You are here » home advanced search search results Trionyx triunguis

Trionyx triunguis (FORSKÅL, 1775)

Can you confirm these amateur observations of Trionyx triunguis?

Add your own observation of
Trionyx triunguis »

Find more photos by Google images search: Google images

Higher TaxaTrionychidae (Trionychinae), Trionychoidea, Testudines (turtles)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Nile Soft-shelled Turtle
G: Afrikanische Weichschildkröte, Nil-Weichschildkröte 
SynonymTestudo triunguis FORSKÅL 1775
Testudo striata SUCKOW, partim 1798
Trionyx aegytiacus GEOFFROY 1809 (nomen subst. pro Testudo triunguis)
Testudo nilotica — SHAW & NODDER 1810: plates 907,908
Trionyx niloticus GRAY 1831 (nomen subst. pro Testudo triunguis)
Testudo triunguis — CUVIER 1831: 18
Trionyx aegytiacus — CUVIER 1831: 18
Trionyx labiatus BELL 1837
Trionyx niloticus— SCHLEGEL et al. 1838: 31
Trionyx mortoni HALLOWELL 1844
Aspidonectes aspilus COPE 1860
Fordia africana GRAY 1869
Trionyx labiatus — SOWERBY 1872
Trionyx triunguis — PETERS 1876
Trionyx triunguis rudolfianus DERANIYAGALA 1948: 30
Trionyx triunguis — ALDERTON 1988
Trionyx triunguis — ERNST & BARBOUR 1989: 100
Trionyx triunguis — SINDACO & JEREMČENKO 2008
Trionyx triunguis — SPAWLS et al. 2018: 47
Trionyx triunguis — TTWG 2021
Trionyx triunguis77383 
Distributionmost of the African continent except the waterways of southern and NW Africa.
White (below Murchison Falls) and Blue Nile drainages, Lakes Rudolf and Albert, the tributaries of the Congo River, W/C/N Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire), and most drainages in West Africa incl. Gabon, Mauritania.
Along the coasts of Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, Greece (Kos),
Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan (Jumhūriyyat), Republic of South Sudan (RSS), S Somalia, Kenya, Angola, southwest to N Namibia and west to Senegal; Mali, Central African Republic, Togo, Equatorial Guinea,
Gambia (HÅKANSSON 1981), Cameroon

Type locality: Nile River.  
Reproductionoviparous. 
TypesHolotype: Lost, according to R. G. Webb (pers. comm., cited in Iverson 1992: 318) 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (1788 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentTrionyx triunguis has not been found in Lake Victoria. Not listed by ENGELMANN et al. (1993).

Habitat: freshwater (rivers and tributaries, lakes), but enters brackish (”marine”) waters.

Distribution: For a map with localities in Equatorial Guinea see SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS et al. 2022. For a distribution map see TÜRKOZAN (2007) and Bar et al. 2021.

See BAUR (1893) for a historical definition of Trionyx and related genera.

Type species: Testudo triunguis FORSKÅL 1775 is the type species of the genus Trionyx GEOFFROY 1809 (non Trionyx OKEN 1816 = fossil Mammalia; non Trionyx HALIDAY 1833 = Hymenoptera). Note that Fitzinger 1843 explicitly designated Trionyx granosus (= Lissemys punctata) as type species of Trionyx. However, this type designation is invalid as Bory de St. Vincent had already selected a type for Trionyx (fide Smith 1963). 
Etymologytriunguis means “three-clawed”, referring to the three toes on each hind foot.

