Northern Chinese softshell turtle

Pelodiscus maackii, commonly known as the Amur softshell turtle[2] or the northern Chinese softshell turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is found in the Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea, and Japan.[3] It is possible that the Japanese populations are the result of ancient introductions by humans.[3] This aquatic species may attain a straight carapace length of 32.5 cm (1.1 ft).[4]

Not to be confused with the Chinese softshell turtle or the lesser Chinese softshell turtle.

Northern Chinese softshell turtle
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Trionychidae
Genus:	Pelodiscus
Species:	P. maackii
Binomial name
Pelodiscus maackii (Brandt, 1857)
Synonyms [1]
Trionyx maackii Brandt, 1857 Amyda maackii — Stejneger, 1907 Trionyx maachii Stanley, 1914 (ex errore) Trionyx maaki Chkhikvadze, 1987 (ex errore) Pelodiscus maackii — David, 1994

Etymology

The specific name, maackii, is in honor of Russian naturalist Richard Maack.[2]

References

1. Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World" (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 318–319. ISSN 1864-5755. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
2. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Pelodiscus maackii, p. 164).
3. Rhodin, A.G.J., Iverson, J.B., Bour, R. Fritz, U., Georges, A., Shaffer, H.B., and van Dijk, P.P. (Turtle Taxonomy Working Group) (2017). Rhodin, A.G.J.; Iverson, J.B.; van Dijk, P.P.; Saumure, R.A.; Buhlmann, K.A.; Pritchard, P.C.H.; Mittermeier, R.A. (eds.). "Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status" (PDF). Chelonian Research Monographs. Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (8 ed.). 7: 1–292. doi:10.3854/crm.7.checklist.atlas.v8.2017.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
4. "Chinese Soft-shell Turtle". Ecology Asia. Retrieved 28 September 2017.

Further reading

• Brandt JF (1857). "Observationes quaedam ad generis Trionychum species duas novas spectantes ". Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 16: 110–111. (Trionyx maackii, new species). (in Latin).
• Stejneger L (1907). Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territory. Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum Bulletin 58. Washington, District of Columbia: Government Printing Office. xx + 577 pp. (Amyda maackii, p. 529).