It is a semi-aquatic hard-shelled turtle. The upper part of this is dark brown or black, with a well-defined ridge in the center that may have a pale colored line. The plastron (bottom of the shell) is yellowish. The head is wide, grayish or greenish in color, with yellow, orange or pinkish spots that disappear with age. The jaw is cream colored and the upper jaw has a V-shaped beak in the center flanked by a pair of tooth-like protuberances. Their elongated limbs and the webbing on their hind legs are a perfect adaptation to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Males differ from females in that they have a thinner tail and the plastron curves slightly inward.

Courtship lasts for hours and the male usually bites the female's neck and head. A month later, the female will lay 4 to 6 eggs that she will incubate for approximately 100 days. Eggs are laid between November and December, so the little ones will be born between May and June. The babies are born with a softened center of the plastron, which will harden over time.