Loggerhead musk turtle

Loggerhead musk turtle
	Adult, in captivity
	Young turtle, Florida
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Kinosternidae
Genus:	Sternotherus
Species:	S. minor
Binomial name
	Sternotherus minor; (Agassiz, 1857)
Synonyms
	List Goniochelys minor ; Agassiz, 1857 ; Aromochelys minor ; — Strauch, 1862 ; Sternotherus minor ; — Stejneger, 1923 ; Sternotherus carinatus minor ; — Carr, 1952 ; Sternotherus minor minor ; — Tinkle & Webb, 1955 ; Sternothaerus minor minor ; — Tinkle, 1958 ; Sternotheraerus minor minor ; — Wharton & Howard, 1971 ; Kinosternon minor ; — Iverson, Ernst, Gotte & Lovich, 1989 ; Kinosternon minor minor ; — Ernst & R. Barbour, 1989 ;

The loggerhead musk turtle (Sternotherus minor) is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. This turtle has a large head which has a light-colored background with dark spots or stripes present on the head and neck. The average size of an adult loggerhead musk turtle is about 3–5 in (7.6–12.7 cm) in straight carapace length.

The species is native to the southern United States, being found in rivers, wetlands, and streams in the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The diet of an adult loggerhead musk turtle consists mostly of clams and snails.

As of 2016 the conservation status of the loggerhead musk turtle is "Least Concern", and its common threats include habitat loss and human interactions such as car or boating accidents.