Missouri Animals Stinkpot   (Sternotherus odoratus) Chordate: Vertebrate: Reptile: Testudines: (Turtles) Native North American turtle Habitat: rivers, streams, swamps, sloughs. Diet: aquatic insects, earthworms, crayfish, fish eggs, minnows, tadpoles, algae, dead animals.. ID Features: dark body, strong musk smell, yellow stripes on head. Natural History: The stinkpot is a small turtle that reaches only 4 inches in length. It is named for its habit of becoming malodorous when caught. It is found in the Ozarks and the bootheel It is a basker and is often observed in shallow water..

The graphics and text are from: The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri by Tom R. Johnson, Missouri Department of Conservation, ©1992