Apalone
Encyclopedia
Apalone is a North America
n genus
in the Trionychidae
family of turtle
s, a family whose members are commonly referred to as softshell turtles. Apalone species are native primarily to the United States
, though they are also found in parts of southern Canada
and northern Mexico
. Apalone is a fairly new classification, resurrected by Meylan in 1987, assigned to North American species
of the genus Trionyx, though they are still sometimes listed as Trionyx in some texts. (Trionyx now refers specifically to certain softshell species found in Asia
.) Apalone are fast swimmers that chase down their prey in water. They feed mainly on fish
. They also like the comfort of sand as their bedding.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the Trionychidae
Trionychidae
Trionychidae is a taxonomic family which comprises a number of turtle genera commonly known as softshells. They are also sometimes called pancake turtles. Softshells consist of some of the world's largest fresh water turtles, though many can adapt to living in highly brackish areas. Members of this...
family of turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s, a family whose members are commonly referred to as softshell turtles. Apalone species are native primarily to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, though they are also found in parts of southern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Apalone is a fairly new classification, resurrected by Meylan in 1987, assigned to North American species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the genus Trionyx, though they are still sometimes listed as Trionyx in some texts. (Trionyx now refers specifically to certain softshell species found in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.) Apalone are fast swimmers that chase down their prey in water. They feed mainly on fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. They also like the comfort of sand as their bedding.
Species
- Florida softshell turtleFlorida Softshell TurtleThe Florida softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle native to the southeastern United States, and is one of the fastest turtles to move on land.-Geographic range:...
(Apalone ferox) - South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. - Smooth softshell turtleSmooth Softshell turtleThe smooth softshell turtle is a softshell turtle of the family Trionychidae.-Geographic range:It lives mainly in the Mississippi River drainage including the Ohio River and the lower Allegheny River.-Description:...
(Apalone mutica) - United States, east of the Rocky MountainsRocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. - Spiny softshell turtleSpiny Softshell TurtleThe Spiny softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America...
(Apalone spinifera) - Canada (southern OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
), most of the United States, and northeastern Mexico.
External links
- Tortoise.org Apalone entry
- Spiny Softshell Turtle - Apalone spinifera Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide