As with most reptiles, mud turtles and other turtle species have been on earth a long time. There have been recorded fossil findings in the southern United States dating back over five million years. They are scientifically classified as Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Reptilia, Order: Testudinata, and Families: Kinosternidae and Pelomedusidae. This generally indicates a species that is very adaptive to most naturally occurring environmental changes. Man, however, has tipped the scales against them by destroying their natural habitat and crushing them on roads during migration. Still listed at this time as a species of Least Concern (LC) of extinction, care should be taken to study their areas of habitat and migration.Mud turtles are included in the types of turtles that can close themselves entirely within their shells. Unlike their more aggressive cousins, the snapping turtles, mud turtles have a double-hinged plastron (bottom shell) that will close completely, protecting them from some intruders or predators. Though often confused with the similar looking musk turtle, their plastrons differ. The musk turtle’s plastron is only single hinged. Mud turtles are smaller than the other similar species, and have a smooth oval top shell or carapace. There is no keel (a lengthwise ridge) on the back of a mud turtle.
Mud turtles are omnivores and will basically eat anything they find, including insects, slugs, snails, fish, crayfish, tadpoles, algae, berries, fruits, and will even resort to eating carrion if no other food is available. With a preference for shallow, slow moving bodies of water, usually an abundance of food is easy to find; however, the turtles must also beware of becoming the dinner for some predators especially while they are young. Weasels, skunks, foxes, snakes, will eat the eggs from a nest, and young hatchlings are often eaten by aquatic birds. Because of their small size they often fall prey if they cannot hide inside their shell or dive into the water. When scared they may attempt to bite but it is often of no consequence to a large predator.
They are generally dull in color in order to blend in with their surroundings. African and American mud turtles are not similar at all except in their choice of habitat. They generally grow to a size of about 5 inches and can live up to 50 years in the wild. Mud turtles have been around for a long time, and hopefully man will take note of them, and keep them here forever.
The mud turtles are interesting creatures that inhabits mostly fresh to brackish water (that has a salt content that is less than the salt content of sea water) and is semi-aquatic. Their time that is not spent directly in the water, is usually spent close to the water in muddy areas, hence the name. They have many abilities including the ability to dive up to three meters and hold their breath for up to 20 minutes underwater. They generally mate underwater, but lay their eggs on land and can live up to 50 years in the wild. They are very adaptive creatures but their biggest threat is loss of habitat due to human expansion and being crushed by vehicles while crossing roads. Although currently on the Least Concern (LC) level in the conservation rating, attention should be given to additional loss of habitat and more care taken not to run over them on roads. Pesticide use can also damage their ecosystem since they feed on insects pesticides affect.
The majority of their time spent on land is during the colder months while hibernating. When choosing a location for hibernation, they prefer a muddy area very close to the edge of the water. If their habitat dries up they may try to burrow deeper for additional moisture or simply migrate to a more preferable area. If they are hibernating on land, they will often use the abandoned burrow of another animal and have even been known to reach out and eat a passing earthworm during their hibernation cycle.
A fascinating fact is that mud turtles mature at different ages in different geographic areas. In some areas the males mature more quickly than the females, and in other areas the maturation time in both sexes is approximately the same. Sometimes they will mature as early as three years or as late as five years with a mating season around the middle of March to the end of May. The eggs generally hatch around August or September if the weather has been warm enough for the eggs to develop properly into hatchlings. Since incubation temperature determines the sex of the hatchling, it is thought that global warming may affect the male/female ratio in an adverse way.
Being omnivores, eating both plants and meat, helps them to maintain a wide variety of habitats. Mud turtles will even eat carrion when no other food is available, making them more adaptive than other creatures.