Florida mud turtle explained

The Florida mud turtle (Kinosternon steindachneri) is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is endemic to the state of Florida in the United States. This species of turtle is extremely rare compared to others. ^[1]

Taxonomy

Although originally described as a species, K. steindachneri was long considered a subspecies of the eastern mud turtle (K. subrubum), but a 2013 analysis found there to be no data supporting this classification, and supported its recognition as its own distinct species.^[2]

Geographic range

K. steindachneri is found in peninsular Florida. Its type locality is near Orlando.

Etymology

The specific name, steindachneri, is in honor of Austrian herpetologist Franz Steindachner.^[3]

Further reading

• Carr A (1940). "A Contribution to the Herpetology of Florida". University of Florida Publication, Biological Science Series 3 (1): 1–118. (Kinosternon subrubrum steindachneri, new status).
• Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 color plates, 207 figures. . (Kinosternon steindachneri, pp. 225–226, Figure 102).
• Siebenrock F (1906). "Eine neue Cinosternum-Art aus Florida". Zoologischer Anzeiger 30: 727–728. (Cinosternum steindachneri, new species). (in German).

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020-09-30 . SCCF Tracking Rare Florida Mud Turtle Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation . 2024-03-17 . en-US.
2. Iverson, John B.; Le, Minh; Ingram, Colleen (2013). "Molecular phylogenetics of the mud and musk turtle family Kinosternidae". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69 (3): 929–939. (Kinosternon steindachneri, new status).
3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Kinosternon subrubrum steindachneri, p. 252).