Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera)

Created: March 4th, 2009 - 03:26 PM
Last Modified: December 5th, 2010 - 11:54 AM Entered by: Kyle Salzmann
Record 22468

Country: United States		State: Wisconsin	County: Dunn County	Time: 2008-07-22 18:30:00
Qty: 1	Age: Juvenile	Sex: --	Method:	Habitat: river
Body Temperature: -----		Air Temperature: -----	Ground Temperature: -----	Humidity: -----
Sky Conditions: -----		Moon Phase: -----	Elevation: -----	Barometric Pressure: -----

Notes

Actually caught on hook and line while fishing

Vouchers

Comments

Posted by Kyle Salzmann on Dec 05, 2010 at 11:55 AM

I looked back through all the references I could find and agree now that it is a spiny. It has been changed. Thanks for the help with ID!

Posted by Christopher Smith on Jan 03, 2010 at 11:08 AM

Kyle- One possible reason why you may not have been able to see the spines is the fact that it is a small individual.

Posted by Kyle Salzmann on Jan 02, 2010 at 09:43 PM

The photos don't accurately show the nostrils, but I am positive there were no spines. It's something I look for when I find these turtles, and I'm sure of that at least.

After looking into this further though, I am also thinking this is a spiny. I'm not sure of why the nostrils would look different from what I've seen before, since I've come across some that have definite ridges and this one didn't.

Posted by Erica Hoaglund on Jan 02, 2010 at 08:12 PM

It is hard to see inside the nostrils with the photos provided but in the second photo it does look like there are "spines" on the septum. Also, note the "spines" on the anterior end of the carapace. It is definitely a spiny. If you would like another opinion post a few photos on the main forum.

Posted by Kyle Salzmann on Jan 02, 2010 at 07:22 PM

I don't believe so, and here's my reasoning...A spiny has the tubercles inside the nostrils, correct? This one has just plain open nostrils, with no fleshy extentions. Also, the yellow line running down the neck from the eye has always cued "smooth" to me.

Please correct me if I am still wrong, but I do believe this is a smooth softshell. It would be a new county record for Dunn Co, WI I believe, but they have been found slightly farther south in the Chippewa River from where this one was caught.

Posted by Christopher Smith on Jan 02, 2010 at 01:36 PM

It is a spiny softshell, Apalone spinifera, not a smooth.