Amur Softshell Turtle vs. Chinese Softshell Turtle

Both are Asian food turtles released in Hawaiian ponds and ditches; Amur was split from Chinese in 2019 and the two look alike. A: Plain straw-yellow, no marks (adults) in the Amur Softshell Turtle; whitish, often with dark blotches (strongest in the young) in the Chinese Softshell Turtle. B: Thick dark stripes behind the eye, edged pale yellow in the Amur Softshell Turtle; fine black lines around the eye in the Chinese Softshell Turtle. C: Olive-brown to dark brown in the Amur Softshell Turtle; olive-green to olive-grey in the Chinese Softshell Turtle. The Amur grows larger (shell to 14 in or more against 9). Many need a look at the underside to tell.

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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