Kings Canyon National Park: …River (a tributary of the Kings River), carved by glacial action. The granite walls of the canyon in places tower 4,000 feet (1,200 metres) above the canyon floor. Just outside the park, in Sequoia National Forest, the canyon reaches a depth of 8,200 feet (2,500 metres) from the river to…

Sam Wood: Wood’s heyday: Kings Row (1942), a sanitized adaptation of Henry Bellamann’s sensational best seller, was probably Wood’s finest work, a sprawling saga of a Midwestern town’s dark hidden life in the early 1900s. The cast included Ann Sheridan, Ronald Reagan, Claude Rains, Betty Field, and Coburn. Some…

saga: Kings’ sagas: After Sæmundr Sigfússon, Icelandic and Norwegian authors continued to explore the history of Scandinavia in terms of rulers and royal families, some of them writing in Latin and others in the vernacular. Broadly speaking, the kings’ sagas fall into two distinct groups: contemporary…

books of Kings, two books of the Hebrew Bible or the Protestant Old Testament that, together with Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and 1 and 2 Samuel, belong to the group of historical books (Deuteronomic history) written during the Babylonian Exile (c. 550 bc) of the Jews. (In most Roman Catholic

divine right of kings, in European history, a political doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism, which asserted that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament. Originating in Europe, the

books of Samuel, two Old Testament books that, along with Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and 1 and 2 Kings, belong to the tradition of Deuteronomic history first committed to writing about 550 bc, during the Babylonian Exile. The two books, which were originally one, are principally concerned with

Waipio Valley, valley in the Kohala Mountains, northern Hawaii island, Hawaii, U.S. Enveloped on three sides by 2,500-foot- (750-metre-) high cliffs ribboned with spectacular waterfalls (including Hiilawe Falls, which drops more than 1,000 feet [300 metres]), the picturesque valley faces a heavy

Valley of the Kings, long narrow defile just west of the Nile River in Upper Egypt. It was part of the ancient city of Thebes and was the burial site of almost all the kings (pharaohs) of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties (1539–1075 bce), from Thutmose I to Ramses X. Located in the hills behind

American literature: Critics of society: …and the racially prejudiced (Kingsblood Royal [1947]) were satirically sharp and thoroughly documented, though Babbitt is his only book that still stands up brilliantly at the beginning of the 21st century. Similar careful documentation, though little satire, characterized James T. Farrell’s naturalistic Studs Lonigan trilogy (1932–35), which described the

Arcade Fire: October 4, 1977) and bassist Tim Kingsbury. The band’s ranks continued to swell, including additional drummers, violinists, and others.

New South Wales: Transportation: Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport, located near the city centre, is one of the oldest continually operating airports in the world and is very congested, handling both national and international traffic.

Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith was an Australian pilot who, with a three-man crew, flew the Atlantic from Portmarnock, Ireland, to Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, June 24–25, 1930. He was also the first to cross the mid-Pacific by air. Smith was educated at Sydney Cathedral School and Sydney

sacred kingship, religious and political concept by which a ruler is seen as an incarnation, manifestation, mediator, or agent of the sacred or holy (the transcendent or supernatural realm). The concept originated in prehistoric times, but it continues to exert a recognizable influence in the

Ben Kingsley is a British actor recognized for playing a wide range of roles, including that of the title character in Gandhi (1982), for which he won an Academy Award for best actor. Kingsley, of English and Indian descent, first began acting in amateur theatrical productions in Manchester,

Charles Kingsley was an Anglican clergyman and writer whose successful fiction ranged from social-problem novels to historical romances and children’s literature. The son of a clergyman, he grew up in Devon, where he developed an interest in nature study and geology. After graduating from Magdalene

Henry Kingsley was an English novelist and brother of Charles Kingsley. Henry is best known for Ravenshoe (1861), in which the hero fights in the Crimean War. After leaving the University of Oxford, he set out for the Australian goldfields but was unsuccessful and returned to England after five

Mary Henrietta Kingsley was an English traveler who, disregarding the conventions of her time, journeyed through western and equatorial Africa and became the first European to enter parts of Gabon. A niece of the clergyman and author Charles Kingsley, she led a secluded life until she was about age

Halle Berry: …appeared in the spy movie Kingsman: The Golden Circle and starred in Kings (both 2017), playing a foster parent living in Los Angeles during the riots of 1992. She later was cast in the action thriller John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum (2019).

