Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera
Adult spiny softshells inhabit rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and large streams with sandy or muddy bottoms and basking sites nearby. They eat aquatic insects, crayfish, snails, fish, amphibians, and occasional plant matter or carrion. Adults are fast in water, wary on land, and often escape by diving and burying themselves beneath the bottom. The species is named for the small spines along the front edge of the carapace, and females can grow much larger than males.
- Type
- Water / Stealth
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- Spiny Softshell Hatchling
- ?
- Spiny Softshell