Stinkpot

Sternotherus odoratus

Stinkpot. Photo:David Rodrigue

Stinkpots smell bad... hence their common and latin names. This is on account of musk glands that release secretions where the skin joins the bottom of the shell. They are relatively small, being no more than 13.7 cm in length, and brownish in colour, with black streaks and yellow lines on each side of the head. They will often climb slanted trees overhanging the water. As a result of their aquatic lifestyle, their shells are often covered in a layer of algae. They have a wide ranging diet, eating insects, crayfish, earthworms, molluscs, minnows, tadpoles and vegetation.

Distribution of Stinkpot in Canada