 Within the southeastern United States, the loggerhead musk turtle can be found in Alabama, northern Florida, Georgia, extreme southeastern Kentucky, extreme eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, extreme western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and extreme southwestern Virginia.The loggerhead musk turtle gets its common name from its unusually large head, compared to the common musk turtle ("Sternotherus odoratus").Adults can be 8–13 cm (3–5 inches) in straight carapace length.