The genus was named after Latin tri- = three + Greek ónýx (ὄνῠξ), genet. ónýkhos (ὄνῠχος) (masculine) = claw, nail, hoof, talon (after Karataş & Çiçek 2022) The gender is masculine (Smith 1963) 
References
  • Akani, Godfrey C.; Edem A. Eniang, Nioking Amadi, Daniele Dendi, Emmanual M. Hema, Tomas Diagne, Gabriel Hoinsoudé Ségniabeto, Massimiliano Di Vittorio, Sulemana Bawa Gbewaa, Olivier S. G. Pauwels, Laurent Chitio, and <br>Luca Luiselli 2018. Macrohabitat and Microhabitat Usage by Two Softshell Turtles (Trionyx triunguis and Cyclanorbis senegalensis) in West and Central Africa. Herp. Cons. Biol. 13 (3): 642–651 - get paper here
  • Akçınar, Salim Can and Ertan Taşkavak 2017. Population size and structure of the African Softshell Turtle, Trionyx triunguis, in Dalaman, southwestern Turkey. Zoology in the Middle East 63 (3): 202 - get paper here
  • Alderton, D. 1988. Turtles and tortoises of the world. Facts on File, New York.
  • Baha El Din, S. M. & W. Salama 1992. Some recent records of the Nile Soft-shelled Turtle, Trionyx triunguis, from Egypt. Zoology in the Middle East 6: 39 - get paper here
  • Bar, A., Haimovitch, G. and Meiri, S. 2021. Field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Israel. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt Am Main. ISBN 9783-89973-120-0 - get paper here
  • Bar, Aviad and Guy Haimovitch 2012. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Israel. Pazbar LTD, 246 pp. - get paper here
  • Barnett, Linda K. & Emms, Craig 2005. Common reptiles of The Gambia. Rare Repro, Hailsham, East Sussex, 24 pp.
  • Baur, G. 1893. Notes on the classification and taxonomy of the Testudinata. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 31: 210-225 - get paper here
  • Baur, Markus 2021. Seit über 25 Jahren „zwischen allen Stühlen“ – die Reptilienauffangstation in München. Elaphe 2021 (3): 20-29
  • Behangana, Mathias; Richard Magala, Raymond Katumba, David Ochanda, Stephen Kigoolo, Samuel Mutebi, Daniele Dendi,, Luca Luiselli, and Daniel F. Hughes 2020. Herpetofaunal diversity and community structure in the Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Ramsar site, Uganda: Herpetofaunal diversity. European Journal of Ecology, 6(2)
  • Bell, T. 1836. A monograph of the Testudinata. London, 1836-1842 (sometimes given as 1832-1836, not date given, unnumbered pages) - get paper here
  • Bonin, F., Devaux, B. & Dupré, A. 2006. Turtles of the World. English translation by P.C.H. Pritchard. Johns Hopkins University Press, 416 pp.
  • Bour, R. 2008. Global diversity of turtles (Chelonii; Reptilia) in freshwater. Hydrobiologia 595:593–598 - get paper here
  • Boussac, Bernard. 2006. Eclosion de Trionyx du Nil, Trionyx triunguis en captivité. Chéloniens 1: 10-11
  • Carlino, P. & Pauwels, O.S.G. 2015. An Updated Reptile List of Ivindo National Park, the Herpetofaunal Hotspot of Gabon. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 50(3): 25-39 - get paper here
  • Chirio, L. & Lebreton, M. 2007. Atlas des reptiles du Cameroun. MNHN, IRD, Paris 688 pp.
  • Corsini-Foka, M. & M. Masseti 2008. On the oldest known record of the Nile Soft-shelled Turtle, Trionyx triunguis (Forskal, 1775), in the Eastern Aegean islands (Greece). Zoology in the Middle East 43: - get paper here
  • Cunningham, P., Maartens, L., & Prickett, M. 2018. A contribution to the reptiles of the Kunene River Mouth area. Namibian Journal Of Environment, 2, Section B, 1-8. Retrieved from - get paper here
  • Cuvier, G. 1831. The Animal Kingdom arranged in conformity with its organization, by the Baron Cuvier, ... with additional descriptions of all the species hitherto named, and of many not before noticed, by Edward Griffith... and others. Vol. 9. Whittaker, Treacher and Co., London, 481 pp. - get paper here
  • Deraniyagala, P. 1948. Some scientific results of two visits to Africa. Spolia Zeylanica 25: 1-42
