Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Kinosternoidea (mud turtle)

Reptilia - Testudines - Kinosternoidea

Taxonomy
Kinosternoidea was named by Hay (1892). It is extant. It was considered monophyletic by Joyce (2007) and Danilov and Parham (2008).

It was reranked as the superfamily Kinosternidae by Baur (1893), Carroll (1988), Shoshani et al. (1989), de Broin and de la Fuente (1993), Weems and George (2001), Cadena et al. (2012), Bourque (2013), Hutchison et al. (2013), Brinkman et al. (2016) and Cadena et al. (2017); it was reranked as the family Cinosternidae by Jaekel (1911) and Perrier (1928); it was reranked as the unranked clade Kinosternoidea by Joyce et al. (2004), Joyce (2007), Danilov and Parham (2008), Knauss et al. (2011), Sullivan et al. (2012), Bourque et al. (2015) and Joyce and Bourque (2016); it was misspelled as Cinosternidae by Gadow (1898), Kuhn (1946) and van Dijk et al. (2014); it was reranked as the family Kinosternoidea by Carrano (2023).

It was assigned to Chelydroidea by Baur (1893); to Cryptodiri by Jaekel (1911) and Perrier (1928); to Testudines by Shoshani et al. (1989); to Durocryptodira by Danilov and Parham (2008); to Chelydroidea by Knauss et al. (2011); to Cryptodira by Cadena et al. (2012); to Eucryptodira by Sullivan et al. (2012) and Hutchison et al. (2013); to Trionychoidea by Carroll (1988), de Broin and de la Fuente (1993), Joyce et al. (2004), Joyce (2007) and Bourque et al. (2015); to Pankinosternoidea by Joyce and Bourque (2016); to Cryptodira by Cope (1871), Cope (1875), Gadow (1898), Kuhn (1946), Weems and George (2001), Bourque (2013), van Dijk et al. (2014), Brinkman et al. (2016) and Cadena et al. (2017); and to Trionychoidea by Carrano (2023).

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1871Cinosternidae Cope p. 235
1875Cinosternidae Cope p. 16
1892Kinosternoidea Hay
1893Kinosternidae Baur p. 674
1898Cinosternidae Gadow p. 20
1911Cinosternidae Jaekel p. 186
1928Cinosternidae Perrier p. 3112
1946Cinosternidae Kuhn p. 58
1988Kinosternidae Carroll
1989Kinosternidae Shoshani et al. p. 436
1993Kinosternidae de Broin and de la Fuente p. 9
2001Kinosternidae Weems and George p. 572
2004Kinosternidae Joyce et al.
2004Kinosternoidea Joyce et al.
2007Kinosternoidea Joyce
2008Kinosternoidea Danilov and Parham
2011Kinosternoidea Knauss et al.
2012Kinosternidae Cadena et al. p. 545
2012Kinosternoidea Sullivan et al. p. 343
2013Kinosternidae Bourque
2013Kinosternidae Hutchison et al.
2014Kinosternoidea van Dijk et al.
2015Kinosternoidea Bourque et al.
2016Kinosternidae Brinkman et al.
2016Kinosternoidea Joyce and Bourque
2017Kinosternidae Cadena et al.
