Ganges softshell turtle
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Ganges softshell turtle ( Nilssonia gangetica ) |
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| Nilssonia gangetica | ||||||||||||
| ( Cuvier , 1825) |
The Ganges softshell turtle ( Nilssonia gangetica , Syn .: Aspideretes gangeticus ) is a type of softshell turtle that belongs to the genus of the Indian softshell turtle . It is native to the northern part of the Indian subcontinent and occurs there frequently. The turtle, which grows very large, is considered to be aggressive. With its strong jaws, it is able to tear deep wounds even in people. Their diet also includes waterfowl, the size of a coot or teal.
Appearance
The Ganges softshell turtle has a carapace of up to 94 centimeters. The back armor is black-gray to dark green and is provided with a network drawing. The belly armor, on the other hand, is cream-colored, pink or light yellow. The green head has some black stripes on top. The jaw is yellowish while the underside of the head is cream colored. Males can be distinguished from females by their longer tail. The cloacal opening is also closer to the tip of the tail.
Distribution area, habitat and food
The main distribution area of the Ganges softshell turtles are the river systems Indus , Ganges and Mahanadi . It is also found in the Bhogava , Viswa Mitti , Tapi , Mahi , Luni and Purna rivers . Away from the rivers, it can also be found in lakes and ponds. They prefer to dig themselves into the mud at the bottom of the water.
The Ganges softshell turtle is an omnivorous species. It is known to grab coots , cormorants and teals and pull them underwater. Remains of the Indian softshell turtle have also been found in their stomachs. Their range of prey also includes frogs , fish , mollusks and grasshoppers .
Reproduction
The mating season coincides with the rainy season and takes place in low water. The females create the nesting pits from May. According to previous finds, the clutch size is between 11 and 47 eggs. The eggs are round and hard-shelled. Approximately 251 to 310 days pass between egg laying and hatching.
proof
Individual evidence
literature
- Indraneil Das: The turtles of the Indian subcontinent , Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main 2001, ISBN 3-930612-35-6
Web links
- Nilssonia gangetica in The Reptile Database
- Nilssonia gangetica inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Asian Turtle Trade Working Group, 2000. Retrieved December 14, 2013.