Wildlifeof China
Big-headed Turtle
Tortoises & Freshwater Turtles
Photo: Hanumann · CC BY 2.0
Platysternon megacephalum
Basic stats
Diet
Snails, mollusks, crustaceans, fish and other small aquatic animals
Habitat
Cool, clear rocky mountain streams in forest
Range
Southern China and neighboring parts of mainland Southeast Asia
Clutch size
Usually 1–2 eggs
Incubation period
Not reported by ADW
Size
Carapace up to about 20 cm
Weight
Not reported by ADW
Big-headed turtles are unusual stream-dwelling reptiles of southern China and mainland Southeast Asia. Their disproportionately large heads cannot be withdrawn fully into the shell, but a bony skull and strong jaws provide protection. A long muscular tail and powerful limbs assist movement among rocks and may help the turtle climb around waterfalls or stream banks. They favor cool, clear, fast-flowing forest streams with abundant rocky shelter. (Animal Diversity Web)
These mostly nocturnal turtles search along stream bottoms for snails, mollusks, crustaceans, fish and other small aquatic prey. Their hooked jaws can grip and crush resistant food. Big-headed turtles are not strong open-water swimmers; instead, they cling to rocks and crawl through currents. Females produce very small clutches of comparatively large eggs, reflecting a reproductive strategy that invests substantial resources in each individual offspring. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Big-headed Turtle eat?
- Snails, mollusks, crustaceans, fish and other small aquatic animals
- What habitat does the Big-headed Turtle live in?
- Cool, clear rocky mountain streams in forest
- Where is the Big-headed Turtle found?
- Southern China and neighboring parts of mainland Southeast Asia
- How many eggs does the Big-headed Turtle lay?
- Usually 1–2 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Big-headed Turtle incubated?
- Not reported by ADW
- How big is the Big-headed Turtle?
- Carapace up to about 20 cm
- How much does the Big-headed Turtle weigh?
- Not reported by ADW