The Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle (''Chitra chitra'') is a large

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

softshell turtle The Trionychidae are a taxonomic family of a number of turtle genera, commonly known as softshell turtles. The family was erected by Leopold Fitzinger in 1826. Softshells include some of the world's largest freshwater turtles, though many can a ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Trionychidae The Trionychidae are a taxonomic family of a number of turtle genera, commonly known as softshell turtles. The family was erected by Leopold Fitzinger in 1826. Softshells include some of the world's largest freshwater turtles, though many can a ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

Common names

''Chitra chitra'' is also known commonly as Nutaphand's narrowhead softshell. It is a name given in honor of Wirot Nutaphand, a Thai herpetologist who did taxonomy.

Description

''C. chitra'' can reach a straight

carapace A carapace is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the und ...

length of 4.9 ft (1.5 m).

Geographic range

''C. chitra'' is found in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

, and

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

Habitat

''C. chitra'' inhabits freshwater rivers and their tributaries.

Reproduction

''C. chitra'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), a ...

. Nutaphand (1986) reported that a large female laid over 100 eggs.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the

nominotypical subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all specie ...

.. www.reptile-database.org. *''Chitra chitra chitra'' – Malaysia, Thailand *''Chitra chitra javanensis'' –

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...

, Sumatra

In captivity

The largest ''C. chitra'' in the world was a female named ''Sumo''. She was a pet in the possession of

Kittipong Jaruthanin Kittipong Jaruthanin ( th, กิตติพงษ์ จารุธาณินทร์ or spelt Kittipong Jarutanin; born 1958 in Din Daeng District, Bangkok) is a Thai nature explorer, collector, aquarist, aquarium trader and ichthyologist. ...

, a Thai fish explorer and collector. She died in September 2023, aged more than 40 years.

References

External links

Chitra (genus) Turtles of Asia Critically endangered fauna of Asia Reptiles described in 1986 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Reptiles of the Malay Peninsula Reptiles of Thailand Fauna of Sumatra {{Turtle-stub