Spiny softshell turtle

Spiny softshell turtle
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Trionychidae
Genus:	Apalone
Species:	A. spinifera
Binomial name
Apalone spinifera (Lesueur, 1827)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Apalone spinifera spinifera Trionyx nasica Rafinesque, 1822 (nomen suppressum) Trionyx spiniferus LeSueur, 1827 Apalone hudsonica Rafinesque, 1832 Gymnopus spiniferus — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Trionyx annulifer Wied, 1839 Tyrse argus Gray, 1844 Trionyx annulatus Gray, 1856 Trionyx argus — Gray, 1856 Gymnopodus spiniferus — A.H.A. Duméril, 1856 Aspidonectes nuchalis Agassiz, 1857 Aspidonectes spinifer — Agassiz, 1857 Gymnopus spinifer — Agassiz, 1857 Trionyx spinifer — Agassiz, 1857 Gymnopus olivaceus Wied, 1865 Callinia spicifera Gray, 1869 Callinia spinifera — Gray, 1870 Platypeltis nuchalis — Baur, 1893 Platypeltis spinifer — Baur, 1893 Tyrse spinifera — O.P. Hay, 1904 Amyda spinifera — O.P. Hay, 1905 Platypeltis spinifera — O.P. Hay, 1907 Amyda spinifer — Potter, 1920 Amyda spinifera spinifera — Stejneger & T. Barbour, 1939 Trionyx spinifera spinifera — Cagle, 1941 Amyda ferox spinifera — Neill, 1951 Trionyx ferox spinifera — Schmidt, 1953 Trionyx spinifer spinifer — Schwartz, 1956 Trionyx spiniferus spiniferus — Wermuth & Mertens, 1961 Apalone spinifera — Meylan, 1987 Apalone spiniferus — Meylan & Webb, 1988 Apalone spinifera spinifera — Ernst & R. Barbour, 1989 Apalone spinifera spinifera — Stubbs, 1989 Trionix spiniferus — Richard, 1999

The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, spinifera (spine-bearing), refer to the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of the carapace, which are not scutes (scales).