2023Kinosternoidea Carrano

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Life
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
RankNameAuthor
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderCryptodira
superfamilyTrionychoideaFitzinger 1826
familyKinosternoidea()
familyKinosternoidea()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. Kinosternoidea Hay 1892 [mud turtle]
show all | hide all
G. Aromochelys Gray
G. Cinosternum von Spix 1824 [mud turtle]
Fm. Kinosternidae Hay 1892
hide
G. †Baltemys Hutchison 1991
+
Baltemys staurogastros Hutchison 1991
+
Invalid names: Baltemys velogastros Lichtig and Lucas 2015 [synonym]
Unr. Kinosterninae Baur 1893
+
G. Sternotherus Gray 1825 [musk turtle]
+
Sternotherus bonevalleyensis Bourque and Schubert 2015
Sternotherus carinatus Gray 1856 [Razor-backed musk turtle]
Sternotherus depressus Tinkle and Webb 1955 [Flattened musk turtle]
Sternotherus minor Agassiz 1857 [Loggerhead musk turtle]
Sternotherus odoratus Latreille 1801 [Common musk turtle]
Sternotherus palaeodorus Bourque and Schubert 2015
G. Kinosternon von Spix 1824 [mud turtle]
+
Kinosternon abaxillare Baur 1925 [Central Chiapas mud turtle]
Kinosternon acutum Gray 1831 [Tabasco mud turtle]
Kinosternon alamosae Berry and Legler 1980 [Alamos mud turtle]
Kinosternon angustipons Legler 1965 [Narrow-bridged mud turtle]
Kinosternon arizonense Gilmore 1922 [Arizona mud turtle]
Kinosternon baurii Garman 1891 [Striped mud turtle]
Kinosternon chimalhuaca Berry et al. 1996 [Jalisco mud turtle]
Kinosternon creaseri Hartweg 1934 [Creaser's mud turtle]
Kinosternon dunni Schmidt 1947 [Dunn's mud turtle]
Kinosternon durangoense Iverson 1979 [Durango mud turtle]
Kinosternon flavescens Agassiz 1857 [Yellow mud turtle]
Kinosternon herrerai Stejneger 1925 [Herrera's mud turtle]
Kinosternon hirtipes Wagler 1830 [Rough-footed mud turtle]
Kinosternon integrum Le Conte 1854 [Mexican mud turtle]
Kinosternon leucostomum Dumeril 1851 [White-lipped mud turtle]
Kinosternon notolophus Bourque 2015
Kinosternon oaxacae van Dijk et al. 2014 [Oaxaca mud turtle]
Kinosternon pannekollops Bourque 2015
Kinosternon pojoaque Bourque 2012
Kinosternon rincon Bourque 2015
Kinosternon scorpioides Linneaus 1766 [Scorpion mud turtle]
Kinosternon sonoriense Le Conte 1864 [Sonora mud turtle]
Kinosternon subrubrum Bonnaterre 1788 [Eastern mud turtle]
Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis Gray 1856 [Mississippi mud turtle]
Kinosternon wakeeniense Bourque 2015
Invalid names: Platythyra Agassiz 1857 [synonym]
G. †Leiochelys Brinkman et al. 2023
+
Leiochelys tokaryki Brinkman et al. 2023
Subfm. Staurotypinae Gray 1869
+
G. Claudius Cope 1865 [narrow-bridged musk turtle]
+
Claudius angustatus Cope 1865 [narrow-bridged musk turtle]
G. Staurotypus Wagler 1830 [Mexican musk turtle]
+
Staurotypus moschus Cadena et al. 2012
Staurotypus salvini Gray 1864 [Chiapas giant musk turtle]
Staurotypus triporcatus Wiegmann 1828 [Mexican giant musk turtle]
G. †Xenochelys Hay 1906
+
Xenochelys bridgerensis Hutchison 1991
Xenochelys floridensis Bourque 2013
Xenochelys formosa Hay 1906
Xenochelys lostcabinensis Hutchison 1991
G. †Yelmochelys Brinkman et al. 2016
+
Yelmochelys rosarioae Brinkman et al. 2016
Unr. †Pandermatemys Joyce et al. 2004
hide
G. †Agomphus Cope 1871
+
Agomphus alabamensis Gilmore 1919
Agomphus oxysternum Cope 1877
Agomphus pectoralis Cope 1870
+
Invalid names: Adocus petrosus Cope 1868 [synonym], Agomphus masculinus Wieland 1905 [synonym], Agomphus tardus Wieland 1905 [synonym], Emys turgidus Cope 1870 [synonym]
Invalid names: Amphiemys Cope 1877 [synonym]
G. †Baptemys Leidy 1870
+
Baptemys garmanii Cope 1872
+
Invalid names: Baptemys tricarinata Hay 1908 [synonym], Dermatemys costilata Cope 1875 [synonym]
Baptemys nanus Bourque et al. 2015
