Malaysian Chitra chitra, Burmese Chitra Species & Chitra indica

There has always been a great contradiction between the two and many people are always confused by it.The Chitra chitra and the indica are totally different in appearance especially in terms of carapace stripes,patterns and color.Though they share the same category of softshell turtles(Trionychidae) but is a sub-species entirely on its own.

The head of a Chitra indica has many fine lines starting from the tip to the neck while a Chitra chitra has three very broad and distinct stripes on its head to the neck region.The patterns of a Chitra indica is more spot orientated than stripes.Though the Chitra indica has stripes it is very faint ,less conspicous and undistinct.It is also olive color in appearance

Chitra chitras have very bold and distinct stripes,in contra to the chitra indica it is more stripe orientated than spots and is more brownish in color.

Lately a new sub species of the Burmese Chitra has been found.It is almost the same in comparison with the Malaysian Chitra chitra in terms of color and patterns but has more spots around its carapace edges as can be seen from some pictures below.This species is unlike the Chitra chitra from Malaysia as they tend to be about the same in patterns.Unlike the Malaysian Chitra chitra,patterns vary drastically as can also be seen from our morphology and price section.

An adult comparison between a Chitra indica can be seen on Plate 6 photo number 3 from the book Turtles Of The World by Carl H Ernst and Roger W. Barbour This can be compared to our adult under Morphology section .

Head statistics

The easiest way to tell the difference from a Chitra indica and a Chitra chitra is again by its head.All Chitra chitra has reticulated like patterns on its tip of its head near the eyes and nose while the chitra indica has none.

Chitra indica
Burmese Chitra Species