African softshell turtle

Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)^[2]
Scientific classification
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 triunguis Forsskål, 1775 Testudo striata Suckow, 1798 Trionyx egyptiacus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809 Trionyx aegyptiacus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809 Amyda triunguis Oken, 1816 Aspidonectes aegyptiacus Wagler, 1830 Trionyx niloticus Gray, 1831 Gymnopodus aegyptiacus Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Trionyx (Pelodiscus) labiatus Fitzinger, 1835 Tyrse nilotica Gray, 1844 Trionyx mortoni Hallowell, 1844 Aspidonectes aspilus Cope, 1860 Fordia africana Gray, 1869 Trionyx triunguis Peters, 1876 Gymnopus aspilus Rochebrune, 1884 Gymnopus aegyptiacus Boulenger, 1889 Pelodiscus triunguis Baur, 1893 Aspidonectes triunguis Hay, 1904 Pelodiscus labiatus Hay, 1904 Tyrse triunguis Hay, 1904 Trionyx triunguis rudolfianus Deraniyagala, 1948 Amyda triunguis rudolfianus Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Amyda triunguis triunguis Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Trionyx aegypticus Młynarski, 1969 (ex errore) Trionyx triungus Gosławski & Hryniewicz, 1993 (ex errore) Trionix triunguis Richard, 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.

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.

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]

Gallery

African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel
Head of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel
African softshell turtle with red-eared sliders at Nahal Alexander, Israel
Head and neck of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel
Head and neck (retracted) of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel

References

External links

Trionychidae family

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Superfamily: Trionychia

Genera

Species of the Trionychidae family

Amyda

Asiatic softshell turtle
†Amyda gregaria
Amyda ornata

Apalone

†Axestemys

†Axestemys byssina
†Axestemys cerevisia
†Axestemys montinsana
†Axestemys quinni
†Axestemys splendida
†Axestemys vittata

Chitra

Cyclanorbis

Cycloderma

Dogania

Malayan softshell turtle

†Gilmoremys

†Gilmoremys gettyspherensis
†Gilmoremys lancensis

†Hutchemys

†Hutchemys arctochelys
†Hutchemys rememdium
†Hutchemys tetanetron
†Hutchemys sterea
†Hutchemys acupictus

†Khunnuchelys

†Khunnuchelys erinhotensis
†Khunnuchelys kizylkumensis
†Khunnuchelys lophorhothon

Lissemys

Nilssonia

†Palaeoamyda

†Palaeoamyda messeliana

Palea

Wattle-necked softshell turtle

Pelochelys

Pelodiscus

Rafetus

Trionyx

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=extinct.

Testudines

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Diapsida
Order: Testudines

Genus

Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)

Cheloniidae	†Allopleuron Caretta †Carolinochelys Chelonia †Eochelone Eretmochelys †Gigantatypus †Glarichelys †Itilochelys Lepidochelys †Mexichelys †Miocaretta Natator †Pacifichelys †Syllomus †Tasbacka
Dermochelyidae	†Arabemys †Corsochelys †Cosmochelys Dermochelys †Eosphargis †Mesodermochelys †Psephophorus
	†Euclastes †Peritresius †Procolpochelys †Protosphargis †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae	Dermatemys
Kinosternidae	Claudius †Hoplochelys Kinosternon Staurotypus Sternotherus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae	†Acherontemys Chrysemys Clemmys Deirochelys Emys Actinemys Emydoidea Glyptemys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Terrapene Trachemys †Wilburemys
Geoemydidae	Batagur †Banhxeochelys Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Rhinoclemmys Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys
Platysternidae	Platysternon
Testudinidae	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Centrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis †Cymatholcus †Floridemys Geochelone Gopherus †Hadrianus †Hesperotestudo Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria †Megalochelys †Oligopherus Psammobates Pyxis †Solitudo Stigmochelys †Stylemys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae	†Allaeochelys †Anosteira Carettochelys
Trionychidae	Amyda Apalone †Axestemys Chitra Cyclanorbis Cycloderma †Drazinderetes Dogania †Gilmoremys †Hutchemys †Khunnuchelys Lissemys Nilssonia Palea †Palaeoamyda Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx
	†Basilochelys †Sinaspideretes

Chelydridae	Chelydra †Chelydrops †Chelydropsis †Emarginachelys †Macrocephalochelys Macrochelys †Planiplastron †Protochelydra
†Nanhsiungchelyidae	†Anomalochelys †Basilemys †Jiangxichelys
†Protostegidae	†Alienochelys †Archelon †Atlantochelys †Bouliachelys †Calcarichelys †Cratochelone †Desmatochelys †Iserosaurus †Notochelone †Ocepechelon †Pneumatoarthrus †Protostega †Rhinochelys †Santanachelys †Terlinguachelys
	†Adocus †Argillochelys †Bashuchelys †Ctenochelys †Prionochelys †Toxochelys

Pleurodira

†Araripemydidae	†Araripemys
†Bothremydidae	†Araiochelys †Arenila †Azabbaremys †Bothremys †Cearachelys †Chedighaii †Chupacabrachelys †Eotaphrosphys †Foxemys †Galianemys †Ilatardia †Inaechelys †Itapecuruemys †Jainemys †Kinkonychelys †Kurmademys †Labrostochelys †Nigeremys †Phosphatochelys †Polysternon †Puentemys †Rosasia †Rhothonemys †Sankuchemys †Taphrosphys †Ummulisani †Zolhafah
Chelidae	Acanthochelys Chelodina Chelus Elseya Elusor Emydura Hydromedusa †Lomalatachelys Mesoclemmys Myuchelys Phrynops Platemys †Prochelidella Pseudemydura Rheodytes Rhinemys †Yaminuechelys
Pelomedusidae	Pelomedusa Pelusios
Podocnemididae	†Albertwoodemys †Bauruemys †Brontochelys †Caninemys †Carbonemys †Cerrejonemys †Cordichelys Erymnochelys †Lapparentemys †Latentemys Peltocephalus Podocnemis †Stupendemys
†Sahonachelyidae	†Sahonachelys †Sokatra

	†Caribemys †Caririemys †Tacuarembemys

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

See also List of Testudines families

Taxon identifiers

Taxon identifiers
Trionyx triunguis	Wikidata: Q739984 Wikispecies: Trionyx triunguis ADW: Trionyx BOLD: 247017 CoL: 58WKP EoL: 46559486 EUNIS: 8635 Fossilworks: 54273 GBIF: 5960976 iNaturalist: 39553 IRMNG: 10362529 ISC: 117656 ITIS: 551876 IUCN: 62256 NBN: NHMSYS0000375803 NCBI: 101491 Observation.org: 81484 OBIS: 397354 Open Tree of Life: 598954 RD: triunguis SeaLifeBase: 67571 Species+: 8781 WoRMS: 397354

Religion

Gallery

References

Further reading

External links