softshell turtle
Leathery aquatic chelonian
A softshell turtle is a freshwater turtle with a flat, leathery shell rather than the hard, bony carapace typical of most turtles.
The flexible shell and elongated snout give them a distinctive appearance.
They're found in rivers and lakes across North America, Africa, and Asia, often burying themselves in sandy bottoms.
Turtle family member
- reptileCold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
- plastronVentral shell portion
- cold-bloodedUnfeeling or externally heated
ectotherm · herpetology · species · genus · carnivorous · terrapin
Capable of bending easily
- flexibleAble to bend freely
- suppleFlexing without damage
- rubberyElastic and resilient
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
cartilaginous · bendable · snout · flattened · yielding · keratinized
Preventing waste or loss
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
- vulnerableOpen to attack
illegal trade · wildlife protection · overharvesting · breeding programs · CITES · traditional medicine · population decline · protected species
chelonian
Turtle family member
- reptileCold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
- plastronVentral shell portion
cold-blooded · ectotherm · herpetology · species · genus · carnivorous · terrapin
pliable
Capable of bending easily
smooth · cartilaginous · bendable · snout · flattened · yielding · keratinized
conservation
Preventing waste or loss
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
vulnerable · illegal trade · wildlife protection · overharvesting · breeding programs · CITES · traditional medicine · population decline · protected species · captive breeding
pond
Small still body
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- swimmingLocomotion through water
wetland · muddy · silt · estuary · benthic · aquatic plants · basking · submerged · creek · marsh
mottled
Having irregular color patches
- crypticObscure in meaning
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- blendCombine into mixture
hide · ambush · stealth · buried · sandy · disguise · substrate · detection · camouflaged · sediment
softshell turtlebox turtle
Land reptile, hinged shell
snapping turtle · tortoise · sea turtle · painted turtle · cooter
soft, shell, turtle, soften, softly, softness, softer, softest, softened