One of the 41 turtles and tortoises on WAnimals
Reptiles · Testudines · Trionychidae
Chinese Softshell Turtle
Pelodiscus sinensis
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The Chinese softshell turtle is a species of turtle of the family Trionychidae. As in all softshell turtles, the carapace and plastron are covered by leathery skin instead of plates, although the skeleton beneath still gives some protection. The rear of the carapace ends in a soft, rounded flap, and the plastron is greatly reduced. The neck and head are long, and the long, thin snout lets it breathe while lying on the bottom of lakes or rivers.
Weight
1 kg – 4 kg
Size
20 cm – 33 cm
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- It urinates through its mouth: it is one of the very few vertebrates able to excrete urea through the lining of the mouth, an adaptation that lets it get rid of waste by rinsing its mouth in the water without losing body fluid, which is very useful in brackish water.
- It is the most farmed turtle on the planet: Chinese aquaculture produces hundreds of millions of animals a year for food, and yet the wild populations continue to decline.
- It breathes partly through its skin and through its throat, which lets it stay submerged for hours in well-oxygenated water without coming up to the surface.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton with a shell (reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Slow rivers, canals, rice fields, lakes and ponds of East Asia
- Sexual maturity
- 5 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 60 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 20 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelodiscus_sinensis
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 17 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Chinese Softshell Turtle — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Japanese Giant Salamander
Andrias japonicus
Chinese Water Dragon
Physignathus cocincinus
Spiny Softshell Turtle
Apalone spinifera
Burmese Python
Python bivittatus
King Cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
Banded Krait
Bungarus fasciatus
How to help
The chinese softshell turtle is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 8 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
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