The Spiny Softshell Turtle is a species of turtle that is native to many parts of the Eastern and Central United States.
These turtles can also be found in a small part of South-Eastern Canada as well as in parts of Northern Mexico.
They get their name because of the spiny, cone-like projections that can be found on the leading edge of their upper shell.
Spiny 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 Spiny 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 Spiny 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 Florida Softshell Turtle and the Smooth 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 Spiny Softshell Turtle is Apalone spinifera and there are currently 6 different recognised sub-species.
Each sub-species has their own geographical range which can sometime overlap with other sub-species.
The species was first described in 1827 by a French naturalist named Charles Alexandre Lesueur.
Spiny Softshell Turtle Description
The Spiny Softshell Turtle has a soft upper shell or carapace that doesn’t contain the hard scutes that are present in most species of turtle.
This soft shell is relatively flat and contains small spines towards the front of the shell which help distinguish it from its close relative, the Smooth Softshell Turtle.
They have a long, tapered nose that is upturned towards the end.
The plastron or lower shell is yellow to white in color and the turtle’s bones are visible through the soft shell.
They are typically olive green to tan in color with dark blotches and a dark rim around their carapace.
Their feet are heavily webbed which help them swim and they have large claws which help them dig through sediment on the floor.
The Spiny Softshell turtle is a medium to large species of freshwater turtle that can grow to between 15cm to 45cm in length.
Females are typically much larger than males and have a tail that barely extends passed her carapace while a male has a longer and thicker tail.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Spiny Softshell Turtle can be found in parts of the Central and Eastern United States with their range also extending into parts of Northern Mexico.
In the Northern part of their range, they can be found in Montana with their range extending all the way to New York and Massachusetts.
In the Southern part of their range, they can be found all the way from California to the Florida Panhandle.
In the Central United States, the Spiny Softshell Turtle can be found in places such as South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
They can also be found in parts of North-Eastern Texas in places such as Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.
The Spiny Softshell Turtle likes to live in a variety of freshwater habitats including lakes, ponds, rivers and marshes.
They tend to prefer water sources with a sandy or muddy bottom that contains a small amount of vegetation.
Spiny Softshell Turtle Behaviour
The Spiny Softshell Turtle is a diurnal species meaning they are mainly active during the day and sleep during the night.
They will spend a large amount of their time basking in the sun close to the edge of their water source or on logs or other floating debris.
They can spend large amounts of time submerged and often only stick their heads out of the water for air before submerging again.
They will often fully submerge themselves under sediment with only their heads exposed above the water line. They will even hibernate like this during the colder months.