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| Narrow-bridged musk turtle | |
|---|---|
| Claudius angustatus in an aquarium | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Kinosternidae |
| Subfamily: | Staurotypinae |
| Genus: | Claudius Cope, 1865 |
| Species: | C. angustatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Claudius angustatus | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Thenarrow-bridged musk turtle (Claudius angustatus) is aspecies ofturtle in thefamilyKinosternidae. The species is found inCentral America andMexico.
C. angustatus is found inMexico,Guatemala, andBelize.[1]
As of 2010,C. angustatus is the only recognizedextant species in thegenusClaudius.[1]
The narrow-bridged musk turtle is typically brown in color. Thescutes of thecarapace have lines and graining, imparting an almost wood-like appearance. It often has bright-yellow markings on the edges of the carapace. As it ages,algae often heavily cover the shell, masking the patterning and coloration. The head is large and bulbous for its size, with a sharp beak and a long neck. The jaw joint anatomy of the narrow-bridged musk turtle is unique among modernCryptodira.[4] In most cryptodires the jaw joint is formed by a biconcave facet. In the narrow-bridged musk turtle, the jaw joint of is formed by a broad hemispherical condyle, more akin toPleurodira.The carapace isdomed, with three distinct ridges down the length. Though classified in thesubfamilyStaurotypinae with the "giant" musk turtles, the narrow-bridged musk turtle generally only grows to a straight carapace length of about 6.5 in (16.5 cm).[citation needed]
The narrow-bridged musk turtle exhibits genetic sex determination, in contrast to most turtles; although the mechanism is not known for certain, it is suspected to beXX/XY like that of its relativeStaurotypus.[5][6]
Like all musk turtles, the narrow-bridged musk turtle is almost entirely aquatic, and prefershabitats such as slow-moving creeks, or shallow ponds that are heavily vegetated. It spends much of its time walking along the bottom,foraging for aquaticinsects and otherinvertebrates, andcarrion. It has glands under the rear of theshell from which it can release a foul-smellingmusk, hence its common name.[citation needed]