Invalid names: Gomphochelys Bourque et al. 2015 [synonym], Notomorpha Cope 1872 [synonym], Notomorpha gravis Cope 1872 [nomen dubium]
Fm. Dermatemydidae Baur 1888
+
G. †Cardichelyon Hutchison 2013
+
Cardichelyon rogerwoodi Hutchison 2013
G. Dermatemys Gray 1847 [Central American river turtle]
+
Dermatemys mawii Gray 1847 [Central American river turtle]
G. †Kallistira Hay 1908
Invalid names: Lindholmemydinae [empty]
G. †Hoplochelys Hay 1908
+
Hoplochelys clark Knauss et al. 2011
Hoplochelys crassa Cope 1888
+
Invalid names: Hoplochelys bicarinata Hay 1910 [synonym], Hoplochelys elongata Gilmore 1919 [synonym], Hoplochelys laqueata Gilmore 1919 [synonym], Hoplochelys paludosa Hay 1908 [synonym], Hoplochelys saliens Hay 1908 [synonym]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. Perrier 1928Queue courte; tête complètement rétractile, recouverte par une peau indivise; carapace recouverte par des boucliers cornés lisses, les plaques osseuses neurales formant une série continue; plaques cornées du plastron séparées des marginales par des inframarginales. Plastron réduit à 8 os (pas d'entoplastron). Doigts distincts, fortement palmés, portant chacun un ongle, sauf le doigt externe de la patte postérieure. Symphyses pubienne et ischiatique se rejoignant; bassin présentant deux perforations latérales séparées. Régime des Tortues de la famille précédente.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: freshwatersuperf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: aquaticsuperf
Diet: durophagesuperf
Diet 2: piscivoresuperf
Reproduction: oviparoussuperf
Created: 2005-08-26 14:33:16
Modified: 2005-08-26 16:33:16
Source: superf = superfamily, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Uetz 2005, Carroll 1988

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Late/Upper Campanian to the top of the Holocene or 83.50000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 72.1 Ma

Collections (225 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Cretaceous145.0 - 66.0China (Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region) Dermatemydidae indet. (195441)
Late/Upper Cretaceous100.5 - 66.0China (Shanxi) Dermatemydidae indet. (71840)
Late/Upper Cretaceous100.5 - 66.0USA (Georgia) Amphiemys oxysternum (152758)
Campanian83.6 - 72.1USA (New Jersey) Adocus petrosus (167781)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6Mexico (Coahuila) Hoplochelys sp. (24258 24259 24260 24261) Kinosternoidea indet., Hoplochelys sp. (24257) Yelmochelys rosarioae (35360 179649 179650 179651)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6Mexico (Chihuahua) Yelmochelys rosarioae (210630)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Utah) Kinosternidae indet. (187656 187682 187684 187687 187689 187693 187694)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (New Mexico) Hoplochelys sp. (222083) Kinosternoidea indet. (76106)
Middle Campanian - Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Texas) Hoplochelys sp. (25073 68012 68014)
Maastrichtian72.1 - 66.0USA (North Dakota) Hoplochelys clark (99589)
Lancian70.6 - 66.0USA (Montana) Kinosternoidea indet. (14512 14614 14615)
Lancian70.6 - 66.0USA (North Dakota) Kinosternoidea indet. (137704)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0USA (New Mexico) Hoplochelys sp. (138836) Kinosternoidea indet. (154616)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Canada (Saskatchewan) Leiochelys tokaryki (225845)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0USA (New Jersey) Agomphus masculinus (48570) Agomphus sp., Agomphus turgidus (87903) Agomphus tardus (87902)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian - Early/Lower Paleocene70.6 - 61.7USA (New Jersey) Agomphus pectoralis (128429) Agomphus sp. (26819)
