Eastern Mud Turtle

Eastern Mud Turtle

Kinosternon subrubrum

Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Washington

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

24 Verified sightings at Washington
30 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Eastern Mud Turtle

The eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum) or common mud turtle is a common species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is endemic to the United States. There are two recognized subspecies. The eastern mud turtle is a small and often hard to identify species. It measures 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) in carapace length. The carapace is keelless, lacks any pattern, and varies in color from yellowish to black. The plastron is large and double hinged, and can be yellowish to brown, and may sometimes have a dark pattern. The chin and throat are a yellowish grey, streaked and mottled with brown, while the limbs and tail are grayish. The eye, or iris, of the eastern mud turtle is yellow with dark clouding, and its feet are webbed.

The specific name, subrubrum, meaning "under red", refers to the red-orange plastron of hatchlings. The eastern mud turtle is omnivorous and feeds on insects, crustaceans, mollusks, amphibians, carrion, and aquatic vegetation. Smaller eastern mud turtles prey on small aquatic insects, algae, and carrion, whereas larger ones can feed on any type of food that they can fit in their mouth.

Eastern... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
2 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Houston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 The Maryland Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
2 Riverbanks Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
3 Western North Carolina Nature Center 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
4 Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
5 Elmwood Park Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
6 Texas Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
7 Zoo Samara 🇷🇺 Russia In captivity
8 UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
9 Edisto Island Serpentarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
10 Medicine Park Aquarium & Natural Sciences Center 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Eastern Mud Turtle in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Mud Turtle sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 21st most-seen of the 25 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Eastern Mud Turtle in Washington?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Mud Turtle in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see an Eastern Mud Turtle?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Mud Turtle sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Washington the best place to see an Eastern Mud Turtle?

Among the best

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Eastern Mud Turtle sightings, Washington ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Dallas (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Eastern Mud Turtle sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Eastern Mud Turtle is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Washington (24 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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