. Montana amphibian and reptile status assessment, literature review, and conservation plan. Amphibians; Reptiles; Indicators (Biology); Habitat (Ecology); Wildlife conservation. Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera) Up-to-date distribution and status information can be found on the Montana Natural Heritage Program's TRACKER website at Distribution/Taxonomy The spiny softshell is one of three North American turtle species formerly in the genus Trionyx that were moved Apalone by Meylan (1987). Other authors (Webb 1990, Ernst et al. 1994, Hammerson 1999, Stebbins 2003) have retained the
. Montana amphibian and reptile status assessment, literature review, and conservation plan. Amphibians; Reptiles; Indicators (Biology); Habitat (Ecology); Wildlife conservation. Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera) Up-to-date distribution and status information can be found on the Montana Natural Heritage Program's TRACKER website at Distribution/Taxonomy The spiny softshell is one of three North American turtle species formerly in the genus Trionyx that were moved Apalone by Meylan (1987). Other authors (Webb 1990, Ernst et al. 1994, Hammerson 1999, Stebbins 2003) have retained the spiny softshell in Trionyx. Molecular data (Weisrock and Janzen 2000) indicate a genetic dichotomy between populations of spiny softshell north and west of Louisiana and populations from the Gulf Coast in southeastern North America. The spiny softshell is divided into seven subspecies, six of which are present north of Mexico (Webb 1962, 1973, Ernst et al. 1994). The subspecies present in Montana is the western spiny softshell, A. spinifera hartwegi (Conant and Goin 1948, Webb 1962, 1973, Ernst et al 1994). The spiny softshell is found from Montana east to southern Quebec, south in the west through northern and eastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, New Mexico and Texas to northern Mexico, and east through the Midwest west of the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast, and throughout the Gulf region and southeastern United States to the Florida panhandle, to elevations of about 1580 m (5200 ft) (Stebbins 2003). It has been introduced in the Colorado-Gila river system of Arizona and in New Jersey (Webb 1973). There are disjunct populations in several areas around the periphery of the range. Populations in Montana are isolated from the remainder of the species and subspecies range, and merit genetic examination. In Montana, there are known from 14 counties east of the Continental Divide. There is an obvious absence of records along the Missouri River at and below Fort Peck Reservoir
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Keywords: ., booksubjectamphibians, booksubjectreptiles, booksubjectwildlifec