Michael Caine: …spymaster in the comic thriller Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014). Caine was lauded for the humility of his performance as a composer in Youth (2015), director Paolo Sorrentino’s paean to aging artists. He followed with a remake (2017) of the 1970s film Going in Style, playing a retiree planning a…

Gilbert Islands, group of 16 coral islands and atolls, part of Kiribati, in the west-central Pacific Ocean 2,800 miles (4,500 km) northeast of Australia. The low-lying islands—Makin, Butaritari, Marakei, Abaiang, Tarawa, Maiana, Abemama, Kuria, Aranuka, Nonouti, Tabiteuea, Beru, Nikunau, Onotoa,

Lei Jun: …joined the Beijing-based software company Kingsoft Corp., and by 1998 he had risen to become its CEO. He helped transform Kingsoft from a struggling company focused primarily on word-processing programs into a financially stable firm with products that also included video games and computer security software. In 2007 he led…

Barbara Kingsolver is an American writer and political activist whose best-known novels concern the endurance of people living in often inhospitable environments and the beauty to be found even in such harsh circumstances. Kingsolver grew up in eastern Kentucky, the daughter of a physician who

Kingsport, city, Sullivan county, northeastern Tennessee, U.S., on the Holston River, near the Virginia border, about 90 miles (145 km) northeast of Knoxville. The area was settled in the late 1700s when entrepreneur William King founded a boatyard along the river. The region was part of the

Kingston, city, seat (1683) of Ulster county, southeastern New York, U.S. It lies on the west bank of the Hudson River (there bridged), at the mouth of Rondout Creek, 54 miles (87 km) south of Albany. A fur-trading post was established on the site about 1615. The first permanent settlement, called

Kingston, city, seat (1792) of Frontenac county, southeastern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, at the point where it joins the St. Lawrence River, 135 miles (220 km) northeast of Toronto. Founded in 1673 by Louis de Buade, the comte de Frontenac and governor of New France in the

West Lafayette, city, Tippecanoe county, west-central Indiana, U.S. It lies along the Wabash River (bridged) opposite Lafayette. A town was platted on the west bank of the Wabash in 1836, but it failed to attract settlers because it was located in an area prone to flooding. A second settlement was

Kingston, city, capital, and chief port of Jamaica, sprawling along the southeastern coast of the island, backed by the Blue Mountains. It is famous for its fine natural harbour, which is protected by the Palisadoes, a narrow peninsula that has been developed as a recreational and tourist resort.

Kingston, town, southeastern Tasmania, Australia. It is located on the Browns River, which flows into the estuary of the River Derwent, and it forms part of the municipality of Kingborough in the Greater Hobart area. The area was first settled in 1804 and was known as Brown’s River. A family named

Kingston, village in South Kingstown town (township), Washington county, southern Rhode Island, U.S. It developed after 1700 at the crossroads of the Pequot Indian Trail and the road to Tower Hill settlement and served as the county seat from 1752 to 1900. Until 1885 it was known as Little Rest

Kingston’s emergence as a significant music centre can be attributed to two factors. The first is geographic: Jamaica was close enough to the United States to be strongly influenced by its music—New Orleans, Louisiana, radio stations could be heard in Kingston, and sailors regularly returned to

the Kingston Trio: …a series of chart-topping albums—including Kingston Trio at Large (1959), Here We Go Again (1959), and String Along (1960)—before breaking up in 1967.

the Kingston Trio, American folk group that helped spark the folk music revival of the 1960s. The original members were Dave Guard (b. October 19, 1934, San Francisco, California, U.S.—d. March 22, 1991, Rollinsford, New Hampshire), Bob Shane (b. February 1, 1934, Hilo, Hawaii—d. January 26, 2020,

Kingston upon Hull, city and unitary authority, geographic county of East Riding of Yorkshire, historic county of Yorkshire, northeastern England. It lies on the north bank of the River Humber estuary at its junction with the River Hull, 22 miles (35 km) from the North Sea. Hull was a medieval wool

Kingston upon Thames, royal borough and outer borough of London, England, about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of central London. It lies on the south bank of the River Thames and is part of the historic county of Surrey. The present borough was established in 1965 by amalgamation of the former royal

