# Spiny Softshell

*Apalone spinifera*

They can absorb oxygen directly from the water through the highly vascularized lining of their throat and cloaca, allowing them to stay submerged for hours.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Reptilia › Testudines › Trionychidae › Apalone
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** aquatic
- **Habitat:** Freshwater rivers, lakes, and marshes with sandy or muddy bottoms and ample basking sites.
- **Diet:** Carnivorous; feeds on crayfish, aquatic insects, fish, frogs, and mollusks.
- **Range:** North America, United States, Southern Canada, Northern Mexico
- **Size:** Carapace length of 5 to 19 inches (12.7 to 48 cm), with females twice the size of males.
- **Lifespan:** Up to 50 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Water pollution, habitat fragmentation, nest predation by raccoons, and accidental drowning in commercial fishing gear.
- **Safe to approach?:** Defensive. Do not attempt to handle, as they have extremely long, flexible necks and can deliver a swift, painful bite. Maintain a safe distance of at least 5 feet. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and clean water, and seek medical attention if infection develops.

## About

The spiny softshell turtle ( Apalone spinifera ) is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, spinifera (spine-bearing), refer to the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of the carapace, which are not scutes (scales).

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/7dcd747c-d862-4e38-8dc8-f4f2227dc313
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/39556
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apalone spinifera
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/16935958/medium.jpeg (Nick Loveland, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.