The Cuatro Ciénegas softshell (Apalone spinifera atra), or black spiny softshell is a subspecies of softshell turtle 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. It was formerly classified in the genus Trionyx.

Geographic range

It is found only in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in the state of Coahuila

Coahuila

Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

, 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...

.

Conservation status

As of the last assessment in 1996 it was considered "Critically Endangered" by the "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species".