Amyda cartilaginea

The Asiatic softshell turtle or black-rayed softshell turtle (Amyda cartilaginea) is a species of softshell turtle in the Trionychidae family. It is not the only softshell turtle in Asia (most trionychines are Asian). Amyda Cartilaginea is found in Bangladesh (Bandarban region), Brunei, Cambodia, northeastern India, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan), Laos, Malaysia(Sabah, Sarawak), Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Amyda cartilaginea has a shell that grows from 70 to 80 cm (27.6 to 31.5 inches) in length. The juvenile turtle's shell has a rough appearance; adults have a shell that is soft and leathery in texture. This turtle is average sized, growing to weigh between 15 kg (33 lbs) and 25 kg (55 lbs), with unconfirmed reports claiming that Amyda Cartilaginea can grow to be as heavy as 105 kg (231 lbs). Its carapace is oval in shape; on adult turtles its color ranges from a soft olive to green-brown. On juveniles, the carapace is dark brown or black, however this color fades with age. Yellow dots, and the occasional black spot, can be found on the shell, but these too fade as the turtle gets older. Its plastron is sexually dimorphic, appearing white in males and gray in females. The head of Amyda cartilaginea can be black or brown. Its head typically displays yellow dots that sometimes appear to fuse together, creating elongated streaks. As the turtle ages, its nape region becomes white or gray. A trait that helps differentiate the Asiatic soft-shell turtle from other similar species is its noticeably elongated snout. This is an adaptation that, coupled with its great flexibility, aids the turtle in breathing when it has buried itself. Increased gas exchange, a result of an adaptation known as 'pharyngel breathing', allows the Asiatic soft-shell turtle to remain submerged in water for extended periods of time. Amyda cartilaginea has several permanent tubercles on its neck; these tubercles can appear yellow or black. The Asiatic soft-shell turtle's limbs also have yellow spots, but these are usually less in quantity and difficult to distinguish. Its feet are wide and flat, resembling paddles. As a final descriptive note, the males have longer and thicker tails than females. Amyda cartilaginea can be found in tropical regions, freshwater habitats, rainforest terrestrial biomes, in the aquatic biomes of lakes, ponds, canals and lowland streams. It can be found in many locations throughout Asia, specifically in the following countries: Brunei, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Amyda cartilaginea tends to favor wetlands; the Asiatic soft-shell can be found in marshes, swamps, and sizeable muddy rivers at lower elevations. The Asiatic soft-shell is an omnivore, meaning it will feed off of plants and animals when given the chance. It has the ability to stay under water for long periods of time because of the gill like structure it possesses. This gives Amyda cartilaginea the ability to sneak up on prey. The Asiatic soft-shell likes to eat a variety of foods, including crabs, fish, insects, worms, eggs, amphibians,crustaceans and even at times bird carcasses. When the Asiatic soft-shell can't find meat, it will choose to eat berries, nuts, and plant seeds. Amyda cartilaginea specifically prefers the seeds of marsh plants. It also sometimes chooses to munch on rubber tree seeds. As with most animals, as the specific habitat of each turtle changes, its specific diet also slightly changes. The Asiatic soft-shell turtle does most of its hunting and foraging during the night hours. Amyda cartilaginea is polygynangrous, meaning each female mates with several different males and males mate with several different females. The mating season is during the hot-dry season, which lasts from April to September. However, this may vary based on the specific geographic location of each turtle. Copulation happens underwater with the male using its claws to hold the upper shell of the female. Breeding typically occurs three to four times per year. Females reach sexual maturity at eight to ten years, while males reach sexual maturity at four to five years. Amyda cartilaginea is oviparous and builds protective nests at night. The incubation period ranges from 18–20 weeks, with the size of each clutch ranging from one to 30 eggs. Clutch size is highly dependent on the geographical location and the size of the turtles. Hatchling sizes range from 32-49, which is also dependent on the size and location of the Amyda cartilaginea. The nests of the Asiatic soft-shell are built in damp, sandy areas built close to mud banks; the mother leaves her eggs after building a safe environment for them.