Maxine Hong Kingston is an American writer, much of whose work is rooted in her experience as a first-generation Chinese American. Maxine Hong was the eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents. Hong’s father, a scholar, had left China in 1924 and immigrated to New York City;

Queen’s University at Kingston, nondenominational, coeducational university at Kingston, Ont., Can. Originally called Queen’s College, it was founded in 1841 as a Presbyterian denominational school to train young men for the ministry. The Presbyterian church’s control over the school was gradually

Kingston upon Thames, royal borough and outer borough of London, England, about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of central London. It lies on the south bank of the River Thames and is part of the historic county of Surrey. The present borough was established in 1965 by amalgamation of the former royal

Kingstown, capital and chief port of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Located on the southwestern end of the island of Saint Vincent, the town overlooks Kingstown Harbour and is sheltered by Berkshire Hill on the north and Cane Garden Point on the south. The port has

Kingsville, city, seat (1913) of Kleberg county, southern Texas, U.S. It lies along the coastal plain, 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Corpus Christi and 153 miles (246 km) south of San Antonio. The land for Kingsville was deeded by Henrietta King, and the city was laid out in 1904 to be the

Kingswood, urbanized area, unitary authority of South Gloucestershire, historic county of Gloucestershire, southwestern England. It is situated directly east of the city of Bristol. Kingswood was closely associated with the 18th-century Methodist leaders George Whitefield and John Wesley. It was

Kingu, in Mesopotamian mythology, the consort of Tiamat. The creation epic Enuma elish tells how Tiamat, determined to destroy the other gods, created a mighty army and set Kingu at its head. When Kingu saw Marduk coming against him, however, he fled. After Tiamat’s defeat, Kingu was taken captive

Kinguélé, waterfall and site of a hydroelectric complex on the Mbei River of Gabon. Kinguélé is situated near Kango and is about 95 miles (150 km) by road east of Libreville, the national capital. There are actually two sets of waterfalls. The upper Kinguélé falls drop a total of 115 feet (35 m) in

Vietnam: Legendary kingdoms: …fairy of the mountains produced Kinh Duong, ruler of the Land of Red Demons, who married the daughter of the Dragon Lord of the Sea. Their son, Lac Long Quan (“Dragon Lord of Lac”), was, according to legend, the first truly Vietnamese king. To make peace with the Chinese, Lac…

Jinhua, city, central Zhejiang sheng (province), China. Jinhua is the natural centre of the eastern half of the Jin-Qu (Jinhua-Quzhou) Basin, being situated at the junction of two of the tributaries of the Wu (Jinhua) River—the Dongyang River and the Wuyi River. It is also a junction on the railway

Itzamná: …Hunab Ku and occasionally with Kinich Ahau, the sun god. The moon goddess Ixchel, patron of womanly crafts, was possibly a female manifestation of the god. Itzamná was also a culture hero who gave humankind writing and the calendar and was patron deity of medicine. (See also Bacab.)

Sylvie Kinigi is an economist and politician who served as prime minister of Burundi from July 1993 to February 1994. Kinigi studied economics at the University of Burundi and held civil service jobs before becoming an adviser to the prime minister in 1991. After Melchior Ndadaye, a member of the

Xanthus, principal city of ancient Lycia. The ruined city, situated on a cliff above the mouth of the Koca (Xanthus) River in what is now southwestern Turkey, was designated (along with the nearby Letoon religious centre) a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. The early history of Xanthus is

Xanthus, principal city of ancient Lycia. The ruined city, situated on a cliff above the mouth of the Koca (Xanthus) River in what is now southwestern Turkey, was designated (along with the nearby Letoon religious centre) a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. The early history of Xanthus is

Cyprus: Political process: Among them are the Movement of Social Democrats EDEK (Kinima Sosialdimokraton EDEK) and the Democratic Rally (Dimokratikos Synagermos; DISY). In the Turkish Cypriot zone the major parties include the National Unity Party (Ulusal Birlik Partisi), the Communal Liberation Party (Toplumcu Kurtuluș Partisi), and the Republican Turkish Party (Cumhuriyetc̦i Türk…

hormone: Endocrine-like glands and secretions: Blood contains kinins, which are polypeptides that originate in the blood and perhaps elsewhere; bradykinin, for example, causes contraction of most smooth muscles and has a very potent action in dilating certain blood vessels. Its function, which is not yet established, may be to regulate the rate…

