Chitra chitra (Asian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle)

The common name of this Softshelled Turtle in English is commonly called Asian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle, Nutaphand's Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle and Thai name called ตะพาบม่านลาย (Dta-paap Maan Laai), กราวลาย (Graow Laai), กริวลาย (Griw Laai).

Chitra chitra, Asian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle, ตะพาบม่านลาย
Source: commons.wikimedia.org; Chitra chitra Nutaphand, 1986. Photo by Krishna Kumar Mishra. (CC BY)

ตะพาบม่านลาย : Chitra chitra Nutaphand, 1986

Chitra chitra is a species of the Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle Genus (Chitra) within the Softshell Turtle Family (Trionychidae), Superfamily Trionychoidea, in the Suborder Cryptodira, in the Turtles Order (Testudines), in the Reptile Class (Reptilia), in the Chordate Phylum (Chordata) in the Animal Kingdom (Animalia).

Published in Nutaphand, W. [Manlai. the world’s biggest softshell turtle. [in Thai]. Thai zool. Mag. 1 (4): 64-70. (1986).

Two subspecies are recognized, Chitra chitra chitra Nutphand, 1986 occurring in western Thailand and presumably Peninsular Malaysia, and Chitra chitra javanensis McCord & Pritchard, 2003 recorded from eastern Java and possibly extending to Sumatra.

Subspecies

  • Chitra chitra chitra Wirot Nutaphand, 1986
  • Chitra chitra javanensis William Patrick McCord & Peter Charles Howard Pritchard, 2002

Geographic Range

Chitra chitra is known from the Mae Khlong and Mae Nam Pachi River systems of western Thailand, the Pahang River of Peninsular Malaysia, the Solo River of central Java, and the Brantas River in eastern Java, and Ciliwung River in western Java, Indonesia; it is reputed to occur in Sumatra but this remains unconfirmed.

Recent records exist for eastern Java. Historically, the species was cited by local inhabitants as present in the Chao Phraya and Bang Pakong River systems of central Thailand, but there are no actual specimens or records to support this.

Habitat and Ecology

Chitra chitra inhabits large rivers with clear water and sandy substrate; records exist from reservoirs, but the long-term suitability of reservoirs for the species is unknown. In Indonesia, it has been found in muddy rivers in Ciliwung (recently collected near Jakarta).

Generation length is estimated at 45 years (age of first reproduction = 15 x 3). Three generations is 135 years.

Diagnosis

DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS (DIAGNOSIS) according to MCCORD & PRITCHARD (2002):

Chitra chitra chitra:

  1. overall color: greenish-yellow to olive-green;
  2. simple midline (vertebral) carapacial pattern;
  3. midline (vertebral) carapacial stripe usually present;
  4. simple radiating costal stripes;
  5. paramedian neck stripes forming a bell-like pattern on anterior carapace present;
  6. neck stripes form a continuous light rim around carapace;
  7. no distinct pair of neck stripes;
  8. no dark speckling on “light” (head and neck) stripes;
  9. posterior neck “V” divergence point on neck;
  10. 2 forelimb lamellae;
  11. no peri-orbital X pattern;
  12. no (or only partial) distinct peri-orbital ocelli;
  13. distinct naso-orbital triangular “figure”;
  14. black dots present on chin pattern.

Chitra chitra javanensis:

  1. overall color: black;
  2. simple midline (vertebral) carapacial pattern;
  3. midline (vertebral) carapacial stripe absent;
  4. simple radiating costal stripes;
  5. paramedian neck stripes forming a bell-like pattern on anterior carapace present;
  6. neck stripes form a continuous light rim around carapace;
  7. no distinct pair of neck stripes;
  8. no dark speckling on “light” (head and neck) stripes;
  9. posterior neck “V” divergence point on neck;
  10. 2 forelimb lamellae;
  11. peri-orbital X pattern present;
  12. no distinct peri-orbital ocelli;
  13. distinct naso-orbital triangular “figure”;
  14. black dots and ocelli present on chin pattern.

Synonym

  • Testudo chitra Francis Buchanan-Hamilton (1831)
  • Trionyx indicus John Edward Gray (1831)
  • Testudo chitra John Edward Gray (1831)
  • Testudo membranacea John Edward Gray (1831)
  • Trionyx aegyptiacus var. Indicus John Edward Gray (1831)
  • Chitra indica John Edward Gray (1844)
  • Gymnopus indicus Theodore Edward Cantor (1847)
  • Pelochelys cantorii John Edward Gray (1864)
  • Pelochelys cumingii John Edward Gray (1864)
  • Chitra indica var. sic cumingi Oskar Boettger (1886)
  • Pelochelys cantoris sic George Albert Boulenger (1889)
  • Pelochelys bibronii George Albert Boulenger (1889)
  • Chitra selenkae Jaekel (1911)
  • Chitra indica Salomon Müller (1923)
  • Pelochelys bibroni Malcolm Arthur Smith (1931)
  • Pelochelys poljakowii Malcolm Arthur Smith (1931)
  • Pelochelys cantorii Malcolm Arthur Smith (1931)
  • Pelochelys cumingii Malcolm Arthur Smith (1931)
  • Trionyx indica Edward Harrison Taylor (1970)
  • Chitra chitra Wirot Nutaphand (1986)
  • Chitra chitra chitra Wirot Nutaphand (1986)
  • Chitra chitra Merel J. Cox et al. (1998)
  • Chitra chitra Djoko Tjahjono Iskandar (2000)
  • Chitra chitra chitra William Patrick McCord & Peter Charles Howard Pritchard (2002)
  • Chitra chitra javanensis William Patrick McCord & Peter Charles Howard Pritchard (2002)
  • Chitra chitra javanica Djoko Tjahjono Iskandar & Mumpuni (2002)
  • Chitra chitra chitra William Patrick McCord & Peter Charles Howard Pritchard (2003)
  • Chitra chitra javanensis William Patrick McCord & Peter Charles Howard Pritchard (2003)
  • Chitra chitra javaensis Harald Artner (2003)
  • Chitra chitra javanica Djoko Tjahjono Iskandar & Mumpuni (2003)
  • Chitra chitra javanensis William Patrick McCord & Mehdi Joseph-Ouni (2003)
  • Chitra chitra Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (TTWG) (2012)
  • Chitra chitra chitra Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (TTWG) (2012)
  • Chitra chitra javanensis Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (TTWG) (2012)