The Illinois Mud Turtle, Kinosternon flavescens spooneri Smith, 1951. Photographed in central Illinois. The following names have also been applied to it: K. f. flavescens, and K. spooneri. It can reach a plastron length of 150 mm. The Illinois Mud Turtle uses permanent water in Illinois sand prairies. It spends most of the year underground, and migrates to water to feed in the spring and summer.

The Common Musk Turtle, Sternotherus odoratus (Latreille, 1801). Top - photographed in Alexander Co., Illinois. Bottom - Photographed in Will County, Illinois. Also commonly called the "stinkpot." S. odoratus is widespread and relatively common over much of eastern North America from southern Ontario southward to Florida and westward to Texas and Oklahoma. It rarely leaves the water and like many kinosternids may have its shell covered with algae. It can be found in a variety of aquatic habitats.This turtle has also been placed in the genus Kinosternon. The turtles of the genus Sternotherus have a great ely reduced plastron that provides little protection to the head,. legs and tail.

The Razor Backed Musk Turtle, Sternotherus carinatus (Gray, 1855). Photographed in southern Mississippi.. The Razor Back Musk Turtle ranges from eastern Mississippi westward to Texas and Oklahoma. Note barbels on chin.

The Loggerhead Musk Turtle, Sternotherus minor (Agassiz, 1857). Photographed along the Pearl River in southern Mississippi. This is one of the few kinosternids that will climb out of the water onto branches (top photo). Adults of this species tend to have very large heads. It is found from eastern Tennessee and western Virginia southward to central Florida and southern Alabama.

The Scorpion Mud Turtle, Kinosternon scorpiodes (Linnaeus, 1766). Photographed in Trinidad. The Scorpion Mud Turtle and a distribution from Tamaulipas Mexico southward through central America, and into South America, ranging southward to Argentina and Brazil. It also occurs on the continental island of Trinidad. It tends to be active at night.