Little Stinkpot

Saturday's field school for the Master Naturalist training class turned up a cool cold-blooded specimen in the creek, an eastern musk turtle, Sternotherus odoratus, the smallest Missouri turtle and one of the smallest on the planet.  Odoratus is Latin for "fragrant" and its alternate common name of stinkpot sounds ominous.  This is because of scent glands from the edge of its shell which can release a foul musky odor. possibly to deter predation.  Realizing that these were naturalists, it held its fire (or maybe he was just too young for his hormones to arrive.)

"Just call me spike."

Working with the WOLF School, the students almost always give a name to a turtle, snake or even a worm.  I tend to refer to specimens I pick up as "he," a trait that frequently gets me in trouble with my wife.  In this case I am justified as Wikipedia says that "males can usually be distinguished from females by their significantly longer tails and by the spike that protrudes at the end of the tail.

This is a very wise looking turtle, somewhat anthropomorphic but said with affection.  The MDC Discover Nature Field Guide described it this way.  "There are normally two thin, yellow stripes on each side of the head and neck. Small projections of the skin called barbels are present on the chin and throat."  To me it looks like it missed a few spots on its chin while shaving.  Technical note: even male turtles do not shave.


The MDC Field Guide describes its diet writing "A variety of small aquatic animals are eaten by this small reptile, including aquatic insects, earthworms, crayfish, fish eggs, minnows, tadpoles, algae, and dead animals."

"This species is most abundant in slow-current sections of rivers and larger streams of the Ozarks, the swamps, sloughs, and small ditches of the Bootheel, and in a few rivers in the northeastern part of the state. They can also be found in reservoirs. It favors shallow water but also basks on logs, rocks, or small, horizontal tree trunks"

You can't buy Master Naturalist fun like this!  Photos by Becky Swearingen.

For more details go to this Virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com link.