Yellow mud turtle

Kinosternon flavescens

The yellow mud turtle is a small turtle that loves to live in muddy waters. It has a soft shell and can often be found basking in the sun or hiding in the mud.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Yellow mud turtle has a smooth, dome-shaped carapace (top shell) that is olive to dark brown. Its most distinctive features are the yellowish to cream-colored plastron (bottom shell) and often yellow markings on its head and neck, with a pointed snout.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassTestudinesOrderTestudinesFamilyKinosternidaeGenusKinosternon

Yellow mud turtle

Interesting facts

Their sensitive shell can feel tiny vibrations, warning them of danger!

They sometimes stack on top of each other to share a good basking spot!

They use their strong jaws to crush the shells of snails and small crustaceans!

Yellow mud turtles sometimes climb onto logs to bask in the sun like sunbathers!

Special abilities

Yellow mud turtle can bury itself deep in the mud because of/that helps them survive droughts or cold periods for many months.

Yellow mud turtle has glands that release a stinky musk because of/that helps them scare away predators when feeling threatened.

Yellow mud turtle can hold its breath for long periods underwater because of/that helps them quietly ambush prey on the pond bottom.

Measurements & details

Length: 8-15 cm
Weight: 0.15-0.5 kg
Lifespan: 15-25 years
Top Speed: 0.5 km/h
Swim Speed: 3 km/h
Clutch Size: 1-10
Incubation: 70-120 days
Maximum Depth: 2 m

Diet & Feeding

These turtles munch on tiny insects, yummy worms, small fish, and even some underwater plants!

Age differences: Young turtles eat more meat, while adults add more plants to their diet.

Primary Foods

aquatic insects
snails
tadpoles
small fish
worms
aquatic plants

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Raids nests for eggs and preys on young turtles.

eats

Great Pond Snail

Lymnaea stagnalis

Crushes snail shells with its strong jaws.

eaten by

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Hunts small turtles and hatchlings in shallow water.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Omnivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.