One of North America’s largest freshwater turtles, the Spiny Softshell Turtle gets its name from the spiny projections it bears on the carapace. It has six subspecies.
| Kingdom |
Animalia |
| Phylum |
Chordata |
| Subphylum |
Vertebrata |
| Class |
Reptilia |
| Order |
Testudines |
| Suborder |
Cryptodira |
| Family |
Trionychidae |
| Subfamily |
Trionychinae |
| Genus |
Apalone |
| Species |
A. spinifera |
| Scientific Name |
Apalone spinifera |
| Length |
5 to 19 inches |
| Color |
Dark gray to black |
| Distribution |
Throughout much of the USA, the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila and Chihuahua |
| Habitat |
Shallow parts of freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, etc. |
| Subspecies |
- Northern spiny softshell
- Gulf Coast spiny softshell
- Black spiny softshell
- Texas spiny softshell
- Guadalupe spiny softshell
- Pallid spiny softshell
|
| Diet |
Aquatic turtle pellets, small crayfish, grasshoppers, crickets, ghost shrimp, earthworms, blood worms, and small fish |
| Breeding Season |
Mid-to-late spring |
| Clutch Size |
Up to 36 eggs (typical clutch size is 20) |
| Mode of Reproduction |
Oviparous (egg laying) |
| IUCN Conservation Status |
Least Concern |
Spiny Softshell Turtle Pictures Gallery
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Apalone Spinifera
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Baby Spiny Softshell Turtle
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Bite
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Eggs
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Habitat
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Hatchling
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Images
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Photos
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Pictures
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Range Map
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Spiny Softshell Turtle
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Spiny Softshell Turtles
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Size
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Spiny Softshell Turtle Care
