TURTLES AND TORTOISES 13 



Genus Aromochelys; the Musk Turtles: If the 

 carapace were not so smooth and oval the species might 

 easily be mistaken for young snapping turtles. The 

 head is proportionately very large, with tapering, conical 

 snout. In accordance with the aquatic habits, the feet 

 are broadly webbed. The shell of a large specimen is 

 not over four inches long. 



The Common Musk Turtle, Aromochelys odoratus, 

 is abundant in the eastern states, from southern Canada 

 to the Gulf of Mexico; in the northern portion of the 

 range it occurs as far westward as Illinois; southward 

 it ranges into Texas. A mature specimen has a carapace 

 three or four inches long; the plastron is much shorter 

 than the upper shell. A specimen with a shell four 

 inches long would have a head an inch broad. The 

 young have a pyramidal shell that is very sharply keeled 

 on the rear of the back; as the turtle matures the shell 

 becomes globular and perfectly smooth. 



This species may be told by the bright yellow lines 

 on each side of the head; both of these begin at the 

 snout; one passes over and the other beneath the eye. 

 The Southern Musk Turtle, A. tristycha, looks much 

 like the preceding reptile, but the head bands are broader 

 and broken. It is found in the southeastern part of 

 the United States. 



The Keeled Musk Turtle, A. carinatus, by its spot- 

 ted head differs from the northern species, though it 

 evinces a stronger characteristic in the sharp keel on the 

 upper shell, which is retained through life. The head 

 is very large and broad. Some specimens are of a uni- 

 form brown, while many display bold, black markings on 

 the upper shell. From Georgia to the Gulf States and 

 westward to Arizona, this turtle is fairly common. 



Musk Turtles are persistently aquatic, agile swim- 



