Indian softshell turtle
{{Short description|Species of freshwater turtle}}
{{Distinguish|text=other species with similar common names at Indian softshell turtle (disambiguation) }}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Indian softshell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) Babai River.jpg
| image_caption = Babai River, Nepal
| image2 = Nilssonia gangetica.jpg
| image2_caption = Immature (the dark eyespots on the carapace are indistinct or absent in adults)
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status2 = CITES_A1
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = {{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}
| genus = Nilssonia
| species = gangetica
| authority = (Cuvier, 1825)
| synonyms =
- Trionyx gangeticus Cuvier, 1825
- Trionyx javanicus Gray, 1831
- Testudo gotaghol Buchanan-Hamilton, 1831 (nomen nudum)
- Aspidonectes gangeticus Wagler, 1833
- Gymnopus duvaucelii Duméril & Bibron, 1835
- Tyrse gangetica Gray, 1844
- Trionyx gangetiga Gray, 1873 (ex errore)
- Isola gangetica Baur, 1893
- Aspideretes gangeticus Hay, 1904
- Trionyx gangeticus mahanaddicus Annandale, 1912
- Gymnopus duvaucelli Smith, 1931
- Amyda gangetica Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934
- Trionix gangeticus Richard, 1999
}}
The Indian softshell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica), or Ganges softshell turtle, is a species of softshell turtle found in South Asia in rivers such as the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi. This vulnerable turtle reaches a carapace length of up to {{convert|94|cm|in|abbr=on}}.Ernst, C.H.; Altenburg, R.G.M.; and Barbour, R.W. (1997). [http://wbd.etibioinformatics.nl/bis/turtles.php?selected=beschrijving&menuentry=soorten&id=208 Aspideretes gangeticus] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104438/http://wbd.etibioinformatics.nl/bis/turtles.php?selected=beschrijving&menuentry=soorten&id=208 |date=2016-03-04 }}, Turtles of the World. Retrieved 17 June 2014. It feeds mostly on fish, amphibians, carrion and other animal matter, but also takes aquatic plants. This turtle is listed in part II of Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and possession of this species is an offence.{{Cite web|title=SC: Possession of 'Indian Flap Shell Turtle' not an offence under the Wildlife Protection Act [Read Judgment]|url=https://www.latestlaws.com/latest-news/sc-possession-of-indian-flap-shell-turtle-not-an-offence-under-the-wildlife-protection-act-read-judgment/|access-date=2021-10-03|website=Latest Laws|language=en}}
Description
The species is identified on the basis of the structure of the carapace and plastron. There are eight pairs of costal plates, the last well developed and in contact throughout on the median line; two neurals between the first pair of costals; plates coarsely pitted and vermiculate. Epiplastra narrowly separated from each other in front of the ontoplastron, which forms an obtuse or a right angle; plastral callosities very large, hyo-hypoplastral, xiphiplastral, and, in old specimens, ento-plastral. Dorsal skin of young with longitudinal ridges of small tubercles. Head moderate; snout (on the skull) about as long as the diameter of the orbit; interorbital region, in the adult, considerably narrower than the nasal fossa; postorbital arch one third to one half the greatest diameter of the orbit; mandible with the inner edge strongly raised, forming a sharp ridge, which sends off a short perpendicular process at the symphysis; the diameter of the mandible at the symphysis does not exceed the diameter of the orbit. Olive above; back of young vermiculated with fine black lines, but without ocelli; head with a black longitudinal streak from between the eyes to the nape, intersected by two or three inverted-V shaped black streaks; lower parts yellowish.
Length of dorsal disk 2 feet.Boulenger, G. A. 1890. Fauna of British India. Reptilia and Batrachia.
Distribution
This species is often found to occur in the Indus, Ganges/Padma, Meghna, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Narmada and Mahanadi basins and most of their tributaries and intervening drainages and in the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India (Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), Southern Nepal and Pakistan.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/en|title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Nilssonia gangetica|first1=G. a. A.|last1=Indraneil Das (GRA|first2=Mohammed Firoz|last2=Ahmed (Aaranyak)|first3=B. C.|last3=Choudhury|first4=Shailendra|last4=Singh|date=13 March 2018|journal=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=17 November 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/238650|title=Nilssonia gangetica (Cuvier, 1825)|website=Indiabiodiversity.org|access-date=17 November 2021}}
In culture
These turtles are often maintained in the temple ponds of Orissa where they are considered sacred.{{cite journal| journal=Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal| year=1914| title=Relics of the worship of mud-turtles (Trionychidae) in India and Burma|author1=Annandale, Nelson| author2=Shastri, Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad| pages=131–138| url=https://archive.org/stream/mobot31753002183850#page/131/mode/2up}}
Gallery
Image:Aspideretes gangeticus.jpg|Ventral side of Nilssonia gangetica
Image:Trionyx.png|Skull structure of Nilssonia gangetica
Image:TrionyxGangeticaBerjeau.jpg
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- Anderson,J. 1872 Note on Trionyx gangeticus, and Trionyx hurum, B. Hamilton. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) 9: 382–383
- Anderson,J. 1872 On Trionyx gangeticus, Cuvier, Trionyx hurum, B.H. and Dr. Gray. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) 10: 219–222
- Cuvier, G.L.C.F.D. 1825 Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles de quadrupèdes, où l'on rétablit les caractères du plusieurs espèces d'animaux que les révolutions du globe paroissent avoir détruites. Dufour & d'Ocagne, Paris. ed. 3, 5 vols. (Parts of this 5 volume edition are cited as appearing from 1821 to 1824; volume 5 appeared in 1825. It consists mostly of articles reprinted from Annales du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. See also Cuvier 1812.)
- Webb, R.G. 2004 Trionychid turtle miscellany. Hamadryad 28 (1&2): 119–121
External links
- {{NRDB species|genus=Nilssonia|species=gangetica}}
{{Trionychidae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q262416}}
Category:Reptiles of South Asia