Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum

Eastern mud turtle
Kinosternon subrubrum
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Kinosternidae
Genus:	Kinosternon
Species:	K. subrubum
Binomial name
Kinosternon subrubrum (Bonnaterre, 1789)
Synonyms
Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum Testudo subrubra Lacépède, 1788 (nomen suppressum) Testudo subrubra Bonnaterre, 1789 Testudo pensilvanica Gmelin, 1789 Emydes pensilvancia Brongniart, 1805 (ex errore) Emys pensylvanica Schweigger, 1812 Terrapene boscii Merrem, 1820 Terrapene pensylvanica — Merrem, 1820 Cistuda pensylvanica — Say, 1825 Sternotherus pensylvanica — Gray, 1825 Kinosternon pennsylvanicum Bell, 1825 (ex errore) Sternothaerus boscii — Bell, 1825 Kinosternum pensylvanicum — Bonaparte, 1830 Cinosternon pensylvanicum — Wagler, 1830 Emys (Kinosternon) pennsylvanica — Gray, 1831 Clemmys (Cinosternon) pensylvanica — Fitzinger, 1835 Kinosternon pensylvanicum — De Kay, 1842 Kinosternon (Kinosternon) doubledayii Gray, 1844 Kinosternon (Kinosternon) oblongum Gray, 1844 Kinosternum doubledayii — LeConte, 1854 Kinosternum pennsylvanicum — LeConte, 1854 Kinosternon punctatum Gray, 1856 Cinosternon pennsylvanicum — Agassiz, 1857 Cinosternum doubledayii — Agassiz, 1857 Cinosternum oblongum Agassiz, 1857 Cinosternum pennsylvanicum — Agassiz, 1857 Cistudo pennsylvanica — Agassiz, 1857 Terrapene pennsylvanica — Agassiz, 1857 Thyrosternum pennsylvanicum — Agassiz, 1857 Cinosternum doubledayi Agassiz, 1857 (ex errore) Cinosternum punctatum — Agassiz, 1857 Cinosternon doubledayii — Strauch, 1865 Swanka fasciata Gray, 1869 Cinosternum pensylvanicum — Boulenger, 1889 Kinosternon pensilvanicum Lönnberg, 1894 (ex errore) Cinosternonus pensylvanicum — Herrera, 1899 Cinosternum pensilvanicum — Siebenrock, 1907 Cinosternum pensilvanium Siebenrock, 1909 (ex errore) Testudo pensilvanica — Siebenrock, 1909 Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum — Stejneger & Barbour, 1917 Kinonsternon subrubrum — Liner, 1954 Kinosternum subrubrum — , 1961 Kinosternon subrum Richard, 1999 (ex errore) Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis Kinosternon hippocrepis Gray, 1856 Cinosternum hippocrepis — Agassiz, 1857 Cinosternon hippocrepis — Strauch, 1865 Kinosternon louisianae Baur, 1893 Cinosternum louisianae — Ditmars, 1907 Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis — Stejneger & Barbour, 1917

The eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum) or common mud turtle is a common species of turtle endemic to the United States.

The eastern mud turtle is a small and often hard to identify species. It measures 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) in carapace length. The carapace is keelless, lacks any pattern, and varies in color from yellowish to black. The plastron is large and double hinged, and can be yellowish to brown, and may sometimes have a dark pattern. The chin and throat are a yellowish grey, streaked and mottled with brown, while the limbs and tail are grayish. The eye, or iris, of the eastern mud turtle is yellow with dark clouding, and its feet are webbed.

Eastern mud turtles live in ponds and other freshwater habitats.

K. subrubrum feeds mainly on insects and small fish.

Mating occurs in K. subrubrum during early spring followed by egg laying in May to early June. Clutch sizes vary from 2 to 5.

Raccoons are known to eat this species' eggs, while herons and alligators often hunt the adults. This species is also exploited to the pet trade.

Eastern mud turtles are found in the US states of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

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Wikipedia