User:Amanda Whyte/sandbox

Description

The Arizona Mud Turtle (Kinosternon arizonense) is species of mud turtle in the Kinosternidae family. The turtle’s body vary in colour. The carapace (upper portion of the shell) tends to be brown, olive or a yellow- brown in colour. The marginal shields, which can be described as the rim around the shell is yellow. In addition, the lower portion of the shell also known as the plastron is yellow as well. The top of the head is grey in colour and the sides are cream. One thing that seperates them from other species of turtles is that the first and second marginal shield do not connect.

Habitat and Behaviour

The Arizona Mud Turtle can be located in the Lower Colarado River Lower Colorado River Sonoran Desertscrub,Arizona Upland Sonoran Desertscrub, and Semidesert Grassland communities. The Arizona Mud Turtle’s activity occurs during the day. It also is active at night but specifically in July and August in monsoon season. Due to the fact that it is warm during this period, they tend to spend most of their time in the water, hence why they are known as semi aquatic. During the winter months, they hibernate in an underground burrow. Their diet consists of toads, tadpoles, fish, intervertabrates and carrion. The Arizona Mud Turtle lays one to seven eggs and mates primarily in the summer. Female turtles tend to grow between 12 to 13 cm and have life span from 6 to 10 years age. During mating season females tend to lay between 1 to 7 eggs.

Major Threats

The species is considered threaten, due to the fact that there has been ranching, agriculture and flood control taking place in the Sonoran Dessert. Establishing themselves in wetlands, also exposes them to climate and habitat degradation. An adult Arizona Mud Turtle usually will survive these conditions, however, could be impacted. Road kill amongst these species is also quite popular amongst this specie. On the positive side, the Arizona mud turtle adapts and benefits from pond reconstruction preformed by humans.