The Florida Softshell Turtle is a species of turtle that is native to parts of the South-Eastern United States.
This is a very unique looking species of turtle with a flat, soft shell and an abnormally large neck that is disproportionate to its other limbs.
Despite its name, this species of turtle can be found in states other than Florida, although the majority of specimens are from Florida.
Florida Softshell Turtle Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Florida Softshell Turtle belongs to is called Trionychidae. The species in this family are commonly referred to as Softshell Turtles.
Some of the species in this family are among the largest freshwater turtles in the world and can be found in Africa, Asia, and North America.
While the species in this family are considered freshwater turtles, many of them can tolerate brackish areas with higher levels of salinity, such as the mouth of a river.
Genus
The genus that the Florida Softshell Turtle belongs to is called Apalone. This is a genus of Softshell Turtles that are native to North America.
There are only three recognised species in this genus with the others being the Smooth Softshell Turtle and the Spiny Softshell Turtle.
The turtles in this genus were previously classified under the genus Trionyx. The genus Apalone was only created in 1987.
Originally, there were many different species of Softshell Turtles classified under the Trionyx genus the vast majority have now been reclassified.
In fact, there is now currently only one living species left classified under the genus, the African Softshell Turtle.
Species
The scientific name for the Florida Softshell Turtle is Apalone ferox and there are currently no recognised sub-species.
The species was first described in 1783 by a German naturalist named Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider.
Schneider was also responsible for describing other species including the Marine File Snake.
Florida Softshell Turtle Description
The Florida Softshell Turtle has a leathery shell that is usually dark brown to olive green in color. The lower shell or plastron is typically grey to white in color.
Some turtles will have faint blotches of pattern left over from when they were juveniles. However, this fades entirely in most specimens.
Juveniles are more colorful than the duller looking adults. They typically have an olive or light brown coloration with darker brown or black blotches.
Unlike many other species of turtles, both the upper and lower shell doesn’t contain any scutes.
The upper shell is oblong and contains rows of indentations and ridges along the lower edges of the shell.
Some of the most recognisable features of the Florida Softshell Turtle include their large eyes on the top of their head and their tubular nostrils that extend out from the front of their face.
The overall size of these turtles can vary greatly with lengths varying from about 15cm to 60cm with females growing much larger than males.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Florida Softshell Turtle is native to the South-Eastern United States where it can be found in parts of South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.
As their name suggests, these turtles can also be found in Florida. They are a common species in Florida and can be found throughout most of the state.
This species shares some of its geographical range with many well known species including the Brown Water Snake, the Green Anole, the Rainbow Snake, the Coachwhip Snake, the Yellow Bellied Slider and the Peninsula Cooter.
These turtles have adapted to living in urban areas and can be found in places such as parks, ponds and even gardens with a water source.
This species of turtle is highly aquatic and can be found in a variety of different freshwater sources including lakes, ponds, swamps and marshes.
While they prefer freshwater, they can sometimes be found in slightly brackish water in places such as the mouth of a river.
Florida Softshell Turtle Behaviour
The Florida Softshell Turtle is a highly aquatic species of turtle that prefers to live in slow moving bodies of water such as streams, lakes, ponds, marshes and swamps.
However, they can occasionally be found in faster moving water and while not common, can sometimes be found in brackish water such as the mouth of a river.
While highly aquatic, they are known to come out of the water to bask in the sun. This is usually done on the banks of their water source or even on floating vegetation in the water.
These turtles are known to be very defensive and will not hesitate to bite or scratch with their sharp claws if they feel threatened.
In the warmer parts of Southern Florida, the Florida Softshell Turtle can be active year-round but tend to hibernate during the winter months in the Northern parts of its range.