Sternotherus odoratus (eastern musk turtle) 1

Description:

Description: English: Sternotherus odoratus (Latreille in Sonnini & Latreille, 1801) - eastern musk turtle (captive, Greater Cleveland Aquarium, Cleveland, Ohio, USA). The turtles & tortoises (chelonians) are an ancient group of reptiles that have a Triassic to Holocene stratigraphic record. Turtles are most easily recognized by their shell - some forms can retract the head & limbs into the shell when threatened, while other species cannot. Their overall body plan has changed very little since the Triassic - a great example of conservative evolution. Chelonians occur in terrestrial, freshwater, brackish-water, and marine settings. From exhibit signage: Eastern Musk Turtle Sternotherus odoratus - widely distributed throughout the eastern United States - also known as "stinkpots", they get their name from the foul odor they expel when caught or teased - prefer deep, still water in lakes and ponds with muddy bottoms and an abundance of plant life - feed on plants, molluscs, small fish, and insects Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Reptilia, Anapsida, Chelonia (a.k.a. Testudines), Kinosternidae See info. at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sternotherus_odoratus. Date: Taken on 13 July 2017, 11:35:04. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/47445767@N05/36008871425/. Author: James St. John.