A man shows the shell of an abnormal cucurbit shaped tortoise at a flower and fish market in Qugou town, Huaibei city in east China's Anhui Province on Sunday, June 24, 2007. [Photo: photobase.cn]

A cucurbit shaped tortoise has been found in a town of Huaibei city in east China's Anhui Province.

China New Service reports that the tortoise was brought to a local flower and fish market on Sunday, soon drawing a large crowd of curious onlookers.

The abnormal shape of the animal is due to a gene defect that matured during growth, said the report.