Zambesi Softshell
| Class: Reptilia:
Reptiles |
Diet: Snails |
| Order:
Chelonia: Turtles and Tortoises |
| Size: 51
cm (20 in) |
| Family: Trionychidae:
Softshell Turtle |
Conservation Status:
Non-threatened |
| Scientific Name:
Cycloderma frenatum |
Habitat: ponds, lakes,
rivers |
| Range:
Africa: Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi |
 A
carnivorous turtle, the Zambesi softshell feeds mainly on mollusks. It
lays its 15 to 20 eggs from December to March and is most active in rainy
weather. Hatchlings have pale green carapaces and dark lines on their heads.
In adults these lines are outlined with white dots and become fainter with
age. The only other species in this genus is Aubry's softshell, C. aubryi,
found in West Africa.
 
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