Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle
The Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra chitra) is a large species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia. Common namesChitra 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.[4] DescriptionC. chitra can reach a straight carapace length of 4.9 ft (1.5 m).[citation needed] Geographic rangeC. chitra is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.[5] HabitatC. chitra inhabits freshwater rivers and their tributaries.[5] ReproductionC. chitra is oviparous.[5] Nutaphand (1986) reported that a large female laid over 100 eggs. SubspeciesTwo subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[5]
In captivityThe largest C. chitra in the world was a female named Sumo. She was a pet in the possession of Kittipong Jaruthanin, a Thai fish explorer and collector. She died in September 2023, aged more than 40 years.[6] References
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