Identification
The yellowish chin and throat of this species make it stand out in the field.
The carapace is usually flat and olive-brown or green. Counting from the front
of the carapace, the ninth marginal scute on each side is higher than the rest.
The plastron is yellowish to brown, and the skin is yellow to grey. The beak
of the Yellow Mud Turtle is somewhat curved and is whitish or yellow in coloration,
and may sometimes be marked with dark spots.
Distribution and Status
The native range of the Yellow Mud Turtle is from southwestern Nebraska south
through western Kansas, Okalahoma and Texas and into northern Mexico, and west
through eastern New Mexico and very eastern portions of Colorado. Disjunct populations
are also found in north central Nebraska, eastern Texas, and southwestern Missouri
and into adjacent southeastern Kansas. In the Midwest the Yellow Mud Turtle
is only found in Missouri, where it is listed as State Endangered. (US
distribution map; Midwest
distribution map).
Ecology
An inhabitant of both permanent and temporary, quiet waterways, the Yellow Mud
Turtle prefers habitats such as swamps, sloughs, sinkholes, rivers, creeks,
ponds, lakes, and even cattle tanks. These turtles will migrate between bodies
of water, and can be found buried in the mud seeking protection if one has dried
up.
Threats and Management Issues
Humans pose the greatest threat to these turtles. Many individuals are killed
on roads each year and their habitat is continually being lost or degraded through
the draining of wetlands and from pollution from pesticides, urban runoff and
sedimentation. As well as having to deal with human interactions, their eggs
and young often fall victim to a variety of animal predators.
Resources
Ernst. C. H., J. E. Lovich and R. W. Barbour. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, USA.
General reference guides and websites.
Links to more information on the Yellow Mud Turtle outside the Herp Center
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499