Marc Maron: …protégé of self-destructive “scream” comedian Sam Kinison and began abusing cocaine and alcohol. After stints in Boston and San Francisco, Maron relocated in 1993 to New York City, where he became a staple of the nascent alternative (heady, non-joke-based) comedy scene.

fundamiji, in Japanese lacquerwork, variation of the jimaki technique. In this kind of ground decoration, a thick layer of fine gold or silver grains is dusted onto a freshly lacquered surface and, when dry, covered with a clear lacquer. After this has dried, it is polished with powdered charcoal

Hirohito was the emperor of Japan from 1926 until his death in 1989. He was the longest-reigning monarch in Japan’s history. Hirohito was born at the Aoyama Palace in Tokyo, the son of the Taishō emperor and grandson of the Meiji emperor. He was educated at the Peers’ School and at the Crown

Thomas Kinkade was an American artist who built a successful industry on his light-infused paintings of tranquil idyllic scenes. Kinkade studied art history and took studio classes for two years at the University of California, Berkeley, before transferring to the Art Center College of Design in

kinkajou, (Potos flavus), an unusual member of the raccoon family (see procyonid) distinguished by its long, prehensile tail, short muzzle, and low-set, rounded ears. Native to Central America and parts of South America, the kinkajou is an agile denizen of the upper canopy of tropical forests. The

Kinkaku-ji, Zen Buddhist temple in Kyōto, Japan, that is officially named Rokuon-ji but is popularly known as Kinkaku-ji for its magnificent Golden Pavilion. The temple is one of the finest examples of architecture from the Muromachi period, when the Ashikaga shogunate reigned. The site was

Kinkaku-ji, Zen Buddhist temple in Kyōto, Japan, that is officially named Rokuon-ji but is popularly known as Kinkaku-ji for its magnificent Golden Pavilion. The temple is one of the finest examples of architecture from the Muromachi period, when the Ashikaga shogunate reigned. The site was

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, novel by Mishima Yukio, first published in Japanese as Kinkakuji in 1956. The novel is considered one of the author’s masterpieces. A fictionalized account of the actual torching of a Kyōto temple by a disturbed Buddhist acolyte in 1950, the novel reflects

Gottfried Kinkel was a German poet who owes his reputation chiefly to his sympathy with the Revolutions of 1848. Kinkel studied in Bonn and lectured on church history in Berlin, although he later abandoned Christianity. He married the liberal writer Johanna Matthieux in 1843, the same year his

Japan: Languages: Among the Western subdialects, the Kinki version was long the standard language of Japan, although the present Kamigata subdialect of the Kyōto-Ōsaka region is of relatively recent origin. The Kyushu subdialects have been placed outside the mainstream of linguistic change of the Western dialects and retain some of the 16th-century…

Kinki, chihō (region), west-central Honshu, Japan. It includes the ken (prefectures) of Hyōgo, Nara, Shiga, Wakayama, and Mie and the fu (urban prefectures) of Kyōto and Ōsaka. Its name is derived from the Japanese terms kin (“proximity”) and ki (“imperial capital”) and refers to the land near the

Kinki, chihō (region), west-central Honshu, Japan. It includes the ken (prefectures) of Hyōgo, Nara, Shiga, Wakayama, and Mie and the fu (urban prefectures) of Kyōto and Ōsaka. Its name is derived from the Japanese terms kin (“proximity”) and ki (“imperial capital”) and refers to the land near the

the Kinks, influential 1960s British Invasion group who infused their rhythm-and-blues beginnings with sharp social observation and the theatricality of the British music hall, becoming an English archetype. The principal members were Ray Davies (b. June 21, 1944, London, England), Dave Davies (b.

