Asiatic Softshell Turtle Did you see this animal?
Scientific Name : Amyda cartilaginea
Family : Trionychidae
Order : Testudines
Class : Reptilia
Phylum : Chordata
Other Name : Southeast Asian Softshell Turtle, Malayan Softshell Turtle
Habitat : Freshwater and Forests
Description : The shell of Amyda cartilaginea grows from 70 to 80 cm (27.6 to 31.5 inches) in length. It is an average-sized turtle, weighing between 15 kg (33 lbs) and 25 kg (55 lbs). There are unconfirmed reports that this turtle species can grow to be as heavy as 105 kg (231 lbs).
The juvenile turtle's shell has a rough appearance, while the adult's shell is soft and leathery in texture.
The carapace of Amyda cartilaginea is oval in shape and ranges from a soft olive to green-brown color on adult turtles. Juveniles have a dark brown or black carapace that fades with age. Yellow dots and the occasional black spot can be found on the shell, but these too fade with age.
The plastron, or the bottom part of the shell, is sexually dimorphic. It appears white in males and gray in females.
Amyda cartilaginea is found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and swamps in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
This turtle is primarily aquatic and is known to bury itself in sand or mud at the bottom of water bodies. It is also an ambush predator, feeding on fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic animals.
Amyda cartilaginea is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to habitat loss, pollution, and over-harvesting for food and traditional medicine.
The juvenile turtle's shell has a rough appearance, while the adult's shell is soft and leathery in texture.
The carapace of Amyda cartilaginea is oval in shape and ranges from a soft olive to green-brown color on adult turtles. Juveniles have a dark brown or black carapace that fades with age. Yellow dots and the occasional black spot can be found on the shell, but these too fade with age.
The plastron, or the bottom part of the shell, is sexually dimorphic. It appears white in males and gray in females.
Amyda cartilaginea is found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and swamps in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
This turtle is primarily aquatic and is known to bury itself in sand or mud at the bottom of water bodies. It is also an ambush predator, feeding on fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic animals.
Amyda cartilaginea is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to habitat loss, pollution, and over-harvesting for food and traditional medicine.
Distribution in Bangladesh
Other Species from Group
Species groups
References:
description written by: Durjoy Raha Antu,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka; information source; photo credit:nomascus(www.inaturalist.org/people/nomascu), photo copyright: iNaturalist. more information please contact with us.
description written by: Durjoy Raha Antu,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka; information source; photo credit:nomascus(www.inaturalist.org/people/nomascu), photo copyright: iNaturalist. more information please contact with us.