  • Ernst,C.H. and Barbour,R.W. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. - London
  • Forskål,P. 1775. Descriptiones animalium, avium, amphibiorum, piscium, insectorum, vermium; quae in itinere Orientali observavit Petrus Forskål. Mölleri, Hauniae, xxxiv + 164 pp. - get paper here
  • Gramentz, D. 1993. Beobachtungen und Untersuchungen zur Ethologie und Ökologie von Trionyx triunguis in West-Anatolien. Salamandra 29 (1): 16-43 - get paper here
  • Gramentz, D. 1994. Zur Thermoregulation von Trionyx triunguis am Kükürt Gölü in West-Anatolien. Salamandra 30 (2): 143-154 - get paper here
  • Gramentz, D. 2000. Zur Biologie von Trionyx triunguis (FORSKÅL 1775) in Gabun. Sauria 22 (1): 19-24 - get paper here
  • Gramentz, Dieter 1990. Beobachtungen an der Afrikanischen Weichschildkröte Trionyx triunguis (Forskül, 1775) in der Türkei. Herpetofauna 12 (67): 22-26 - get paper here
  • Güçlü, Özgür; Bülent Bozdoğan 2020. Genetic Diversity and Structure of the Nile Soft-Shelled Turtle (Trionyx triunguis) Along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Russian Journal of Herpetology 27 (6): 307-315 - get paper here
  • Güçlü, Özgür; Salih Hakan Durmuş, Kamil Candan, Nurettin Beşer, Süheyla Türkyilmaz, Sedat Yerli and Bülent Bozdoğan 2015. Development and characterization of new polymorphic microsatellite loci for Trionyx triunguis (Testudines: Trionychidae) in the Mediterranean Basin. Amphibia-Reptilia 36 (3): 318 - 324 - get paper here
  • Herrmann, H.-W.; W.R. Branch 2013. Fifty years of herpetological research in the Namib Desert and Namibia with an updated and annotated species checklist. Journal of Arid Environments 93: 94–115 - get paper here
  • Hraoui-Bloquet, S.; Sadek, R.A.; Sindaco, R. & Venchi, A. 2002. The herpetofauna of Lebanon: new data on distribution. Zoology in the Middle East 27: 35-46 - get paper here
  • Hughes, B. 1986. Longevity Records of African Captive Amphibians and Reptiles: Part 1: Introduction and Species List 1 - Amphibians and Chelonians. J. Herp. Assoc. Africa (32): 1-5 - get paper here
  • Iverson, J.B. 1992. A revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World. Richmond, Indiana, privately published, 363 pp.
  • Jamniczky, H. A. and A. P. Russell 2007. Reappraisal of Patterns of Nonmarine Cryptodiran Turtle Carotid Circulation: Evidence From Osteological Correlates and Soft Tissues. Journal of Morphology 268:571–587 - get paper here
  • Jestrzemski, D. 2019. Reptilien in Israel - unterwegs in der Negev-Wüste. Elaphe 2019 (3): 40-49
  • Kantz, H. 2010. Weichschildkröten in der Türkei - Trionyx triunguis und Rafetus euphraticus. Elaphe 18 (3): 53-56
  • Karataş, A., & Çiçek, K. 2022. The reptiles of Turkey: An etymology. Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, 6(X) - get paper here
  • Kasparek, M. 1990. Zur Herpetofauna des Beckens von Köycegiz, Türkei (Dalyan-Region). Salamandra 26 (2-3): 155-164 - get paper here
  • Kasparek, M., & Kinzelbach, R. 1991. Distribution and bionomics of the Nile soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx triunguis, in the eastern Mediterranean. Zeitschrift fur Angewandte Zool. 78(2): 139-159.
  • Kinzelbach, R. 1986. Recent records of the Nile soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx triunguis, and of the Euphrates soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx euphraticus, in the Middle East. Zoology in the Middle East 1: 83-87. - get paper here
  • Kirchhof S, Wasonga V, Mazuch T, Spawls S, Malonza KP. 2023. An annotated checklist of the herpetofauna of the Sibiloi National Park in northern Kenya based on field surveys. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 17(1/2) [General Section]: 1–18 (e324) - get paper here
  • Lanza, B. 1990. Amphibians and reptiles of the Somali Democratic Republic: check list and biogeography. Biogeographia, 14: 407-465 [1988] - get paper here
