The brown to olive carapace is oval, broad, and rather flattened dorsally. Shell hard, very flat with no hinge on belly. Two soft tentacles on chin.
It is omnivorous and will eat almost anything. Some of the main items in its diet are insects, small crustaceans, fish, earthworms, and snails. They may also feed on carrion.

Pans, vleis, slow-moving rivers throughout southern Africa.