The male Harrell mud turtle is larger than the female, with a long, thick tail and raised, scale-like horny patches on the thighs and lower limbs. Females have larger plastrons. The length of the front hinged cover is greater in males than in the rear, but the opposite is true in females.

The shape of the Harrera mud turtle is similar to the tiger razor tortoise, with a huge head with a slightly protruding snout and strong hooked upper jaw. But the character is very similar to the narrow bridge box turtle. It is very fun to keep as a pet. But compared with other mud turtles, the price is more expensive, so the popularity is not high.