  • Lanza, B., and A. Sassi 1966. Le testuggini terrestri e d’acqua dolce della Somalia (Reptilia Testudines). Monitore Zoologico Italiano, 2 (supplemento): 257-272 - get paper here
  • Largen, M.J.; Spawls, S. 2010. Amphibians and Reptiles of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, 694 pp.
  • Lobón-Rovira J, Vaz Pinto P, S. Becker F, Tolley KA, Measey J, Bennet B, Boon B, de Sá S, Conradie W 2022. An updated herpetofaunal species inventory of Iona National Park in southwestern Angola. Check List 18(2): 289-321 - get paper here
  • Lourenço, João M.; Julien Claude, Nicolas Galtier, Ylenia Chiari 2011. Dating cryptodiran nodes: Origin and diversification of the turtle superfamily Testudinoidea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 62 (1): - get paper here
  • Loveridge, Arthur & Williams, Ernest E. 1957. Revision of the African Tortoises and Turtles of the Suborder Cryptodira. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 115 (6): 163-557 - get paper here
  • Marques, Mariana P.; Luis M. P. Ceríaco , David C. Blackburn , and Aaron M. Bauer 2018. Diversity and Distribution of the Amphibians and Terrestrial Reptiles of Angola -- Atlas of Historical and Bibliographic Records (1840–2017). Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. (Ser. 4) 65: 1-501 (Supplement II)
  • McGovern, P., & Luiselli, L. 2023. Knowledge gaps and conservation priorities for west African chelonians,. Amphibia-Reptilia 44 (2): 121-137 - get paper here
  • Meiri, Shai; Amos Belmaker, Daniel Berkowic, Kesem Kazes, Erez Maza, Guy Bar-Oz and Roi Dor 2019. A checklist of Israeli land vertebrates. Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution - get paper here
  • Pauwels, O. S. G. B. Le Garff, I. Ineich, P. Carlino, I. Melcore, L. Boundenga, C. Vigna, T. Stévart, K. Jeffery, C. Orbell, J.-B. Squarcini, J. P. Vande weghe and L. J. T. White 2016. Miscellanea Herpetologica Gabonica V & VI. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 51: 177 - get paper here
  • Pauwels, O.S.G. & Vande Weghe, J.P. 2008. Les reptiles du Gabon. Smithsonian Institution, Washington: 272 pp. - get paper here
  • Rödel, M.-O. 1990. Beitrag zur Kenntnis einiger kenianischer Schildkröten und ihrer Lebensräume. Sauria 12 (1): 25-29 - get paper here
  • SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS, A., CALVO-REVUELTA, M. & DE LA RIVA, I. 2022. Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea. Zootaxa 5202 (1): 1-197 - get paper here
  • Scheyer, Torsten M.; P. Martin Sander, Walter G. Joyce, Wolfgang Böhme and Ulrich Witzel 2007. A plywood structure in the shell of fossil and living soft-shelled turtles (Trionychidae) and its evolutionary implications. Organisms Diversity & Evolution 7 (2): 136-144 - get paper here
  • Schleicher, Alfred 2015. Reptilien Namibias. Namibia Scientific  Society, 276 pp.
  • Schleicher, Alfred 2020. Reptiles of Namibia. Kuiseb Publishers, Windhoek, Namibia, 271 pp.
  • Segniagbeto, G.H.; Dekawole, J.K.; Ketoh, G.K.; Dendi, D.; Luiselli, L. 2022. Herpetofaunal Diversity in a Dahomey Gap Savannah of Togo (West Africa): Effects of Seasons on the Populations of Amphibians and Reptiles. Diversity 14: 964
  • Shanas, Uri; Müge Gidiş, Yakup Kaska, Yael Kimalov, Oren Rosner, Rachel Ben-Shlomo 2012. The Nile Soft-shell Turtle, Trionyx triunguis, of Israel and Turkey: Two genetically indistinguishable populations? (Reptilia: Testudines: Trionychidae). Zoology in the Middle East 57: 53- - get paper here
  • Shaw,G. & Nodder, Elizabeth (Eds.) 1810. The Naturalist's Miscellany [...], Vol. XXI. London, Nodder & Co., plates 877-924, 186 unnumbered pages, [published in monthly issues be-tween August 1, 1809, and July 1, 1810]
