Appearance-wise, there is also a significant difference between kingfish and snappers. The king oyster has a flatter, oval-shaped body and a gray-brown or olive-colored back with black spots. Its head is characterized by a large zygomatic width of the muzzle, more than half of the total length of the skull. The snapper's body is more rounded, circular or heart-shaped, with a greenish or yellowish-brown back and obvious armor pieces. The zygomatic width of the head of the turtle's muzzle is smaller, less than half the length of the cranium.

Life habits, the kingfish usually live in freshwater environments, such as lakes, rivers, etc., good at swimming and diving. It feeds on fish, shrimp and aquatic insects, and also ingests some plant food. The snapper, on the other hand, prefers to inhabit quiet waters, such as ponds and marshes. The food range is wider, including fish, shrimp, snails and aquatic plants. In addition, snappers have a strong hunger tolerance and can survive for a longer period of time without food.