Harvey Fierstein: …Newsies, the Musical (2011); and Kinky Boots (2012). All three works were based on films. Fierstein also wrote and produced Casa Valentina (2014), a play based on the true story of a group of heterosexual married men in the early 1960s who met on the weekends at a rundown resort…

Quemoy Island, island under the jurisdiction of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait at the mouth of mainland China’s Xiamen (Amoy) Bay and about 170 miles (275 km) northwest of Kao-hsiung, Taiwan. Quemoy is the principal island of a group of 12, the Quemoy (Chin-men) Islands, which constitute Chin-men

John Cinnamus was a Byzantine historian, secretary (grammatikos) to the emperor Manuel I Comnenus, whom he accompanied on campaigns in Europe and Asia Minor. Cinnamus’s history of the period 1118–76, continuing the Alexiad of Anna Comnena, covers the reigns of John II and Manuel I, down to the

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was an American short-story writer and novelist who founded a regional literature of backwoods Florida. Marjorie Kinnan’s father, who worked for the U.S. Patent Office, died when she was age 17, and she moved with her mother to Madison, Wis. One of her childhood stories had

Sydney Pollack: Last films: Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford, and Greg Kinnear, was a flawed remake of the heralded 1954 romantic comedy by Billy Wilder. Random Hearts (1999) was a misfire, with Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas ill matched as a police officer and a congresswoman who find that their spouses, who have just been…

Richard Lester: …his longtime colleague, comic actor Roy Kinnear. He was briefly coaxed back to work by former Beatle Paul McCartney, who engaged the director’s services for the concert feature Paul McCartney’s Get Back (1991).

Galway Kinnell was an American poet who examined the primitive bases of existence that are obscured by the overlay of civilization. His poems examine the effects of personal confrontation with violence and inevitable death, attempts to hold death at bay, the plight of the urban dispossessed, and

Galway Kinnell was an American poet who examined the primitive bases of existence that are obscured by the overlay of civilization. His poems examine the effects of personal confrontation with violence and inevitable death, attempts to hold death at bay, the plight of the urban dispossessed, and

Sea of Galilee, lake in Israel through which the Jordan River flows. It is famous for its biblical associations; its Old Testament name was Sea of Chinnereth, and later it was called the Lake of Gennesaret. From 1948 to 1967 it was bordered immediately to the northeast by the cease-fire line with

Sea of Galilee, lake in Israel through which the Jordan River flows. It is famous for its biblical associations; its Old Testament name was Sea of Chinnereth, and later it was called the Lake of Gennesaret. From 1948 to 1967 it was bordered immediately to the northeast by the cease-fire line with

Sea of Galilee: Human imprint: …the starting point of the National Water Carrier (also called Kinneret-Negev Conduit), a canal that conveys water from the Jordan River to Israel’s densely populated coastal region as well as south to the Negev desert. The water is pumped by pipe to the northwest to a height some 800 feet…

Ebenezer Kinnersley was a British colonial contemporary of Benjamin Franklin in the investigation of electricity and inventor of an electrical air thermometer (c. 1755). He also sought to find ways in which to protect buildings from lightning. Brought to North America at the age of three,

WarnerMedia: Warner: , was bought by Kinney National Services, Inc., and became part of the newly named Warner Communications Inc. (WCI).

Woolworth Co.: The company’s Foot Locker chain of athletic-shoe retailers proved especially successful. By 1982 the company had more than 8,000 stores worldwide, but it was facing increased competition from the Kmart Corporation and other discount retailers. These pressures compelled Woolworth to rely more and more on its Foot…

Jeff Kinney is an American children’s author and website developer best known for writing the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series of books. The books became extremely popular with middle-school students, especially boys, who were easily able to identify with characters in the books. Kinney grew up in Fort

bearberry, (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), flowering prostrate evergreen shrubs of the heath family (Ericaceae), occurring widely throughout the northern reaches of Europe, Asia, and North America in rocky and sandy woods and in open areas. It has woody stems that are often 1.5–1.8 metres (5–6 feet)

Neil Kinnock is a British politician who was the leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992. The son of a miner, Kinnock was educated at University College, Cardiff, and was then for four years an organizer and tutor at the Workers’ Educational Association. In 1970 he was elected to Parliament

Neil Kinnock is a British politician who was the leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992. The son of a miner, Kinnock was educated at University College, Cardiff, and was then for four years an organizer and tutor at the Workers’ Educational Association. In 1970 he was elected to Parliament

Neil Kinnock is a British politician who was the leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992. The son of a miner, Kinnock was educated at University College, Cardiff, and was then for four years an organizer and tutor at the Workers’ Educational Association. In 1970 he was elected to Parliament

