Biodiversity Gallery

The brown roofed turtle is locally known as Muga Dura in Assam. The females may reach a length of 22.7 cm and the males are just 10.8 cm in the carapace length. The species occupies an elongate, narrow band of territory in the northern and northeaster parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is a common species in the river Brahmaputra in Assam. The species communally bask on the riverbanks. It lays 6-12 eggs per clutch. The two recognised subspecies are P. smithii smithii and P. smithii pallidipes. Pangshura smithii pallidipes has been discovered in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, while P. smithii smithii has been discovered in Brahmaputra and Gangra River systems.