Trawler bycatch of a juvenile Nile Softshell Turtle (Trionyx triunguis) from the mouth of the Seyhan
Trawler bycatch of a juvenile Nile Softshell Turtle (Trionyx triunguis) from the mouth of the Seyhan and Ceyhan Rivers, Turkey (top); and an adult from Hisaronu Bay, Turkey that was observed at a depth of 15 meters, which moved to 22 m when disturbed (bottom). Not pictured — unfortunately — was an enormous individual (over a meter in carapace length) accidentally trawled up from a depth of 55 m in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. It would appear that while mainly freshwater and estuarine, this species is capable of surviving and thriving in marine environments. Curiously, two other giant softshells (Pelochelys cantori, P. bibroni) have been observed at sea as well.Taskavak, E. & Akcinar, S. (2009) Marine records of the Nile soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx triunguis from Turkey. Marine Biodiversity Records 2 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1755267208000092 -- source link
#trionyx triunguis#trionyx#trionychidae#turtle#reptile#herpetology