Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the ACE Basin
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Family: Trionychidae

Spiny Softshell Turtle

Apalone spinifera

Apalone Spinifera male
Size (SCL) Males 12.5-23.5 cm (5-9 in.) Females 18-45 cm (7-18 in.)
Identification Flat, pancake shaped, leathery carapace with spines on the front edge of the carapace. Carapace is olive or brownish. Males and juveniles have dark eyelike spots on their carapace, especially towards the center. Their entire carapace is covered with tiny projections that make it rough. In females the black marks are larger and blotchy. Their carapace is smoother than that of males. Long neck and narrow head. Snout is tubelike. Feet are webbed extensively and have black streaks and spots.
Could be confused with No other species.
Habitat & Biology Lives in large streams with sandy bottoms, in ponds, and lakes. They bury themselves in shallow water, so that only the nostrils can be seen when the animal is breathing. Omnivorous: mainly eats mollusks, crayfish, frogs, and fish.
Breeding During early summer females lay 10-22 eggs in sandy areas near rivers.
Geographic Range Subspecies in SC (Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell) ranges from SC west to eastern LA.

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