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Apalone (softshell turtle)

Reptilia - Testudines - Trionychidae

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1832Apalone Rafinesque
1987Apalone Meylan
1992Apalone Hutchison
1996Apalone Frank and Ramus
1996Apalone Hutchison p. 339
1999Apalone Eaton et al.
2000Apalone Weisrock and Janzen p. 153
2002Apalone Holroyd and Hutchison p. 181
2014Apalone van Dijk et al.
2017Apalone Valdes et al. p. 121
2019Apalone May
2023Apalone Weems

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
RankNameAuthor
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderCryptodira
familyTrionychidaeGray 1825
genusApaloneRafinesque 1832

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. Apalone Rafinesque 1832 [softshell turtle]
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Subg. Apalone (Platypeltis) Fitzinger 1835
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Platypeltis ferox Schneider 1783 [Florida softshell turtle]
Platypeltis sternbergi Wiman 1933
Apalone amorense Valdes et al. 2017
Apalone ferox Schneider 1783 [Florida softshell turtle]
Apalone lima Cope 1869
Apalone mutica LeSueur 1827 [smooth softshell turtle]
Apalone spinifera LeSueur 1827 [spiny softshell turtle]
Apalone trionychoides Cope 1872
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
P. A. Meylan 1987Members of the subtribe Apalonina in which the location of the posteriormost neural reversal is highly variable but occurs at or anterior to neural six and in which there is marked sexual dimorphism.
N. Valdes et al. 2017Apalone amorense is diagnosed as a member of Trionychini by the presence of eight or fewer neurals (N1–8) and strong emargination of the dorsal margin of the apertura narium externa. It is diagnosed as a member of Apalonina by the frequent absence of the eighth costal pair (C8).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Body part: carapacef
Adult length: 100 to < 1000f
Grouping: solitaryf
Environment: brackish, freshwaterf
Locomotion: actively mobilef
Life habit: aquaticf
Diet: piscivoref
Diet 2: carnivoref
Reproduction: oviparousf
Created: 2005-08-25 13:24:04
Modified: 2005-09-09 19:45:41
Source: f = family, subp = subphylum
References: Ernst and Barbour 1989, Carroll 1988

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Late/Upper Maastrichtian to the top of the Holocene or 70.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 66.0 Ma

Collections (44 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0USA (South Dakota) Apalone sp. (224484)
Bridgerian50.3 - 46.2USA (Wyoming) Platypeltis sp. (16270 70257)
Early/Lower Uintan46.2 - 40.4USA (Utah) Platypeltis sp. (186888)
Late/Upper Uintan46.2 - 40.4Canada (Saskatchewan) Apalone sp. (16626)
Duchesnean40.4 - 37.2USA (Utah) Apalone sp. (16877)
Orellan33.9 - 33.3USA (South Dakota) Apalone sp. (163487)
Late/Upper Oligocene28.4 - 23.03USA (Virginia) Apalone lima (167203)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (Delaware) Apalone lima (18579)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (New Jersey) Trionyx lima (18587)
Barstovian15.97 - 13.6USA (Texas) Apalone sp. (18629)
Early/Lower Barstovian15.97 - 13.6USA (Florida) Apalone sp. (18538)
Clarendonian13.6 - 10.3USA (Texas) Apalone sp. (18611 18623) Trionychidae indet. (18610 18640)
Late/Upper Clarendonian13.6 - 10.3USA (Florida) Trionyx ferox (18554)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246USA (Maryland) Apalone ferox (219172 221449)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246USA (Virginia) Apalone sp. (152251)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Florida) Apalone sp. (18564)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9Costa Rica (Puntarenas) Apalone sp. (144596)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Alabama) Apalone spinifera (176945)
Late/Upper Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Nebraska) Apalone sp. (18126) Apalone sp., Apalone spinifera (18359)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (North Carolina) Apalone sp. (52582)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Florida) Apalone ferox (113275)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Apalone sp. (206227)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Florida) Apalone ferox (20400 20402 58089) Apalone sp. (26550)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Kansas) Trionyx spinifer (20390)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Pennsylvania) Trionyx muticus (20354)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (Florida) Apalone ferox (20440) Trionyx ferox (20491)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117USA (Michigan) Trionyx spinifer (200325)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.126 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Apalone ferox (20650)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Apalone ferox (154804)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.126 - 0.0117USA (Georgia) Apalone ferox (20613)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117USA (Texas) Apalone spinifera (230753)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (glacial)0.126 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Trionyx ferox (154921)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.126 - 0.0117USA (Alabama) Trionyx sp., Trionyx spiniferus (84181)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Georgia) Trionyx ferox (152113)