The black-breasted leaf turtle has a dark, unpatterned undershell with a yellow border. Three raised ridges run from head to tail on the top of the shell, which is flattened with rough edges at the front and back to resemble a leaf, which is why they're called "leaf turtles." The turtles' feet are partially webbed and their large eyes stick out in an unusual way, giving an alert and curious expression. They don't have teeth – instead, their mouths have a hard, sharpened edge that they bite with, similar to a bird's beak. Females' tails are shorter and thinner than males.