Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (species: Rafetus swinhoei) in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Gnathostomata > Tetrapoda > Reptilia > Testudines > Cryptodira > Trionychidae > Trionychinae > Rafetus > Rafetus swinhoei (gallery)
Rafetus swinhoei
Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle


©Phuongcacanh on Wikipedia: Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei)

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Reptilia
Order Testudines
Family Trionychidae
Genus Rafetus
Species Rafetus swinhoei
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Distinguishing features

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is noted for its deep head with pig-like snout and eyes dorsally placed. It holds the title of being the largest freshwater turtle in the world. The male is generally smaller than the female and has a longer, larger tail. (Wikipedia)

Size

  • Up to 100 cm (Length)
  • Up to 70 cm (Width)

Synonyms

Distribution and habitat preferences

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle has been known to inhabit the Yangtze River and Lake Taihu, situated on the border of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, in eastern China, and Gejiu, Yuanyang, Jianshui and Honghe in Yunnan Province in southern China.

The last known specimen caught in the wild in China was in 1998 in the Red River between Yuanyang and Jianshui. (Wikipedia)

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