Head to head
Mud Turtle vs Musk Turtle
Mud turtles and musk turtles are close relatives that share the same family, the same small size, and the same musky defensive smell, and telling them apart usually comes down to flipping one over and looking at how much of the shell can close.
| Mud Turtle | Musk Turtle | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Kinosternidae | Kinosternidae |
| Plastron hinges | Two, front and back | One weak hinge or none |
| Shell closure | Can close almost completely | Cannot close up |
| Shell shape | Generally flatter | Taller and more domed |
| Musk glands | Present, generally milder | Present, often stronger |
| Climbing ability | Modest | Surprisingly good in some species |
| Habitat flexibility | Tolerates temporary, drying ponds well | Prefers more permanent water |
| Size | Small, about 7 to 12 cm | Small, about 8 to 14 cm |
Mud Turtle vs Musk Turtle: common questions
How do I quickly tell a mud turtle from a musk turtle?
Turn it over and look at the plastron, the flat lower shell. A mud turtle has a noticeably larger plastron with two separate hinges, one toward the front and one toward the back, that let the animal draw both ends upward and close its shell almost entirely, leaving only a narrow gap. A musk turtle has a much smaller, reduced plastron with at most one weak hinge, and it cannot close its shell up in any meaningful way, leaving more of its body permanently exposed. If the shell closes up snugly, it is a mud turtle; if the underside stays mostly open no matter what, it is a musk turtle.
Do both mud turtles and musk turtles smell bad when handled?
Yes, both have scent glands near the edge of the shell that release a musky, unpleasant-smelling secretion when the animal is disturbed or handled, which is where the musk turtle gets its common name, though the musk turtle's version is generally described as stronger and more readily produced than the mud turtle's milder reaction. Both are also capable of extending their long, flexible necks to bite if further provoked, so a defensive mud or musk turtle typically combines the smell with a willingness to snap if handling continues.
Which copes better with a pond that dries up, a mud turtle or a musk turtle?
Mud turtles are generally the more flexible of the two when it comes to temporary or seasonal water, since many mud turtle species naturally live in shallow ponds and ephemeral pools that dry up for part of the year, and they respond by travelling overland to find new water or by burrowing into the mud and becoming dormant until conditions improve. Musk turtles more typically favour permanent or semi-permanent water bodies such as ponds, lakes, and slow rivers, and while individual musk turtles can tolerate some seasonal change, the group as a whole is less specifically adapted to a pond that regularly vanishes than many mud turtles are.