THE REPTILES OF OHIO 



155 



This and the following species are very similar and are apt to be con- 

 fused. The best characters for separating Amyda mutica from Aniyda spini- 

 fera are, in the former, the lack of spines and tubercles on the carapace, lack 

 of a nasal septum with ridges projecting into the nostrils, lack of a mottled 

 pattern on the feet, and in the younger specimens and males, the carapace 

 marked with dots and streaks instead of circular spots. 



Specimens examined, 19; specimens preserved, 17; specimens studied, 16. 



Range. — Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, east in the Mississippi River and 

 its tributaries to southern Ohio; north to South Dakota and Minnesota. 



The brown soft-shelled turtle has been collected in Ohio only in the Sci- 

 oto, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, although it doubtless occurs in other large 

 rivers in the southern part of the state (Map 37). Kirsch (1895, 333) records 

 Amyda mutica from a number of localities in northwestern Ohio, but it is 

 evident that he confused this species with A. spinifera which latter is abundant 

 in that part of the state. All of the specimens of Amyda from Ohio in the 

 collection of the U.S. National Museum are definitely spinifera, including 

 those collected by Kirsch. Locality records are: 



Map 37. Ohio locality records and general 

 range of the Brown Soft-Shelled Turtle, 

 Amyda mulica. 



