They are called "soft shelled" because their carapace lacks horny scutes (scales), though the Softshell Turtle, Trionyx, does have some scale-like projections, hence its name. The carapace is leathery and pliable, particularly at the sides. The central part of the carapace has a layer of solid bone beneath it, as in other turtles, but this is absent at the outer edges. The light and flexible shell of these turtles allows them to move more easily in open water, or in muddy lake bottoms.

The Nile Soft-shelled Turtle, Trionyx triunguis, is a large (1.2 m long), but little known turtle species. Their feet are webbed and are three-clawed, hence the "Tri-" in the genus name.

The carapace color of each type of softshell turtle tends to match the sand and/or mud color of its geographical region, assisting in their "lie and wait" feeding methodology.

Although it had already been described in the Mediterranean last century, it took almost another century until it was re-discovered there in the 1970’s in ThermeMaris - Sulphur Lake.

World Distribution: Three distribution areas that are more or less isolated from each other: West Africa, Central/Eastern Africa, and the Mediterranean. Whereas the African sub-populations are living inland, the Mediterranean sub-population is confined to the lower courses of rivers and are thus mainly brackish water animals which apparently spend a significant part of their life cycle in the sea. The Mediterranean population thus apparently represents a different ecotype that is geographically isolated from the African populations, notably none are now known in the Lower Nile, its Delta or on the Egyptian Mediterranean coast.

Conservation status:

The Nile Soft-shelled Turtle’s Mediterranean population has been listed by IUCN–The World Conservation Union in the “Red List of Threatened Species” as “critically endangered” (a taxon is “Critically Endangered” when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future; the Mediterranean population is classified as “severely fragmented, i.e. no sub-population estimated to contain more than 50 mature individuals”). The species is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention), and is subject to conservation recommendation 26(1991). Trionyx triunguis has also been included in Appendix III of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which means that the species needs special observation.

Required actions: To ensure the survival of the species, immediate actions are required. These should include: Drafting an action plan for conservation and management; Conservation of the most important nesting sites; Establishment of undisturbed areas for mating and egglaying; Protection against persecution by fishermen; Establishment of measures against drowning in trawl nets.

Pictures of trionyx turtles in the Thermal Resort ThermeMaris (click to enlarge the images).

They have elongated, soft, snorkel-like nostrils. Their necks are disproportionately long in comparison to their body size, enabling them to breathe surface air while their bodies remain submerged in the substrate (mud or sand) a foot or more below the surface.

Distribution & Population

Egypt:

• Believed to be extinct in the lower Nile and the Egyptian Mediterranean.
• A MEDASSET survey in recent years brought no positive results.

Greece:

• One record only, certainly not reproducing in the country.
  

Israel/Palestine:

• A good population existed until the early 1990’s at Nahal Alexander, but it declined due to drastic habitat changes after heavy storms and the subsequent intrusion of salt water from the sea. Now, the population is much scattered, with mostly single individuals appearing here and there along the coast, without having a safe area for reproduction.

Lebanon:

• Only one recent record. The survival of a small population cannot be ruled out.

Turkey:

• The only country in the Mediterranean that holds a significant population. MEDASSET’s research activities showed that there are now only two main areas: the Çukurova delta (Seyhan River mouth) in the south and the Dalaman delta (Thermemaris - Sulphur Lake) in the southwest.
• In addition, reproduction occurs at eight more sites (Dalyan, Aksu/Acisu, Anamur, Göksu, Berdan River, Tuzla Drainage Channel, Karatas Drainage Channel, Ceyhan River), and recent records may indicate small populations exist from at least five more sites (Patara, Fethiye, Köprü Çayi/Acisu, Bozyazi, Orontes (Asi) River).
  

Population:

Due to their secretive way of life and the lack of in-depth studies, the Mediterranean population size cannot be estimated precisely. It is thought that the entire Mediterranean population comprises less than 1000 adult individuals. All populations are under serious threat.