Florida Softshell Turtle

The Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox) is a species of softshell turtle native to the southeastern United States, and is one of the fastest turtles to move on land. It is found primarily in the state of Florida, but it also ranges to southern sections of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. The Florida softshell turtle typically has a dark brown to olive green, leathery carapace with a white or cream colored underside, which provides the turtle with effective protection from some predators. They have a long neck, an elongated head, with a long snorkel-like nose. Juveniles have dark blotching, which fades as they age. On some occasions,Florida softshell turtles can sprint quickly back into a pond or lake to get away from danger. They grow to a large size, from 6-30 inches (15–76 cm), largest of all the species in the genus Apalone. Females are larger with males only reaching about 14 inches (35 cm). The juveniles are olive-yellow with grey spots and a yellow lined carapace. Juveniles also have yellow and orange markings on the head and a gray plastron. These marking disappear as it ages, although adults sometimes show traces of the markings. (credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_sof...)