Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle

Not to be confused with other species with similar common names, see Indian softshell turtle (disambiguation).

Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Family: Trionychidae
Genus: Chitra
Species:
C. indica
Binomial name
Chitra indica
(Gray, 1831)
Synonyms[2]
  • 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

The Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica), also known as the small-headed softshell turtle or the Indo-Gangetic softshell turtle, is an endangered species of softshell turtle native to waterways and rivers of the Indian subcontinent.[3] It is very large (being one of the largest freshwater turtles), feeding on fish, frogs, worms, crustaceans and molluscs, and even the occasional swimming small rodent or other mammal. C. indica, like other softshell turtles, uses it flexible (and somewhat leathery) shell to dig itself deep into sandy lake and river bottoms; here, it patiently waits (with just its nose, mouth and eyes exposed) for potential prey to swim by. They will also ambush and chase their prey, depending on availability, the time of year, and size of the prey.[4] In the past it was included as a subspecies of Chitra chitra, a species restricted to Southeast Asia using current taxonomy.[2]

  1. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World" (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 312. ISSN 1864-5755. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  3. ^ "About Reptiles - Indian Reptiles -Dudhwa National Park Animals". www.dudhwatigerreserve.com. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. ^ Das, I.; and Singh, S. (2009). Chitra indica. Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises, Chelonian Research Monographs 5