Helle Thorning-Schmidt: Early life and start in politics: …Brugge, Belgium, where she met Stephen Kinnock (the son of former British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock), whom she would marry in 1996.

kinnor, ancient Hebrew lyre, the musical instrument of King David. According to the Roman Jewish historian Josephus (1st century ad), it resembled the Greek kithara (i.e., having broad arms of a piece with the boxlike neck), and kinnor was translated as “kithara” in both the Greek Old Testament and

keno, gambling game played with cards (tickets) bearing numbers in squares, usually from 1 to 80. A player marks or circles as many of these numbers as he wishes up to the permitted maximum, after which he hands in, or registers, his ticket and pays according to how many numbers he selected. At

Eusebio Kino was a Jesuit missionary, cartographer, rancher, and explorer in Spanish service, founder of numerous missions in the Pimería Alta region, now divided between the Mexican state of Sonora and the U.S. state of Arizona. Educated in Germany in philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy, he

Eusebio Kino was a Jesuit missionary, cartographer, rancher, and explorer in Spanish service, founder of numerous missions in the Pimería Alta region, now divided between the Mexican state of Sonora and the U.S. state of Arizona. Educated in Germany in philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy, he

Dziga Vertov: …a Soviet motion-picture director whose kino-glaz (“film-eye”) theory—that the camera is an instrument, much like the human eye, that is best used to explore the actual happenings of real life—had an international impact on the development of documentaries and cinema realism during the 1920s. He attempted to create a unique…

kinocilium, filamentous structure occurring on auditory hair cells in the inner ear that functions in the development of auditory structures and in the sensation of head movement. The kinocilium is a key part of structures known as hair bundles, which are located at the tip of each hair cell in the

kinocilium, filamentous structure occurring on auditory hair cells in the inner ear that functions in the development of auditory structures and in the sensation of head movement. The kinocilium is a key part of structures known as hair bundles, which are located at the tip of each hair cell in the

kinorhynch, any of the approximately 150 species of microscopic marine invertebrates of the phylum Kinorhyncha, widely distributed in the world’s oceans. Kinorhynchs live mostly in the muddy bottoms of shallow seas and in the sand of seacoasts. They are rather bristly or spiny and are usually less

kinorhynch, any of the approximately 150 species of microscopic marine invertebrates of the phylum Kinorhyncha, widely distributed in the world’s oceans. Kinorhynchs live mostly in the muddy bottoms of shallow seas and in the sand of seacoasts. They are rather bristly or spiny and are usually less

Kinoshita Junji was a playwright, a leader in the attempt to revitalize the post-World War II Japanese theatre. Kinoshita graduated from the English literature department of Tokyo University in 1939. His first play, Fūrō (“Wind and Waves”), which he began to write that year, was a historical drama

Kinoshita Keisuke was one of Japan’s most popular motion-picture directors, known for satirical social comedies. A motion-picture enthusiast from boyhood, Kinoshita attended Hamamatsu Technology School and Oriental Photography School. He became an assistant cameraman at the Shochiku Motion Picture

Kinoshita Keisuke was one of Japan’s most popular motion-picture directors, known for satirical social comedies. A motion-picture enthusiast from boyhood, Kinoshita attended Hamamatsu Technology School and Oriental Photography School. He became an assistant cameraman at the Shochiku Motion Picture

Kinosternidae, family of American turtles. See also mud turtle; musk

mud turtle, (genus Kinosternon), any of about 18 species of semiterrestrial freshwater turtles belonging to the family Kinosternidae. Mud turtles are found in North and South America from New England to northern Argentina. Like the related musk turtles (Sternotherus), they are small animals

mud turtle: …some species, such as the striped mud turtle (K. baurii), survive drought periods through estivation (dormancy) under a shallow layer of mud.

turtle: Egg development and hatching: A few species, including the scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides) of Central and South America and the northern snake-necked turtle (Chelodina rugosa) of Australia, have embryonic diapause, in which development stops soon after an egg is deposited. Diapause is usually triggered by an environmental stimulus, and development resumes

turtle: Habitats: The eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum) is commonly considered an aquatic turtle, yet it spends the summer months in dormancy, estivating beneath vegetation in woodlands adjacent to its pond and stream habitats. The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temmincki) lives in the deep, slow-moving streams and backwaters of the U.S.…