Smooth Softshell Turtle

Apalone mutica

Safety note: Bites — do not handle

The Smooth Softshell Turtle is a large, fast-swimming turtle with a completely smooth, leathery shell lacking the spiny projections of the Spiny Softshell. It buries in sand or mud with only its long neck and head exposed.

Habitat

Large, sandy-bottomed rivers and streams in the central U.S.

Diet

Crayfish, fish, and aquatic insects

How common

Common

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