The elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) gets its common name from its distinctively long, somewhat narrow shell, called the carapace. This shell is a caramel to dark yellowish-brown colour, with black blotches on each scute. The head is pale yellow, except during the breeding season when both sexes develop a pink hue around the eyes and nostrils.

The male elongated tortoise tends to be narrower than the female, with a shorter tail and a more concave plastron (indented underside of shell). The hind claws of the female are also markedly longer and more curved than those of the male, and are believed to be an adaptation to nest building by the female.