivers, and other clean fresh bodies of water. Typically found underwater, on bottom, sometimes up to 20 feet deep. Occasionally can be seen basking on tree branches above water. Only terrestrial when nesting.
Variations
Juveniles: Well defined central keel with two side keels on carapace. Males: Larger head than females and longer tail with curved tail tip.
Similar species
Sternotherus minor was once grouped with S. peltifer and S. intermedius. It can be distinguished from the similar S. minor and S. intermedius by the large amount of spotting on the neck and absence of stripes.
Name and etymology
Minor: Latin for smaller.
At a glance
Range
Southeastern United States. Range is in Georgia, Florida and some portions of Alabama.
Habitat
Aquatic. Found in springs, streams, rivers, and other clean fresh bodies of water. Typically found underwater, on bottom, som…
Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap