Home > Turtles > Stinkpot Turtle

Stinkpot Turtle

Stinkpot turtle is a species of turtle found only in southeastern Canada and Eastern United States. The species is almost entirely aquatic, spending most of its time in shallow, densely vegetated waters of slow moving ponds or creeks. It ventures onto land when females lay eggs or sometimes to bask. The turtle has the ability to release a foul smell from the scent glands located on the edge of its shell possibly to ward off predators.

Scientific Classification
Quick Information

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Subphylum	Vertebrata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Testudines
Family	Kinosternidae
Subfamily	Kinosterninae
Genus	Sternotherus
Scientific Name	Sternotherus odoratus

Other Names	Common musk turtle
Length	Around 5.1–14 cm (2.0–5.5 in)
Weight	Around 603 g (1.329 lb)
Color	Brown or black upper surface; dark olive to black skin; two marked yellow lines one on either side of the eye runs from the snout to the neck
Distribution	Southern Ontario, southern Quebec (Canada); southern Maine, Florida, Texas, central Wisconsin (United States)
Habitat	Variety of wetland habitats and littoral zones, especially shallow watercourses with a slow current and muddy bottom
Diet	Crayfish, freshwater clams, aquatic larvae, snails, tadpoles, various insects, fish, carrion
Hibernation Fact	Hibernate buried in the mud under logs or in muskrat lodges
Predators	Juveniles fall prey to largemouth bass, bullfrogs and cottonmouths whereas adults are preyed upon by muskrats
Breeding Season	Spring
Mode of Reproduction	Oviparous (egg laying)
Clutch Size	2 to 9 eggs
Incubation Period	9 to 12 weeks
Reproductive Age	Males: 3 to 5 years of age Females: 5 to 11 years of age
Average Lifespan	More than 50 years in captivity
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern