The Asiatic Softshell Turtle is a species of turtle that can be found throughout much of South-East Asia.
As its name suggests, this turtle has a soft shell with a rough appearance. This shell can grow to 70-80cm in length.
Asiatic 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 Asiatic 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 Asiatic Softshell Turtle belongs to is called Amyda and it is the only species in the genus.
Species
The scientific name for the Asiatic Softshell Turtle is Amyda cartilaginea and there are no recognised sub-species.
The species was first described in 1770 by a Dutch Naturalist named Pieter Boddaert.
The species has undergone many taxonomical changes over the years and at different points was classified under genera such as Testudo, Trionyx and Gymnopus.
Asiatic Softshell Turtle Description
The Asiatic Softshell Turtle is a large species of turtle that can grow to around 70-80cm in length (carapace length).
Males are typically larger than females and it can be relatively easy to tell the difference as males usually have a white Plastron (Lower Shell) while a females Plastron is typically grey.
Another difference between males and females is that a male typically has a longer, thicker tail than the female.
These turtles are fairly bland in coloration, typically sporting a dull olive shell with very little to no patterning.
Juveniles on the other hand typically have a greenish brown shell with black and yellow spots. This patterning fades as the turtle grows.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Asiatic Softshell Turtle is native to parts of South-East Asia where it can be found on the mainland as well as on many of the islands of the area.
On the mainland, it can be found in places such as Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Its range extends into many of the South-East Asian islands such as Sumatra, Java, Brunei and Borneo. However, they are not found in the Philippines.
This is a freshwater species that can be found at depths of up to 12m. They will also spend time in water with depths of less than 1m.
Asiatic Softshell Turtle Behaviour
The Asiatic Softshell Turtle has adapted perfectly for life in freshwater. They are fast powerful swimmers and experts at evading predators.
They have adapted to hiding in the sediment on the bottom of rivers by losing bones that run along their vertebrae in the front of their carapace, helping them to submerge under the sediment more efficiently.
These turtles will occasionally come onto land but spend the vast majority of their time in water. They are far more active during the wet season and will spend more time buried in soft mud during the drier parts of the year.
They will occasionally feed on plant matter but the majority of their diet is carnivorous.
They are known to feed on a variety of different prey including insects, small fish, amphibians and crustaceans.