Puercan66.0 - 63.3USA (Colorado) Hoplochelys crassa (118484 176747) Hoplochelys sp. (205869 205870 205875 205888 205891 205919 205930 206186 206187 209875 209880 209885 209886 209888 209903 209907 210037)
Puercan66.0 - 63.3USA (Utah) Hoplochelys sp. (14692 14736 14748 14790)
Early/Lower Paleocene66.0 - 61.7USA (Texas) Hoplochelys sp. (226343)
Early/Lower Paleocene66.0 - 61.7USA (Georgia) Amphiemys oxysternum (74548)
Early/Lower Paleocene66.0 - 61.7USA (Alabama) Agomphus alabamensis (81889)
Puercan - Torrejonian66.0 - 61.7USA (New Mexico) Chelydra crassa (131857)
Danian66.0 - 61.6USA (South Carolina) Agomphus pectoralis (115152)
Torrejonian63.3 - 61.7USA (Utah) Hoplochelys sp. (14830)
Torrejonian63.3 - 61.7USA (New Mexico) Hoplochelys saliens, Hoplochelys paludosa (131858)
Torrejonian63.3 - 61.7USA (Texas) Hoplochelys sp. (110177)
Tiffanian61.7 - 56.8USA (Colorado) Cardichelyon rogerwoodi (174227)
Tiffanian61.7 - 56.8USA (Wyoming) Ptychogaster sp. (15049)
Late/Upper Paleocene58.7 - 55.8USA (Maryland) Kinosternoidea indet. (84046)
Clarkforkian56.8 - 55.8USA (Wyoming) Cardichelyon rogerwoodi (15091 15095 15155 15157) Cardichelyon sp. (164513 164514 164515 164516 164517 164518 164519) Ptychogaster sp. (15093)
Clarkforkian56.8 - 55.8USA (South Carolina) Agomphus alabamensis, Agomphus pectoralis (15074)
Clarkforkian56.8 - 55.8USA (Colorado) Cardichelyon rogerwoodi (176832)
Lostcabinian55.8 - 50.3USA (Wyoming) Xenochelys lostcabinensis (168282)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (North Dakota) Baptemys tricarinata (15895)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (Wyoming) Baltemys sp. (15559 59898) Baltemys staurogastros (15509 15538 15552 15553 15576 15897 168284 168285 168286 168287 168288 168289 168290 168291 168292 168293 168294 168295) Baltemys staurogastros, Cardichelyon rogerwoodi (168296) Baptemys sp. (15566 59894) Cardichelyon rogerwoodi (15489 15512 15520 15523 15529 15530 15783 168305 168306 168311 168313 168316 168317 168340) Emydidae indet. C (15488 59895) Notomorpha gravis, Notomorpha garmanii (131859) Xenochelys lostcabinensis (168283 168297 168298 168299 168300 168301 168302 168303)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (New Mexico) Baltemys sp. (197329) Baptemys garmanii (176875 176893)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3Canada (Northwest Territories) Kinosterninae indet. (15583)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (Colorado) Baptemys sp. (176835 176836 176837) Cardichelyon rogerwoodi (176840)
Early/Lower Eocene55.8 - 48.6USA (Wyoming) Baptemys tricarinata (131862 131863) Gomphochelys nanus (176522)
Wasatchian - Bridgerian55.8 - 46.2USA (New Mexico) Baptemys sp. (25762 25763)
Bridgerian50.3 - 46.2USA (Wyoming) Xenochelys bridgerensis (16418 168275 168276 168277 168278 168279 168280 168281) Xenochelys lostcabinensis (16397)
Bridgerian50.3 - 46.2USA (Colorado) Baltemys velogastros (16241)
Middle Eocene48.6 - 37.2USA (Texas) Dermatemydidae indet. (37559)
Late/Upper Uintan46.2 - 40.4USA (Texas) Xenochelys sp., Baptemys sp. (16542)
Duchesnean40.4 - 37.2USA (Utah) Baptemys sp. (16877)
Chadronian37.2 - 33.9USA (Wyoming) Xenochelys formosa (17045)
Chadronian37.2 - 33.9USA (South Dakota) Xenochelys formosa (16938 17012)
Arikareean30.8 - 20.43USA (Florida) Xenochelys floridensis (17476)
Aquitanian23.03 - 20.44USA (Texas) Dermatemys sp. (18663)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (Delaware) Kinosternon sp. (18579)
Early/Lower Hemingfordian20.43 - 15.97Panama Staurotypus moschus (89444)
Hemingfordian20.43 - 15.97USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp. (176936)
Barstovian15.97 - 13.6USA (New Mexico) Kinosternon pojoaque (190947) Kinosternon rincon (19519) Kinosternon skullridgescens (190948)
Clarendonian13.6 - 10.3USA (Texas) Kinosternon pannekollops (18355)
Clarendonian13.6 - 10.3USA (Kansas) Sternotherus odoratus (18450)
