The feet are deeply marked with streaks and spots. Overall the body of the softshell turtle is … Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle - Apalone spinifera spinifera. Carapace Length: 13” for females; 8” for males. Spending the weekend at a friend's place and was feeding the catfish when I was offered this opportunity to fail at capturing a soft-shell turtle using my hands. The highly vascular lining of the pharynx removes oxygen from the water and expels carbon dioxide into it. If you like ponds and like turtles, you are going to love our pond turtles for sale here. They can be kept in a large fish tank, usually 75 to 100 gallons or larger. Shells are relatively smooth and leather-like, except that the spiny softshell has distinct spines at the front and back of … While it is submerged, it pumps water in and out of its mouth and pharynx. Description. It is every bit as aggressive as the snapping turtle and its swimming ability far surpasses that of other turtles. The head and limbs are olive or gray above, and light gray or cream-colored below. The male Smooth Softshell Turtle carapaces only reach half of this length. The midland smooth softshell is a rather plain-looking softshell turtle, with a smooth, rather featureless olive-gray or brown shell, and a light stripe bordered … Overview: Softshells do not have to get air from the surface. They help distinguish the spiny softshell turtle from the smooth softshell turtle. Spiny softshell turtles have a rough carapace with spines along the front edge while, as the name implies, smooth softshell turtles lack such spines. The carapaces of the females grow up to 14 inches in length. Distribution: Spiny Softshell Turtles live throughout Ohio but records are lacking from a number of counties, especially eastern Ohio. Effective November 21, 2016, the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), Florida softshell turtle (Apolone ferox), smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica), and spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) were also listed in Appendix III. Smooth softshell turtles may be easily confused with the spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera), as the differences between the two species are subtle. The smooth vs spiny part of the softshells’ names refers to the edge of the shell over the neck. The male Smooth Softshell Turtle carapaces only reach half of this length. Smooth Softshell Turtle Description Compared to other turtle species, the smooth softshell turtles are large. Soft-shelled turtle: Built for speed ... A long neck and pancake-soft shell are two identifying traits of the soft-shelled turtle. The two species of softshell turtles (spiny and smooth) can easily be distinguished from all other turtles in Oklahoma by the total lack of scutes on the shell.