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| The Mekong Narrow Headed Softshell Turtle, Chitra chitra Nutphand, 1986. Photograph of a juvenile specimen in a Bangkok laboratory. This giant turtle may reach 1220 mm in carapace length and possibly 250 kg. It is apparently endemic to the Mekong drainage and breeding populations are currently restricted to just a few a known locations in western Thailand. The discovery of populations of Chitra in Indonesia has suggested that this species may be more widespread. However, it seems likely that the Indonesian turtle will be found to be a distinct, endemic species and not conspecific with C. chitra. This species is hunted for food and eggs. Food includes fish and crustaceans. Females may lay 60-110 eggs that require 65 days of incubation. |
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| The Asian Giant Softshell, Peltochelys cantorii Gray, 1864. A hatchling photographed in a Bangkok laboratory. The Asian Giant Softshell is know to reach a carapace length of 1200 mm. It has a widespread distribution from India to southern China, and New Guinea. But, it seems likely that it is a species complex composed of isolated species in specific drainage basins. It does enter brackish water in coastal areas, but also is found far up rivers in inland locations. |
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| The Southeast Asian Softshell, Amyda cartilaginea (Boddaert, 1770). A captive animal collected in a Bangkok canal. Adults reach 830 mm in carapace length. The round tubercles on the anterior margin of the shell can be seen in both photos and are a useful trait for identifying this species. It uses low elevation muddy rivers, but it will follow streams to higher elevations. Southeast Asian Softshells are omnivorous and opportunistic when it comes to food. Clutches of about 30 eggs may be laid. |
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| The Flapshell Turtle, Lissemys punctata (Lacepede, 1788). Photographed in central Sri Lanka. The Flapshell turtle ranges from Indus and Ganges drainages southward to Sri Lanka. This is a South Asian Turtle that has long been collected for human food. It is omnivorous and often a scavenger. Adults may reach 370 mm. The plastron has flaps that cover and protect the hind legs, thus the name. The one in the photos was found at the edge of a pond, but they also use wet padi, marshes, and canals, often living close to humans. The Sri Lanka population has been called L. p. granosa. |
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| Hillstream Soft Shelled Turtle, Dogania subplana (Geoffroy 1809). Both specimens photographed in southern Thailand. Adults reach a carapace length of 350 mm, making this a dwarfed softshelled turtle. It ranges from southern Myanmar and Thailand southward through peninsular Malaysia and into Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Borneo,) and eastward to the Philippines. As the common name suggests this turtle lives in mountain stream although it has been reported to live in slow sluggish streams on Java. Pritchard (1993 Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1:31-36) described kinesis between all of the pairs of bones in the carapace in mature animals. This makes the carapace extremely moveable, a condition not found in other softshell turtles. He suggests that this allows the turtle to use rock crevices and spaces between boulders in the streams. |
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| The Spiny Softshell, Apalone spinifera (LeSueur, 1827). Photographed in Will County, Illinois, USA. The species is widely distributed in eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Canada to the Rocky Mountains and southward into Mexico. There are populations west of the Rocky Mountains in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Montana. Some populations may be found at 1600 m in elevation. The Spiny Softshell is a fast and powerful swimmer, it sometimes basks, and is not easily approached. The long neck, snorkel-like snout and the highly webbed feet equip it for staying in the water and out of sight. Females lay 3-39 eggs, and possibly two clutches per season. Carapace length reaches 533 mm. |
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| Today, softshell turtles inhabit Africa, Asia, the Indo-Australian Archipelago, and North America, but fossil species are also known from Europe and South America. There are 14 genera and about 22 species living today. The shells are flattened circular disks that lack the horny scales found in other turtles. Fossils date to the late Jurassic. These turtles have exceptionally long, retractile necks and paddle-like limbs. The snout is usually elongated. These are agile and fast swimming turtles that are probably all bottom dwelling, and mostly carnivorous. During cool weather they may bask, but will quickly run or slide into the water to escape. Adult males tend to retain the juvenile color pattern and tend to be smaller than females, while females tend to be larger, and loose the juvenile pattern. The smallest species are about 200 mm, while the largest exceed 1000 mm. The long necks, flexible shells, and bad tempers make large specimens difficult to handle. This family appears to be the sister to the Carettochelyidae (Pig Nosed Turtles). |
