TheIndian softshell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica), orGanges softshell turtle, is aspecies ofsoftshell turtle found inSouth Asia in rivers such as theGanges,Indus andMahanadi. Thisvulnerable turtle reaches a carapace length of up to 94 cm (37 in).^[1] It feeds mostly on fish,amphibians, carrion and other animal matter, but also takes aquatic plants.^[1] 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.^[5]

Indian softshell turtle
Babai River, Nepal
Immature (the dark eyespots on the carapace are indistinct or absent in adults)[1]
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[2]
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[3]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Trionychidae
Genus:	Nilssonia
Species:	N. gangetica
Binomial name
Nilssonia gangetica (Cuvier, 1825)[2]
Synonyms[4]
Trionyx gangeticusCuvier, 1825 Trionyx javanicusGray, 1831 Testudo gotagholBuchanan-Hamilton, 1831(nomen nudum) Aspidonectes gangeticusWagler, 1833 Gymnopus duvauceliiDuméril & Bibron, 1835 Tyrse gangeticaGray, 1844 Trionyx gangetigaGray, 1873(ex errore) Isola gangeticaBaur, 1893 Aspideretes gangeticusHay, 1904 Trionyx gangeticus mahanaddicusAnnandale, 1912 Gymnopus duvaucelliSmith, 1931 Amyda gangeticaMertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 Trionix gangeticusRichard, 1999

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.^[6]

This species is often found to occur in theIndus,Ganges/Padma,Meghna,Brahmaputra,Jamuna,Narmada andMahanadi basins and most of their tributaries and intervening drainages and in the countries ofAfghanistan,Bangladesh,India (Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), SouthernNepal andPakistan.^[7][8]

These turtles are often maintained in the temple ponds of Orissa where they are considered sacred.^[9]

•  
  Ventral side ofNilssonia gangetica
•  
  Skull structure ofNilssonia gangetica
•  

• Indian flapshell turtle

• Anderson,J. 1872 Note onTrionyx gangeticus, andTrionyx hurum, B. Hamilton.Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) 9: 382–383
• Anderson,J. 1872 OnTrionyx 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

• Nilssonia gangetica at theReptarium.cz Reptile Database