African softshell turtle
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this 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.

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]

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" (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 322–323. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
  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

  • van Dijk, P.P., Diagne, T., Luiselli, L., Baker, P.J., Turkozan, O. & Taskavak, E. 2017. Trionyxtriunguis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T62256A96894956
  • Güçlü, Özgür; Durmuş, Salih Hakan; Candan, Kamil; Beşer, Nurettin; Türkyilmaz, Süheyla; Yerli, Sedat; Bozdoğan, Bülent (2015). "Development and characterization of new polymorphic microsatellite loci for Trionyx triunguis (Testudines: Trionychidae) in the Mediterranean Basin". Amphibia-Reptilia. 36 (3): 318–324. doi:10.1163/15685381-00003003.
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