Gulf coast smooth softshell turtle
A species of American softshell turtles, Also known as Midland smooth softshell turtle, Midland smooth softshell Scientific name : Apalone mutica Genus : American softshell turtles
Gulf coast smooth softshell turtle, A species of American softshell turtles
Also known as:
Midland smooth softshell turtle, Midland smooth softshell
Scientific name: Apalone mutica
Genus: American softshell turtles
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Don F Becker , used under CC-BY-SA-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica) is a species of softshell turtle of the family Trionychidae. The species is endemic to North America.
General Info
Lifespan
12-15 years
Diet
Gulf coast smooth softshell turtle predominantly consumes a carnivorous diet, largely leaning towards aquatic invertebrates. Their diet primarily consists of insects, crustaceans, and mollusks, with an occasional intake of fish and amphibians. They have been observed to adopt a sit-and-wait tactic for hunting their prey.
Appearance
The gulf coast smooth softshell turtle is a freshwater turtle with a streamlined, flat body, measuring up to 29 cm in length. It has a smooth, leathery carapace that lacks marginal scutes, colored olive-green to brown. Notably, it features a long and thin snorkel-like snout and three longitudinal rows of spiny tubercles on the underside. Both sexes have similar appearances, but males possess longer tails.
Behavior
Gulf coast smooth softshell turtle is a solitary and predominantly aquatic species, displaying bottom-dwelling behavior. This animal spends most of its time buried in the river bottoms with only the head exposed for surveillance, a behavior that aids in its survival. Notably, gulf coast smooth softshell turtle exhibits a unique floating behavior during its time in open water, imitating debris to avoid predation.
Scientific Classification
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