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You know what pairs well with Sunday mornings?
Twitter threads about softshell turtles
(Scientific name: Apalone spinifera)
Twitter threads about softshell turtles
(Scientific name: Apalone spinifera)
Softshells look super flat compared to other turtles. This shape makes them super speedy in the water, earning them the title of fastest pancake on Earth
Like most turtles, softshell turtles start out very small. Here is a hatchling who likely emerged from its egg just a day or two before I found her. Look at that tube nose!
Did you know turtles have belly buttons, too? Itâs true! Here is the hatchlingâs belly button, a scar from where itâs umbilical cord attached the growing turtle to the nutrient source within the egg.
With time, softshells can grow to be quite large! We found this big adult in one of our turtle research hoop traps. We place turtles in sleds that weâve floated out into the water while we collect data on them, before releasing them back into their pond/lake.
Spiny softshells love to bury themselves in sandy sediment at the waterâs edge. Hiding out under a layer of dirt makes them feel safe!
