Living Sanibel: The striped mud turtle is one of the smallest turtles in the world
Striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii)
One of the smallest turtles in the world, the striped mud turtle is rarely longer than five inches. Only the narrow-bridged musk turtle from North and Central America is as tiny. The striped mud turtle can readily be identified by the three distinctive stripes running across the top of the carapace. Its docile disposition and small size make it a favorite of the turtle pet trade. The striped mud turtle is now protected in the Keys but is still captured from the wild throughout most of the state. Because of its small size, the mud turtle is seldom used as food.
An omnivore, the mud turtle feeds on aquatic vegetation but will also eat insects, aquatic animals, and carrion. It is easily caught with small, baited hooks. In the wild even adults can be taken by herons, skunks, raccoons, and alligators.
Florida Box Turtle
(Terrapene carolina bauri)
The Florida box turtle is semi-aquatic, at home in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. In freshwater it prefers to remain in the shallows and does not appear to be a good swimmer. It has a life expectancy of more than 100 years, making it the longest-living organism in this book. Because the only other contender for this distinction is the loggerhead turtle, whose actual lifespan has yet to be verified, the lowly Florida box turtle may well be the longest living animal in “The Living Gulf Coast.”
Easily identified by its high, arching domed carapace with bright orange-yellow markings, the box turtle is commonly kept as a pet. Collecting this turtle for the pet industry was recently outlawed, however, and the species is now protected in Florida. Because of the box turtle’s popularity, Florida has imposed a two-turtle possession limit.
The box turtle’s diet consists of insects, carrion, dung, and toxic fungi. The box turtle cannot be eaten by humans or other mammals because of the build-up of toxicity in its flesh from eating poisonous mushrooms and other fungi. Because of that, the box turtle is seldom preyed upon as an adult. That may be why it is so brightly patterned, much like other toxic and poisonous species. Some juveniles and hatchlings are taken by fire ants, herons, and skunks.
This is an excerpt from The Living Gulf Coast – A Nature Guide to Southwest Florida by Charles Sobczak. The book is available at all the Island bookstores, Baileys, Jerry’s and your favorite online sites.