Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Nubian flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis elegans), recorded as Critically Endangered
Nubian flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis elegans). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Nubian flapshell turtle

Cyclanorbis elegans

Nubian flapshell turtle is a turtle in the family Trionychidae — Cyclanorbis elegans, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Cyclanorbis elegans
CITES
Appendix II
Taxonomy
Testudines · Trionychidae · Cyclanorbis

Appearance

The Nubian flapshell turtle can reach a length of up to 70 cm (27.5 in). The Nubian flapshell turtle or Nubian soft-shelled turtle is one of two species of softshell turtle in the genus Cyclanorbis of the Trionychidae family.

Range and habitat

Historically, Nubian flapshell turtle was found over a wide range, spanning from West Africa (Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo) east through Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia and Sudan. In 2017, a lone population was found in the White Nile wetlands of South Sudan by Prof. In 2021, another population was found along the same wetlands, but in northern Uganda (near the border with South Sudan). The species had not previously been recorded in this area.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

CITES lists this taxon on Appendix II. Confirm the current appendix on the CITES checklist.

Nubian flapshell turtle is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Nubian flapshell turtle, Wikidata item Q302076. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Also in this catalog

Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Nubian flapshell turtle?
Nubian flapshell turtle is a turtle in the family Trionychidae — Cyclanorbis elegans.
What is the conservation status of Nubian flapshell turtle?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Cyclanorbis elegans. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Nubian flapshell turtle live?
Historically, Nubian flapshell turtle was found over a wide range, spanning from West Africa (Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo) east through Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia and Sudan.
Why is Nubian flapshell turtle in crisis?
It is Critically Endangered on Wikidata. Read the official Red List assessment for the criteria.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Cyclanorbis elegans?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Nubian flapshell turtle a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.