  • Siebenrock, F. 1902. Zur Systematik der Schildkrötenfamilie Trionychidae Bell, nebst der Beschreibung einer neuen Cyclanorbis - Art. Sitzungsber. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien. Math-Naturwiss. Cl. 111: 807-846 - get paper here
  • Sindaco, R. & Jeremcenko, V.K. 2008. The reptiles of the Western Palearctic. Edizioni Belvedere, Latina (Italy), 579 pp. - get paper here
  • Sindaco, Roberto; Alberto Venchi, Giuseppe M. Carpaneto, Marco A. Bologna 2000. The Reptiles of Anatolia: a Checklist and Zoogeographical analysis. Biogeographia, 21-2000: 441-554. - get paper here
  • Smith, Hobart M.;Smith, Philip W. 1963. Amyda Fitzinger, 1843 (Reptilia, Testudines): proposed suppression under the Plenary powers. Z.N.(S.) 229. Bull. Zool. Nomenclature 20 (2): 121-127 - get paper here
  • Sowerby, James de Carle and Edward Lear 1872. Tortoises, terrapins, and turtles: drawn from life. London, Paris, and Frankfort :H. Sotheran, J. Baer & co. - get paper here
  • Spawls, S.; Howell, K.; Drewes, R.C. & Ashe, J. 2002. A field guide to the reptiles of East Africa. Academic Press, 543 pp. [reviews in HR 34: 396 and Afr. J. Herp. 51; 147] - get paper here
  • Spawls, Stephen; Tomáš Mazuch & Abubakr Mohammad 2023. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of North-east Africa. Bloomsbury, 640 pp. - get paper here
  • Spawls, Steve; Kim Howell, Harald Hinkel, Michele Menegon 2018. Field Guide to East African Reptiles. Bloomsbury, 624 pp. - get paper here
  • Taskavak, Ertan, Michael J. Reimann and Wouter N. Polder. 1999. First record of the Nile soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx triunguis, from Kos Island, Greece, with comments on its occurrence in the Eastern Mediterranean. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 3 (3): 510-512
  • Temminck, C. J., and H. Schlegel. 1838. Reptilia elaborantibus. Saurii et batrachii. in Ph. Fr. de Siebold: Pp. 85-144. Fauna Japonica auctore. L. Batavorum. - get paper here
  • Trape, J.F.; Trape, S. & Chirio, L. 2012. Lézards, crocodiles et tortues d'Afrique occidentale et du Sahara. IRD Orstom, 503 pp. - get paper here
  • TTWG; Rhodin, A.G.J., Iverson, J.B., Bour, R., Fritz, U., Georges, A., Shaffer, H.B., and van Dijk, P.P. 2021. Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status (9th Ed.). In: Rhodin, A.G.J., Iverson, J.B., van Dijk, P.P., Stanford, C.B., Goode, E.V., Buhlmann, K.A., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.). Chelonian Research Monographs 8:1–472. doi:10.3854/crm.8.checklist.atlas.v9.2021. - get paper here
  • Türkozan, O. 2007. Trionyx triunguis, die Nil-Weichschildkröte. Reptilia (Münster) 12 (68): 29-33 - get paper here
  • Valverde, J. 2007. Weichschildkröten. Reptilia (Münster) 12 (68): 16-23 - get paper here
  • Webb R G 1990. Trionyx Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Softshell turtles. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 487: 1-7 - get paper here
  • Winden, J. van den, S. Bogaerts, H. Strijbosch & V. van den Berk 1994. The Nile Soft-shelled Turtle, Trionyx triunguis, in the Göksu Delta, Turkey. Zoology in the Middle East 10: 57 - get paper here
  • XU, Yan; Qin LIU, Edward A MYERS, , Lian WANG, Song HUANG, Yun HE,Peihao PENG and Peng GUO 2012. Molecular Phylogeny of the Genus Gloydius (Serpentes: Crotalinae). Asian Herpetological Research 3 (2): 127–132 - get paper here
  • Yilmaz, C., Oruc, A., Celik, E. and Turkozan, O. 2020. Reproductive biology of the Nile soft-shell turtle, Trionyx triunguis, at the Seyhan River, Turkey (Testudines: Trionychidae). Zoology in the Middle East - get paper here
 
External links  
Is it interesting? Share with others:

As link to this species use URL address:

https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Trionyx&species=triunguis

without field 'search_param'. Field 'search_param' is used for browsing search result.



Please submit feedback about this entry to the curator