Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle

Apalone spinifera

Excerpted from: Animal Diversity

  Description

Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles have soft, flat, rounded carapaces without scutes. The edges are pliable with small spines, in the eastern subspecies the spines are toward the front of the carapace. The nose is long, tapered, and upturned at the end with ridges. The Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles have two black-bordered yellow stripes that travel along the neck and do not connect.

The plastron is whitish or yellow with bones visible underneath. They have claws and their feet are webbed for swimming. The body is olive or tan with black speckles and a dark rim around the edge of their carapace. In A. s. aspera two or more dark lines can be found bordering the rear margin of the shell, the black ring is lacking.

There is some sexual dimorphism. Adult males retain the juvenile's olive and yellow coloration with black "eyespots", have a slightly rougher carapace than females, and are smaller than females, with a carapace length of 5-9 inches. Males also have longer and thicker tails than females. The carapace of females darkens during adulthood and becomes a mottled gray. The length ranges from 18-43 inches and the tail barely extends past the edge of her carapace.

  Lifespan

Estimated longevity in Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles is up to 50 years in a large female.

  Behavior

Spiny softshell turtles are diurnal animals, spending most of the day basking in the sun and foraging for food. They can be spotted sunning on logs and river banks. If disturbed, they will quickly retreat into the water and bury themselves in sand, leaving only their heads visible. These turtles are also able to breathe underwater for extended periods through their pharyngeal lining, cloacal lining, and skin. Spiny softshell turtles spend October to April in the water buried underneath substrate in a state of dormancy.

  Communication

Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles use their sense of vision and touch to find prey. When they mate they respond to tactile stimulation.

  Diet

The Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle preys on various macro-invertebrates such as aquatic insects, crayfish, and occasionally a fish. They find their food underneath objects, along the floor of the lake, and in vegetation. They also hide in the floor substrate and grab prey as they swim by.

Further Reading:

 Beavers — Nature's Hydrologist, Part 2
 Garter Snakes — The Gardener's Friend
 Wisconsin Native Salamanders
 Goundhog or Woochuck: All The Facts
 Voles, Both The Good and The Bad