Type of Shell: Soft, flat and streamlined.

Considered the fastest North American turtle, they are quick on land as well as in the water. With a flat and streamlined shell, they can swim down their aquatic prey. They can also burrow themselves and ambush their prey with their long necks. The Pallid subspecies are found in northeast, central and east Texas. North American softshells exhibit sexual dimorphism and dichromatism, males are several inches smaller than females and have different carapace markings. Males and females may forage in different depts in a river because of this size difference (Moll & Moll 2004). Another cool thing about softshells is the fact that they can absorb oxygen directly from the water through their skin (cutaneous respiration).

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