Softshell Turtles of the United States

Softshell turtles are easily identified by a nearly circular, pancakelike carapace covered with soft leathery skin instead of horny scutes. The feet are paddlelike, fully webbed, and have 3 claws on each foot. The snout is tubular, the beak sharp and enclosed in fleshy lips

Strong swimmers, softshells cruise submerged, breathing through their snorkel like snouts. They like to bask near the shore, but are easily disturbed, and display great agility and speed in retreeating to the safety of the water. One to three clutches of hard shelled, spherical eggs are laid each season. Female softshells grow significantly larger then males and as adults their original carapace patterns become obscured by blotches or mottling. Males tend to retain the juvenile pattern, they have long thick tails with anal opeing near the tail tip.

Extreme care should be taken in handling softshells. The long neck and sharp jaws surprise many a careless collector.

 

There are only 6 species of Softshell Turtles in the United States. Three are native and three are Introduced.

Florida Softshell Turtle (Apalone ferox)	Smooth Softshell Turtle (Apalone mutica)	Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera)
(I) (CE) Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle (Palea steindachneri)	(I) Amur Softshell Turtle (Pelodiscus maackii)	(I) (V) (**) Chinese Softshell Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)