Distribution ⁶

Smooth softshell turtles are native to temperate areas of North America, ranging throughout the central and south-central United States. Their range extends from Pennsylvania to New Mexico and south to the Florida panhandle. This species is thought to have been extirpated from Pennsylvania. Smooth softshell turtles are believed to have occurred in North America since the Cretaceous Period, although this is not yet supported by fossil evidence. Smooth softshell turtles have also been introduced to France.

Two subspecies of smooth softshell turtles have been identified. Midland smooth softshells, Apalone mutica mutica, are found throughout the central United States, while Gulf coast smooth softshells, Apalone mutica calvata, range from Louisiana to the panhandle of Florida.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Introduced )

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Diana-Terry Hibbitts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Diana-Terry Hibbitts
2. (c) Joe Coelho, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nId6ljV2-YA/TeLjEY5y6ZI/AAAAAAAAF7Y/65w0iXhqzGA/IMG_6157med.JPG
3. (c) Joe Coelho, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zBrjd3UDhbY/TeLjLNvCoHI/AAAAAAAAF7g/K914mF7rhyE/IMG_6118med.JPG
4. (c) Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://farm1.staticflickr.com/90/237432898_279897f549_o.jpg
5. (c) Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://farm1.staticflickr.com/87/237433129_7788a81279_o.jpg
6. (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31378108

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HerpMapper
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• The Reptile Database
• VertNet

Range Map

(c) Discover Life and original sources, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)

iNat Map