Dunn's mud turtle (''Kinosternon dunni''), also known commonly as the Colombian mud turtle, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Kinosternidae The Kinosternidae are a family of mostly small turtles that includes the mud turtles and musk turtles. The family contains 25 species within four genera, but taxonomic reclassification is an ongoing process, so many sources vary on the exact num ...

Etymology

The epithet or specific name, ''dunni'', honors

Emmett Reid Dunn Emmett Reid Dunn (November 21, 1894 – February 13, 1956) was an American herpetologist and educator who worked in Panama and studied salamanders in the Eastern United States. Early life and education Emmett Reid Dunn was born on November 21, ...

, an American

herpetologist Herpetology (from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (in ...

Geographic range

''K. dunni'' is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Habitat

The preferred natural

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

of ''K. dunni'' is freshwater swamps and slow rivers. www.reptile-database.org.

References

External links

*Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996).
''Kinosternon dunni''

2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Downloaded on 29 July 2007.

Bibliography

* * Schmidt KP (1947). "A New Kinosternid Turtle from Colombia". ''Fieldiana Zoology'' 31 (13): 109–112. (''Kinosternon dunni'', new species). Kinosternon Endemic fauna of Colombia Reptiles of Colombia Vulnerable animals Vulnerable biota of South America Reptiles described in 1947 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Turtle-stub