Pelodiscus sinensis

Basic information
Scientific name	Pelodiscus sinensis	Click to magnify
Common names	Chinese softshell turtle
Higher taxon	Trionychidae, Testudines, Reptilia
Natural range	Vietnam, continental China, Tainwa, far eastern Russia, Korean Peninsula, and mainland of Japan. In Japan, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and several small islents (Iki and Goto Islands)
Habitat	Freshwater. Middle to lower rivers, ponds, lakes.

Invasion information
Range in Japan	Ryukyu Archipelago. Osumi Islands (Yakushima, Tanegashima), Amami Islands (Kikaijima, Amamioshima, Tokunoshima), Okinawa Islands (Okinawajima, Iheyajima, Kumejima), Daito Islands (Kitadaitojima, Minamidaitojima), and Sakishima Islands (Ishigakijima, Iriomotejima, Haterumajima, Yonagunijima).
Origin	Introduced from mainland of Japan to Osumi and Amami Islands, and from Tainwan to Okinawa and Sakishima Islands, directly or indirectly.
Date	1950s to 1980s.
Route	Deliberate: Escape of cultivated turtles for food.
Impact	Predation, competition. Affected organism: Freshwater fishes (predation, competition), invertebrates (predation).
Regulation in Japan	No action for prevention, mitigation, control, or eradication.
Introduced range in other countries	Thailand, Malaysia, Hawaii, Guam, Timor, etc.

Reference

Notes

Ecol Soc Jpn (ed) (2002) Handbook of Alien Species in Japan. Chijinshokan, Tokyo (in Jpn)
Ernst et al. (1989) Turtles of the World. Smithonian Institution Press.
Environment Agency (2000) Threatened Wildlife of Japan Red Data Book 2nd ed. Reptilia/Amphibia. JWRC, Tokyo (in Jpn)
Maenosono & Toda (2007) Distribution of amphibians and terrestrial reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago: A review of published records. Akamata. 18, 28-46 (in Jpn)
Matsuo (2004) Amphibians and Reptiles of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Nagasaki Shinbunsha (in Jpn)
Ota et al. (2004) Feral population of amphibians and reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Global Environmental Research. 8(2):133-143
Sato & Ota (1999) False biogeographical pattern derived from artificial animal transportations: a case of the soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. pp.317-334. Ota (ed.) Tropical Island Herpetofauna: Origin, Current Diversity, and Conservation. Elsevier Science B. V., Amsterdam.
Sengoku et al. (eds) (1996) The Encyclopedia of Animals in Japan 5 Amphibians, Reptiles, Chondrichthyes. Heibonsha, Tokyo (in Jpn)
Uetz et al. (1995-2010) TIGR Reptile Database http://www.reptiliaweb.org/.
Yasukawa (2005) Alien freshwater turtles which may become established in Japan in the near future. Bull Herpetol Soc Jpn. 2005(2), 155-163 (in Jpn)

The populations of mainland of Japan and Taiwan are sometimes classified to different subspecies, P. s. japonicus and P. s. sinensis respectively.