<p>Florida softshell turtles play a role in the aquatic ecosystem both as predators and as scavengers, and in turn provide food (as eggs and post-hatching turtles) for other predators. Young <span class="taxon"><em>Apalone ferox</em></span> are prone to bacterial and fungal skin problems; these problems occur in both wild and captive animals and populations. Little is known about parasites in <span class="taxon"><em>Apalone ferox</em></span>; they can harbor leeches, and Foster et al. (1998) found eight helminth species in Florida softshell turtle obtained from a commercial processor. The most prevalent helminths were <span class="taxon">Spiroxys amydae</span> (80%), <span class="taxon">Cephalogonimus vesicaudus</span> (80%), <span class="taxon"><em>Vasotrema robustum</em></span> (76%) and <span class="taxon"><em>Proteocephalus</em></span> (63%).<span> (Bartlett and Earle-Bridges, 1996; Ernst, Lovich, and Barbour, 1994; Foster et al., 1998)</span></p>