African softshell turtle

African softshell turtle
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific 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

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.

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]

Gallery

• 
  African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel
• 
  Head of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel
• 
  African softshell turtle with red-eared sliders at Nahal Alexander, Israel
• 
  Head and neck of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel
• 
  Head and neck (retracted) of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander, Israel

References