This adult flattened musk turtle (Sternotherus depressus), photographed in the Black Warrior Basin of north-central Alabama, displays the flattened carapace that gives this species its name. The shape allows the turtle to wedge itself under rocks and other objects in the fast-flowing streams it calls home.
Adult Flattened Musk Turtle
![](https://bunny-wp-pullzone-5vqgtgkbhi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Adult-Flattened-Musk-Turtle.jpg)
Photo courtesy of Sarin Tiatragul, Auburn University
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