Indian Flapshell Turtle - Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology

• Food

The Indian flapshell turtle is known to be omnivorous. Its diet has been known to consist of: frogs, fishes, shrimps, snails, aquatic vegetation, plant leaves, flowers, fruits, grasses and seeds.

• Habitat and environmental impact

Lissemys punctata lives in the shallow, quiet, often stagnant waters of rivers, streams, marshes, ponds, lakes and irrigation canals, and tanks. Waters with sand or mud bottoms are preferred.

Prefers to inhabit shallow, muddy ditches, lakes, marshes, ponds and irrigation canals. Habitats with muddy or sandy bottoms are preferred because of the turtle’s tendency to burrow. In a study done in Bangladesh it was found that the Lissemis punctata turtle plays an important role to reduce pollution in aquatic ecosystems by feeding on snails, insects and fragments of dead animals.

• Drought survival

These turtles have been known to be very well adapted, both morphologically and behaviorally to drought conditions. The turtle utilizes mainly burrowing and moving from water hole to water hole in order to avoid desiccation. The femoral flaps that cover the retracted legs serve to help the turtle survive dry conditions. During a time of drought, the turtles enter a time of estivation in an attempt to survive the dry conditions. Although many turtles die during drought conditions, some turtles have been reported to survive up to 160 days.