---
title: "Afrikaanse moerasschildpad"
description: "Pelomedusa subrufa — Reptielen. The African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa), also commonly known as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/helmeted-turtle
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Afrikaanse moerasschildpad

> Pelomedusa subrufa — Reptielen. The African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa), also commonly known as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae.

- Scientific name: *Pelomedusa subrufa*
- Category: `reptiles` (Reptielen)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Meren en rivieren), `zoo` (Dierentuin en huisdieren)
- iNaturalist observations: 1025
- Wikidata: [Q913795](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q913795)
- iNaturalist taxon: [85377](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/85377)

## Names

- en: Helmeted Turtle
- de: Starrbrust-Pelomedusenschildkröte
- fr: Péloméduse rousse
- nl: Afrikaanse moerasschildpad
- pl: Pelomeduza afrykańska

## Countries with the most observations

NA (288), ZA (131), KE (48), BW (40), TZ (35), MW (25), MG (22), ZM (20), ZW (19), MZ (5), AO (4), BJ (4)

## Summary

The African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa), also commonly known as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae. The species naturally occurs in fresh and stagnant water bodies throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, and in southern Yemen.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_helmeted_turtle

## Photo

![Afrikaanse moerasschildpad](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/helmeted-turtle/medium.jpg)

Photo: Marius Burger · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54455128

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/helmeted-turtle?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).