Clarendonian13.6 - 10.3USA (Nebraska) Sternotherus odoratus (188779)
Late/Upper Clarendonian13.6 - 10.3USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp. (18554)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246USA (Maryland) Kinosternidae indet. (219172)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333USA (Kansas) Kinosternon wakeeniense (18451)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Florida) Kinosternidae indet. (18601) Sternotherus bonevalleyensis (190949)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9Mexico Dermatemydidae indet. (181304)
Late/Upper Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Florida) Sternotherus bonevalleyensis (18599)
Late/Upper Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Nebraska) Kinosternon flavescens (18359)
early Early Hemphillian - late Early Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Florida) Kinosternidae indet. (18539)
Late/Upper Hemphillian - Blancan10.3 - 1.8USA (Tennessee) Sternotherus sp., Sternotherus palaeodorus (26574)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8El Salvador Kinosternon sp. (70118)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8Mexico (Michoacan) Kinosternon sp. (20072)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Kansas) Kinosternon flavescens (19928) Kinosternon subrubrum, Kinosternon flavescens (19922)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Nebraska) Kinosternon flavescens (19960 19963)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8Mexico (Hidalgo) Kinosternon sp. (18753 20079)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Arizona) Kinosternon arizonense (19628)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp. (19764) Sternotherus sp. (113275)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (New Mexico) Kinosternon flavescens (19982) Kinosternon sp. (230461)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117Ecuador (Santa Elena) Kinosternon sp. (185514)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (South Carolina) Kinosternon sp. (65405)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117Mexico (Puebla) Kinosternon sp., Kinosternon flavescens (85161)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp., Sternotherus sp. (206227 227368)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117Mexico (Santiago chazumba) Kinosternon integrum (190089)
Quaternary2.588 - 0.0Mexico (Santiago Chazumba) Kinosternon integrum (190088)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Kansas) Sternotherus odoratus (20390 20422)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Texas) Kinosternon flavescens (20337)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp. (20400 20402)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012Mexico (Puebla) Kinosternon sp. (226916 230717)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp., Sternotherus sp. (20440)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117Mexico (Puebla) Kinosternon sp. (226915)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.126 - 0.0117USA (Georgia) Kinosternon sp., Sternotherus sp. (20604 20613)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117Colombia (Cundinamarca) Kinosternon sp. (190375)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.126 - 0.0117USA (Texas) Sternotherus sp. (93259)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Kinosternon subrubrum (154805)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene0.126 - 0.0USA (Tennessee) Kinosternon sp. (63429)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Quebec) Sternotherus odoratus (224189)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Georgia) Kinosternon subrubrum (152113)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Florida) Kinosternon sp., Sternotherus sp. (227371)