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

Turtle family Trionychidae
Genus	Species of the subfamily Cyclanorbinae
Cyclanorbis	Nubian flapshell turtle Senegal flapshell turtle
Cycloderma	Aubry's flapshell turtle Zambezi flapshell turtle
Lissemys	Burmese flapshell turtle Indian flapshell turtle Sri Lankan flapshell turtle
	Species of the subfamily Trionychinae
Amyda	Asiatic softshell turtle
Apalone	Florida softshell turtle Smooth softshell turtle Spiny softshell turtle
Chitra	Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle Burmese narrow-headed softshell turtle Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle
Dogania	Malayan softshell turtle
Nilssonia	Black softshell turtle Burmese peacock softshell Indian softshell turtle Indian peacock softshell turtle Leith's softshell turtle
Palea	Wattle-necked softshell turtle
Pelochelys	Cantor's giant softshell turtle New Guinea giant softshell turtle Northern New Guinea giant softshell turtle
Pelodiscus	Chinese softshell turtle Hunan softshell turtle Lesser Chinese softshell turtle Northern Chinese softshell turtle
Rafetus	Euphrates softshell turtle Yangtze giant softshell turtle
Trionyx	African softshell turtle
Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist.