Alligator snapping turtle

Macrochelys temminckii · The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, living in the rivers and other freshwater habitats of the southeastern United States.

Also called Alligator snapper.

Alligator snapping turtle
Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri, CC BY 2.0
Alligator snapping turtle
Photo: Chad Wallis, CC BY 4.0
Alligator snapping turtle
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Public domain

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderTestudines
FamilyChelydridae
GenusMacrochelys
SpeciesMacrochelys temminckii

Where it lives

Rivers and swamps draining to the Gulf of Mexico in the southeastern US.

Fun facts

  • This turtle lures fish with a pink, worm-shaped bit of flesh on its tongue, wiggling it like a real worm while it waits with its mouth open.
  • Its eyes are surrounded by star-shaped, fleshy "eyelashes", and yellow patterns around them help break up the eyes' outline for camouflage.
  • It can bite through the handle of a broom, so it must be handled with extreme care.
  • These turtles may live a very long time: they are believed to be capable of reaching 200 years, though 80 to 120 years is more likely.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).