Mexican musk turtle
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2018) |
| Mexican musk turtle | |
|---|---|
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| Staurotypus triporcatus | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Kinosternidae |
| Genus: | Staurotypus |
| Species: | S. triporcatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Staurotypus triporcatus (Wiegmann, 1828)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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The Mexican musk turtle (Staurotypus triporcatus), also known commonly as the giant musk turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species occurs in Central America and Mexico.
Geographic range[edit]
S. triporcatus is found in Belize, northeastern Guatemala, western Honduras, and Mexico. In Mexico it is found in the Mexican states of Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz.[3]
Description[edit]
S. triporcatus is typically much larger than other species of Kinosternidae, attaining a straight carapace length of up to 36 cm (14 in), with males being significantly smaller than females. It is typically brown, black, or green in color, with a yellow underside. The carapace is distinguished by three distinct ridges, or keels, which run the length.[citation needed]
S. triporcatus exhibits XX/XY sex determination, in contrast to the temperature-dependent sex determination of most turtles.[4]
Diet[edit]
Like other musk turtle species, S. triporcatus is carnivorous, eating various types of aquatic invertebrates, as well as fish and carrion.[citation needed].
References[edit]
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
- ^ Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 261–262. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
- ^ "Staurotypus triporcatus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ Badenhorst, Daleen; Stanyon, Roscoe; Engstrom, Tag; Valenzuela, Nicole (2013-04-01). "A ZZ/ZW microchromosome system in the spiny softshell turtle, Apalone spinifera, reveals an intriguing sex chromosome conservation in Trionychidae". Chromosome Research. 21 (2): 137–147. doi:10.1007/s10577-013-9343-2. ISSN 1573-6849. PMID 23512312. S2CID 254379278.
External links[edit]
- Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). Staurotypus triporcatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 29 July 2007.
Further reading[edit]
- Wiegmann AF (1828). "Beyträge zur Amphibienkunde ". Isis von Oken 21: 364–383. (Terrapene triiporcata, new species, pp. 364–365). (in German and Latin).
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