The Cantor's giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii)^[1] or Asian giant softshell turtle is a species of freshwater turtle. The turtle has a broad head and small eyes close to the tip of its snout. The carapace is smooth and olive-colored. Juveniles may have dark-spotted carapaces and heads, with yellow around the carapace.^[4]

Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtles can grow up to 6 ft (about 2 m) in length.^[5][6] P. cantorii is an ambush predator and primarily carnivorous, feeding on crustaceans, mollusks and fish (although some aquatic plants may also be eaten).^[4] The turtle spends 95% of its life buried and motionless, with only its eyes and mouth protruding from the sand. It surfaces only twice a day to take a breath, and lays 20-28 eggs (about 1.2 to 1.4 inches [3.0-3.5 cm] in diameter) in February or March on riverbanks.^[4][6][7]

Distribution

The turtle is found primarily in inland, slow-moving, freshwater rivers and streams. Some evidence indicates its range extends to coastal areas, as well.^[4]

The turtle is found in eastern and southern India, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, eastern and southern China, Singapore (extirpated), the Philippines (Luzon and Mindanao) and Indonesia (Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra).^[1]

The turtle is regarded as endangered, and has disappeared from much of its range. Until recently, it was last seen in Cambodia in 2003. A 2007 survey of one area of the Mekong River in Cambodia found the turtle in abundance along a short 48-km (30-mi) stretch of the river.^[6][8]

Taxonomy

Cantor's giant softshell turtle is not found in New Guinea, while the two other members of the genus Pelochelys, P. bibroni and P. signifera are both restricted to New Guinea.^[1]P. cantorii is relatively unstudied, and the current species may actually be composed of several taxa.^[4] One study from 1995^[9] showed what was once thought to be P. cantorii in New Guinea was actually P. bibroni, and the earlier studies^[10] of P. cantorii only described populations further to the west.

Appearance

In the Philippines, a juvenile Cantor’s turtle known as “cagot" appeared and was captured by a fisherman along the Addalam River, Cabarroguis, Quirino, Isabela. In 2001, this turtle was sent to Chicago, and later confirmed to be an endangered turtle species.^[11][12]

References

• Baur, G. (1891) "Notes on the trionychian genus Pelochelys." Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (6) 7: 445-447.
• Boulenger, G.A. (1891) "On the occurrence of Pelochelys in China." Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (6) 7: 283-284.
• Das, Indraneil. Indian Turtles: A Field Guide. Calcutta: World Wildlife Fund-India (Eastern Region), 1985.
• Ernst, Carl H.; Barbour, Roger W.; and Altenburg, R.G.M. Turtles of the World. Rev. paperback ed. New York: Springer-Verlag New York, LLC, 1998. ISBN 3-540-14547-8 Accessed May 18, 2007.
• McCord, William P.and Joseph-Ouni, Mehdi. (2003) "Flapshell and Giant Asian Softshell Turtles." Reptilia. 26:59-64.
• Mydans, Seth. "How to Survive in Cambodia: For a Turtle, Beneath Sand." New York Times. May 18, 2007.
• Gray, J.E. (1864) "Revision of the species of Trionychidae found in Asia and Africa, with descriptions of some new species." Proc. Zool. Soc. London. 1864: 76-98.
• Munthit, Ker. "Rare Turtle's New Chance." Associated Press. May 16, 2007.
• Webb, R.G. (1995) "Redescription and neotype designation of Pelochelys bibroni from southern New Guinea (Testudines: Trionychidae)." Chelonian Conserv. & Biol. 1: 301-310.
• Webb, Robert G. (2002) "Observations on the Giant Softshell Turtle, Pelochelys cantorii, with description of a new species." Hamadryad. 27 (1): 99-107.

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley; Roger, Bour (2011-12-31). "Turtles of the world, 2011 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status". Chelonian Research Monographs 5. Archived from the original on 2012-01-22. http://www.webcitation.org/64t6NrOyR.
• Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology 57 (2). Archived from the original on 2010-12-17. http://www.webcitation.org/5v20ztMND.