Second largest extant tortoise in the world; males are larger than females and have thicker tails. Head and neck: dark grey in color; neck is long; snout is not protruding; upper jaw weakly hooked, bicuspid or tricuspid; large prefrontal scale divided longitudinally, followed by frontal scale; other scales on head are small.
Body
Carapace - brownish grey; thick, elongated and domed; dark grey in color; marginal scutes flared posteriorly, slightly upturned; vertebral scutes broader than long; 1st narrower than 2nd; 5th is smallest; may be smooth on older adults; 11 marginals on each side; 1 undivided supracaudal scute.
Plastron - brownish grey; shorter than carapace; no posterior notch; gulars thick and short, barely project beyond carapacial rim.
Limbs and tail: Limbs robust, grey with enlarged scales; tail is short.