Asiatic softshell turtle

Asiatic softshell turtle
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Trionychidae
Genus:	Amyda
Species:	A. cartilaginea
Binomial name
Amyda cartilaginea (Boddaert, 1770)
Synonyms[1]
Testudo cartilaginea Boddaert, 1770 Testudo membranacea Blumenbach, 1779 Testudo boddaerti Schneider, 1787 Testudo bodderti Schneider, 1787 (ex errore) Amyda javanica Schweigger, 1809 (nomen nudum) Trionyx javanicus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809 Trionyx stellatus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810(nomen novum) Aspidonectes javanicus Wagler, 1830 Gymnopus javanicus A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Gymnopus cartilaginea Cantor, 1847 Trionyx cariniferus Gray, 1856 Trionyx ornatus Gray, 1861 Aspilus cariniferus Gray, 1864 Aspilus ornatus Gray, 1864 Aspilus punctulatus Gray, 1864 Potamochelys stellatus Gray, 1864 Trionyx phayrei Theobald, 1868 Trionyx jeudi Gray, 1869 Aspilus javanicus Gray, 1873 Ida ornata Gray, 1873 Trionyx ephippium Theobald, 1875 Trionyx cartilagineus Boulenger, 1889 Trionyx phayrii Boulenger, 1889 (ex errore) Aspidonectes cartilagineus Baur, 1893 Aspidonectes phayrei Baur, 1893 Potamochelys cartilagineus O.P. Hay, 1904 Potamochelys javanicus O.P. Hay, 1904 Amyda cartilaginea Barbour, 1912 Amyda phayrii Barbour, 1912 Trionyx boddaertii Bourret, 1941 (ex errore) Trionyx carinifera Bourret, 1941 Trionyx cartilagneus Thelwall, 1971 (ex errore) Testudo boddaerta Auffenberg, 1974 (ex errore) Trionyx cartilaginosis Auffenberg, 1974 (ex errore) Trionyx cartilaginosus Auffenberg, 1974 (ex errore) Tryonyx cartilageneus Nutaphand, 1979 (ex errore) Trionyx cartilageneus Nutaphand, 1979 Trionyx cartlageneus Nutaphand, 1979 (ex errore) Trionyx nakornsrithammarajensis Nutaphand, 1979 Trionyx cartilaginous Chkhikvadze, 1987 (ex errore) Amyda nakornsrithammarajensis Ernst & Barbour, 1989 Amyda nakornsrithammarajensis Stubbs, 1989 Trionyx cartilageneus nakorn Nutaphand, 1990 Trionyx cartilageneus cartilageneus Nutaphand, 1990 Amyda cartilaginae Nöllert, 1992 (ex errore) Trionyx cartilagineus nakorn Obst, 1996 Trionix cartilagineus Richard, 1999

The Asiatic softshell turtle (Amyda cartilaginea) or black rayed softshell turtle^[2] is a species of softshell turtle in the Trionychidae family. Despite its common name, it is not the only softshell turtle in Asia (most trionychines are Asian).^[1]

Geographic range

It is found in Bangladesh (Bandarban region), Borneo, Brunei, Cambodia, northeastern India, Indonesia, Java, Kalimantan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.^[3]

Description

Adults may attain a carapace length of 70 cm (27½ inches).

The oval carapace has rounded sides, and the head is relatively narrow.

This species exhibits sexual dimorphism in the color of the plastron, which is white in males, gray in females.^[3]

Behavior

A. cartilaginea is nocturnal.^[3]

Habitat

It prefers wetlands such as marshes, swamps, and large muddy rivers at lower elevations.^[3]

Diet

It preys on water insects, shrimps, fishes, and frogs.^[3]

Reproduction

Adult females lay eggs in holes on riverbanks. The spherical eggs are 21–33 mm (⅞-1¼ inch) in diameter. The number of eggs laid in a clutch varies from 4 to 8.^[3]

References

Amyda cartilaginea (Trionyx cartilagineus) in a Saint Petersburg museum

• Asian Turtle Trade Working Group 2000. Amyda cartilaginea. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 9 July 2007.
• Amyda cartilaginea in the Reptile Database

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amyda cartilaginea.

Turtle family Trionychidae Genus Species of the subfamily Cyclanorbinae Cyclanorbis Nubian flapshell turtle Senegal flapshell turtle Cycloderma Aubry's flapshell turtle Zambezi flapshell turtle Lissemys Burmese flapshell turtle Indian flapshell turtle Sri Lankan flapshell turtle   Species of the subfamily Trionychinae Amyda Asiatic softshell turtle Apalone Florida softshell turtle Smooth softshell turtle Spiny softshell turtle Chitra Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle Burmese narrow-headed softshell turtle Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle Dogania Malayan softshell turtle Nilssonia Black softshell turtle Burmese peacock softshell Indian softshell turtle Indian peacock softshell turtle Leith's softshell turtle Palea Wattle-necked softshell turtle Pelochelys Cantor's giant softshell turtle New Guinea giant softshell turtle Northern New Guinea giant softshell turtle Pelodiscus Chinese softshell turtle Hunan softshell turtle Lesser Chinese softshell turtle Northern Chinese softshell turtle Rafetus Euphrates softshell turtle Yangtze giant softshell turtle Trionyx African softshell turtle Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist.