African softshell turtle

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African softshell turtle
Trionyx triunguis (29645604596).jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Family: Trionychidae
Genus: Trionyx
Species:
T. triunguis
Binomial name
Trionyx triunguis
(Forskål, 1775) [3]
Synonyms [4]
  • Testudo triunguisForsskål, 1775
  • Testudo striataSuckow, 1798
  • Trionyx egyptiacusGeoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
  • Trionyx aegyptiacusGeoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
  • Amyda triunguisOken, 1816
  • Aspidonectes aegyptiacusWagler, 1830
  • Trionyx niloticusGray, 1831
  • Gymnopodus aegyptiacusDuméril & Bibron, 1835
  • Trionyx (Pelodiscus) labiatusFitzinger, 1835
  • Tyrse niloticaGray, 1844
  • Trionyx mortoniHallowell, 1844
  • Aspidonectes aspilusCope, 1860
  • Fordia africanaGray, 1869
  • Trionyx triunguisPeters, 1876
  • Gymnopus aspilusRochebrune, 1884
  • Gymnopus aegyptiacusBoulenger, 1889
  • Pelodiscus triunguisBaur, 1893
  • Aspidonectes triunguisHay, 1904
  • Pelodiscus labiatusHay, 1904
  • Tyrse triunguisHay, 1904
  • Trionyx triunguis rudolfianusDeraniyagala, 1948
  • Amyda triunguis rudolfianusMertens & Wermuth, 1955
  • Amyda triunguis triunguisMertens & Wermuth, 1955
  • Trionyx aegypticusMłynarski, 1969 ( ex errore )
  • Trionyx triungusGosławski & Hryniewicz, 1993 (ex errore)
  • Trionix triunguisRichard, 1999

The African softshell turtle, or Nile softshell turtle (Trionyx triunguis), is a large species of softshell turtle from freshwater and brackish-water habitats in Africa (larger parts of Eastern, Northeastern, Western and Middle Africa) and the Near East (Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey). [3] It is the only extant species in the genus Trionyx ; historically, despite other species having been formerly placed in this genus as well, they have all been reclassified to other genera. [3] Despite the common name of "African softshell turtle", Trionyx triunguis is not the sole species (or genus) of softshell turtle found in Africa—the generas Cyclanorbis and Cycloderma are African—nor is it solely found on that continent, alone. [3] T. triunguis is a very large species of softshell turtle, with sizes ranging from 85 to 94 cm, with a weight of 40 kg, and an unconfirmed max size of 120 cm. They are omnivorous in their diet, consuming not only small fish, frogs, tadpoles and crustaceans, but also floating palm seeds and fallen leaves, and some aquatic vegetation.

Contents

T. triunguis was listed on CITES’s Appendix II in 2016; the population in Ghana was also included in CITES’s Appendix III from 1976 to 2007. The Mediterranean subpopulation of the Nile soft-shelled turtle was listed in the “Red List of Threatened Species” by the IUCN, as critically endangered. They are under threat because of large use of their habitats with fishing activities, and irrigation, destruction of their nesting places, destruction caused by boats, and water pollution.

A captive African softshell turtle Trionyx triunguis aquarium.jpg
A captive African softshell turtle

Religion

In Ancient Egyptian religion the African softshell turtle seems to have been viewed as a symbol of evil animal and opponent of Ra. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leith's softshell turtle</span> Species of reptile

Leith's softshell turtle is a species of turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is found in peninsular Indian rivers including the Thungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Bhavani, Godavari, Kaveri and Moyar Rivers. The type locality is Pune in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian peacock softshell turtle</span> Species of freshwater turtle

Indian peacock softshell turtle is a species of turtle found in South Asia and is listed on the IUCN Red List as a vulnerable species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian softshell turtle</span> Species of freshwater turtle

The Indian softshell turtle, or Ganges softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle found in South Asia in rivers such as the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi. This vulnerable turtle reaches a carapace length of up to 94 cm (37 in). It feeds mostly on fish, amphibians, carrion and other animal matter, but also takes aquatic plants. This turtle is listed in part II of Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and possession of this species is an offence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wattle-necked softshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The wattle-necked softshell turtle, also commonly known as Steindachner's soft-shelled turtle, is an endangered Asian species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is the only member of the genus Palea.

