Sonoran mud turtle (Phoenix Zoo - Arizona Trail)

Sonoran mud turtle

Kinosternon sonoriense

Summary ⁶

The Sonora mud turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense) is a species of turtle in the Kinosternidae family. It is found in Mexico and the United States. Also known as the Sonoyta Mud Turtle

Range description ⁷

Kinosternon sonoriense occurs in hill areas of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, and Lower Colorado basin of USA and Mexico, and endorrheic and Baja California drainages of Sonora and Chihuahua (Iverson 1992).
Kinosternon sonoriense sonoriense: Lower Colorado basin of southwestern New Mexico, southern Arizona, and possibly extreme southeastern California, USA, as well as the Magdalena, Sonora, upper Yaquia and upper Fuerte [Urique] of Sonora and endorrheic basins of western Chihuahua, Mexico (Iverson 1992, Ernst and Lovich 2009).

Kinosternon sonoriense longifemorale: Endemic to the Rio Sonoyta basin on the border of Arizona (USA) and Sonora (Mexico) (Iverson 1992).

Iucn red list assessment ⁸

Red List Category

Near Threatened

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2011

Assessor/s

van Dijk, P.P.

Reviewer/s

Horne, B.D., Mittermeier, R.A., Philippen, H.-D., Quinn, H.R., Rhodin, A.G.J. & Shaffer, H.B.

Contributor/s

Congdon, J. & Riedle, J.D.

Justification

Considering the ability of Kinosternon sonoriense to retain good populations in adverse environmental conditions, widespread reproduction and recruitment, at least locally and temporarily exceptionally high population densities, absence of targeted take, and confirmed occurrence in several protected areas, the species overall does not meet the criteria for a threatened category. However, certain populations have disappeared (e.g., Colorado River), while the impacts of widespread groundwater extraction and climate change represent future threats to other populations and possibly the overall species, and monitoring of key populations is warranted.

The Sonoyta Mud Turtle (subspecies longifemorale), restricted to a small and heavily impacted area, likely qualifies in one of the Threatened categories and warrants separate evaluation.
Kinosternon sonoriense was listed as Vulnerable in the 1996 Red List; with increasing research and survey efforts it was subsequently found to be more widespread and locally abundant than previously considered, making retention at VU inappropriate.It is therefore listed as Near Threatened.

History

1996

Vulnerable

Fuentes y créditos

(c) kibuyu, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC), subido por kibuyu, http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidbygott/4377341493/
(c) James Parham, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3494679650_1e99bb5d22.jpg
(c) 2011 Todd Pierson, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=390324&one=T
(c) 2011 Todd Pierson, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=390325&one=T
(c) 1999 California Academy of Sciences, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=893&one=T
(c) Wikipedia, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinosternon_sonoriense
(c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28169937
(c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28169936