identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
03E7B24EFFFF9E66FF1B81D126C380FC.text	03E7B24EFFFF9E66FF1B81D126C380FC.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Nilssonia formosa	<div><p>Nilssonia formosa</p><p>is known from numerous locations across the border in Myanmar, whereas its supposed presence in Yunnan, China (Liebing et al. 2012; Horne et al. 2021) is now thought to have been caused by human introduction (TTWG 2025). The closest documented point of occurrence to those in Manipur lies at approximately 190 km air distance on the Yat Nar Sandbank (25°36.78’N, 95°26.70’E) of the upper Chindwin River in the Chin State of Myanmar, 143 m a.s.l. (Kuchling et al. 2012). <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">The Manipur River</a> (called <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Myittha</a> on the Myanmar side of the border) is in direct connection with the <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Chindwin River</a> system, so this species’ occupation of <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Indian</a> territory hardly comes as a surprise. <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">The Wikipedia</a> page on N. formosa (Anon. 2025) states that it has been recorded from the <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Karbi Anglong district</a> of Assam but does not cite any references, and our internet search has not produced any specifics. <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">However</a>, as the major rivers, such as <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Dhansiri</a> and <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Kopili</a>, in <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Karbi Anglong</a> are part of the <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">Brahmaputra</a> system, we believe this claim to be erroneous. <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.445&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=25.613" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.445/lat 25.613)">With</a> the present record, the number of Nilssonia species known from India increases to five, encompassing all recognised species of the genus ( N. formosa, N. gangetica, N. hurum, N. leithii, and N. nigricans).</p><p>Although N. formosa and N. hurum exhibit similar head and carapace patterns as juveniles, N. formosa lacks a light-coloured blotch across the snout typical for N. hurum, and has bar-like yellow patches on the temples that extend from ear level up to the crown. As growth proceeds, these pale head markings are gradually replaced by black spots and vermiculations on a cinnamon ground. The temporal blotches, ranging from yellow to orange or bluish grey in colour depending on population, do not reach the top of the head in N. hurum and remain distinct throughout life in all except very old or melanistic individuals, allowing for the easy distinction of the two species (Figs. 1b, c). The same diagnostic traits differentiating N. hurum from N. formosa refer also to N. nigricans, another species recorded from nearby regions (Assam, Tripura, and West Bengal in India, Bangladesh, Nepal; cf. Praschag et al. 2021; TTWG 2025).</p><p>Nilssonia formosa is known to co-occur with Amyda ornata phayrei throughout its range (Kuchling et al. 2004), so also in Manipur. The Indian records presented here not only extend its geographical range towards the west but also shift its upper elevation limit from 200 m a.s.l. (Horne et al. 2021) to 780 m a.s.l.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E7B24EFFFF9E66FF1B81D126C380FC	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Farkas, Balázs;Praschag, Peter	Farkas, Balázs, Praschag, Peter (2025): First record of the critically endangered Burmese peacock soft-shelled turtle Nilssonia formosa from India (Testudines: Trionychidae). Zootaxa 5706 (3): 448-450, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5706.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5706.3.8