<i>Pelochelys</i> Genus of turtles

Pelochelys is a genus of very large softshell turtles in the family Trionychidae. They are found from peninsular India northeast to southern China, and south to Southeast Asia and New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese softshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Chinese softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle that is native to China and Taiwan, with records of escapees—some of which have established introduced populations—in a wide range of other Asian countries, as well as Spain, Brazil and Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trionychia</span> Superfamily of turtles

Trionychia is a superfamily of turtles which encompasses the species that are commonly referred to as softshelled turtles as well as some others. The group contains two families, Carettochelyidae, which has only one living species, the pig-nosed turtle native to New Guinea and Northern Australia, and Trionychidae, the softshelled turtles, containing numerous species native to Asia, North America and Africa. These families likely diverged during the late Jurassic. The oldest known stem-trionychian is Sinaspideretes from the Late Jurassic of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuatro Cienegas softshell</span> Subspecies of turtle

The Cuatro Ciénegas softshell, also called the black spiny softshell, is a subspecies of the spiny softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. It is found only in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in the Mexican state of Coahuila and it is considered critically endangered by the IUCN. The subspecies, along with its parent species, was formerly classified in the genus Trionyx.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nubian flapshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Nubian flapshell turtle or Nubian soft-shelled turtle is one of two species of softshell turtle in the genus Cyclanorbis of the Trionychidae family. It is thought to have ranged from West Africa east through Central Africa to South Sudan, although it has been extirpated from the vast majority of its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senegal flapshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Senegal flapshell turtle is a species of turtle in the subfamily Cyclanorbinae of the family Trionychidae. The species, which is one of two species of softshell turtles in the genus Cyclanorbis, is endemic to Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan softshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Malayan softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. It is monotypic in its genus.

<i>Nilssonia</i> (turtle) Genus of turtles

Nilssonia is a genus of softshell turtles from rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes in South Asia and Burma. In many treatments, it is monotypic, with the single species Burmese peacock softshell. However, the supposed other genus of peacock softshells, Aspideretes, is more closely related to N. formosa than had been believed. They differ only in the neural plates between the first pleural scale pair of the bony carapace, which are fused into one in N. formosa and unfused in the others.

The southern New Guinea giant softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is endemic to the lowlands of southern New Guinea with occasional vagrant individuals sighted off the coast of northern Australia. P. bibroni is referred to by the Suki people as kiya eise, a reference to its flexible shell. In the Arammba language, it is called sokrere, meaning "earthquake". It is sometimes hunted by local villages for its meat and/or eggs, leading to some cases of chelonitoxism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth softshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The smooth softshell turtle is a type of North American softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. This freshwater species is endemic to the United States, where it inhabits the Mississippi River system, along with other adjoining waterways, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euphrates softshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Euphrates softshell turtle, also known as the Mesopotamian softshell turtle, is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. It is found throughout much of the Euphrates–Tigris river basin in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Khūzestān Province of Iran. Historically it has also been reported from Israel, but this likely involves confusion with the very similar Trionyx triunguis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aubry's flapshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

Aubry's flapshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is endemic to Central Africa.

<i>Trionyx</i> Genus of turtles

Trionyx is a genus of softshell turtles belonging to the family Trionychidae. In the past many species in the family were classified in this genus, but today T. triunguis, the African or Nile softshell turtle, is the only extant softshell still classified as Trionyx. The other species still assigned to this genus are only known from fossils. T. triunguis is a relatively large, aquatic piscivore.

The Burmese narrow-headed softshell turtle, also known commonly as the Myanmar narrow-headed softshell turtle and Van Dijk's chitra, is a species of turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.

The northern New Guinea giant softshell turtle is a species of turtle found in the lowlands of northern New Guinea. South of the Central Range it is replaced by the closely related southern New Guinea giant softshell turtle. It is threatened by overhunting and harvesting of eggs as well as significant habitat loss of aquatic vegetation due to introduced fish species such as the red-bellied pacu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amur softshell turtle</span> Species of turtle

Pelodiscus maackii, commonly known as the Amur softshell turtle or the northern Chinese softshell turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is found in the Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea, and Japan. It is possible that the Japanese populations are the result of ancient introductions by humans. This aquatic species may attain a straight carapace length of 32.5 cm (1.1 ft).

References

  1. ↑ van Dijk; P.P.; Diagne, T.; Luiselli, L.; Baker, P.J.; Turkozan, O.; Taskavak, E. (2017). "Trionyx triunguis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T62256A96894956. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T62256A96894956.en . Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rhodin, Anders G. J.; Peter Paul van Dijk, John B. Inverson & Bradley H. Shaffer (December 14, 2010). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status" (PDF). p. 000.128. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  4. ↑ Fritz, Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology . 57 (2): 322–323. doi: 10.3897/vz.57.e30895 .
  5. ↑ Gautier, Achilles (2005). "Animal Mummies and Remains from the Necropolis of Elkab (Upper Egypt)". archaeofauna. 14: 139–170. Retrieved 25 December 2023.

Further reading


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