Leith's softshell turtle

Leith's softshell turtle '' is a species of turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is found in peninsular Indian rivers including the Thungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Bhavani, Godavari, Kaveri and Moyar Rivers. The type locality is Pune in India.

Etymology

The specific name, leithii, is in honor of Andrew H. Leith, a physician with the Bombay Sanitary Commission.

Description

N. leithii is intermediate between N. gangetica and N. hurum. It is like the former in the width of the interorbital space, the comparatively short mandibular symphysis, and the markings of the head. It is like the latter in the longer and more pointed snout, the absence of a strong ridge on the inner alveolar surface of the mandible, and in the presence, in the young, of four or more dorsal ocelli, which are, however, smaller than in N. hurum.
Adults may attain a straight carapace length of.

Diet

N. leithii preys on mosquito larvae, crabs, freshwater molluscs, and fish. It also sometimes feeds on small aquatic vegetation.

Reproduction

The adult female N. leithii lays eggs in June. The eggs are spherical, and the diameter of each egg is 30 to 31 mm.

Threats

The species N. leithii is locally exploited throughout peninsular India. Other major threats are riverine development projects, aquatic pollution, sand mining, construction of hydroelectric projects, poaching, and exploitation of eggs.

Geographic range

Leith's softshell turtle is endemic to peninsular India in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha