Wattle-necked softshell turtle explained

The wattle-necked softshell turtle (Palea steindachneri), also commonly known as Steindachner's soft-shelled turtle, is an endangered Asian species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is the only member of the genus Palea.^[1]

Description

P. steindachneri exhibits sexual dimorphism. Females of this freshwater turtle reach up to 44.5cm (17.5inches) in straight carapace length, while males only reach up to 36cm (14inches). However, males have a longer tail than the females.^[2]

Etymology

The specific name, steindachneri, is in honor of Austrian herpetologist Franz Steindachner.^[3]

Geographic range

P. steindachneri is native to southeastern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan), Laos, and Vietnam, but has also been introduced to Hawaii and Mauritius.

Threats

P. steindachneri is endangered by poaching for human consumption. Although pressure on the wild population continues, several thousand are hatched and raised each year on turtle farms in China and Vietnam for food and traditional medicine.

Further reading

• Meylan PA (1987). "The Phylogenetic Relationships of Soft-shelled Turtles (Family Trionychidae)". Bull. American Mus. Nat. Hist. 186 (1): 1-100. (Palea, new genus, p. 94).
• Siebenrock F (1906). "Zur Kenntnis der Schildkrötenfauna der Insel Hainan ". Zoologischer Anzeiger 30: 578-586. (Trionyx steindachneri, new species, pp. 579–581). (in German).

Notes and References

1. Turtles of the world, 2011 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status. Chelonian Research Monographs. 5. 2011-12-31. Rhodin, Anders G.J.. van Dijk, Peter Paul. Iverson, John B.. Shaffer, H. Bradley. Bour, Roger. https://web.archive.org/web/20120131102839/http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v4_2011.pdf. live. 2012-01-31.
2. Book: . . 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada. 2. 636. JHU Press . 978-0-8018-9121-2.
3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011) The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Palea steindachneri, p. 252).