Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle

Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Trionychidae
Genus:	Chitra
Species:	C. indica
Binomial name
Chitra indica (Gray, 1831)
Synonyms[1]
Trionyx indicus Gray, 1831 Gymnopus lineatus Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Chitra indica Gray, 1844 Gymnopus indicus Cantor, 1847 Testudo chitra Buchanan-Hamilton, 1831 (nomen nudum) Trionyx lineatus Martens, 1876 Aspidonectes indicus Hay, 1904

Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) also known as small-headed softshell turtle^[2] is an endangered species of softshell turtle found in rivers of South Asia. It is very large and feeds on fish, frogs, crustaceans and molluscs, which it ambushes.^[3] In the past it was included in Chitra chitra; a species restricted to Southeast Asia using current taxonomy.^[1]

Diagnostic characters

This species is very large with a carapace up to 1.1 m (3.6 ft).^[3]

1. Overall color: olive to deep olive-green;
2. Very complex midline (vertebral) carapacial pattern;
3. Midline (vertebral) carapacial stripe present;
4. Complex radiating costal stripes;
5. Paramedian neck stripes forming a bell-like pattern on anterior carapace absent;
6. Neck stripes do not form a continuous light rim around carapace;
7. No distinct pair of neck stripes;
8. Dark speckling on "light" (head and neck) stripes;
9. Anterior neck "V" divergence point on neck;
10. 3-4 forelimb lamellae;
11. No peri-orbital X pattern;
12. No distinct peri-orbital ocelli;
13. No distinct naso-orbital triangular "figure";
14. Few, if any, black dots present on chin pattern.

Type locality: "India, fl. Ganges, Penang"; restricted by Smith (1931:162) to "Fatehgarh, Ganges," India = "India: Ganges; Futtaghur" (Gray 1864: 92)

Distribution

This species is found in the Sutlaj and Indus river basins of Pakistan, and Ganges, Godavari, Mahanadi and other rivers basins of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.^[3] Although widespread, it occurs in low densities, even within protected areas.^[3] It is threatened by hunting and habitat loss.^[3] It prefers clear, large or medium rivers with sandy bottoms.^[3] It spends most of time concealed below the sand, sometimes with only the tip of the nose exposed.^[3]

References

• Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000). "Chitra indica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2006. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 9 May 2006.  Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is endangered and the criteria used
• Boulenger, G.A. 1889 Catalogue of the Chelonians, Rhynchocephalians, and Crocodiles in the British Museum (Natural History). British Museum, London, 311 pp.
• Engstrom, Tag N., H. Bradley Shaffer, and William P. McCord. 2002 Phylogenetic Diversity of Endangered and Critically Endangered Southeast Asian Softshell Turtles (TrionychidaChitra). Biological Conservation 104 (2):173-179
• Gray, J. E. 1831 A synopsis of the species of Class Reptilia. In: Griffith, E & E. Pidgeon: The animal kingdom arranged in conformity with its organisation by the Baron Cuvier with additional descriptions of all the species hither named, and of many before noticed [Vol. 9]. Whittaker, Treacher and Co., London: 481 + 110 pp.
• Gray, J. E. 1831 Synopsis Reptilium or short descriptions of the species of reptiles. Part I: Cataphracta, tortoises, crocodiles, and enaliosaurians. Treuttel, Wurz & Co., London, 85 pp.
• Gray, J.E. 1844 Catalogue of Tortoises, Crocodilians, and Amphisbaenians in the Collection of the British Museum. British Museum (Natural History), London. viii + 80 p.
• Gray, J. E. 1864 Revision of the species of Trionychidae found in Asia and Africa, with descriptions of some new species. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1864: 76-98
• Webb, R.G. 1980 Gray, Hardwicke, Buchanan-Hamilton, and drawings of Indian softshell turtles (Family Trionychidae). Amphibia-Reptilia 1: 61-74.

External links

• Chitra indica at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database