Snapping turtle

Prior to more advanced technology, snapping turtles were sometimes used to find dead bodies in lakes. Police tied a long rope onto the turtle and released the turtle into the lake. When the turtle stopped moving, they knew it had found the body and had begun feeding.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Chelonia

Family: Chelydridae

Genus: Various (see below)

Species: Various (see below)

The family Chelydridae contains two different genera of snapping turtles, Macrochelys and Chelydra. Genus Macrochelys contains three extant species of snapping turtles, and genus Chelydra contains two extant species of snapping turtle.

Snapping turtles have tough, hard outer shells which protect their softer body parts. They also have large hard heads, strong jaws, sharp claws, and long tails. Their hooked beaks are so sharp they can cut through a man's hand. Like other turtles they have two-part shells. The top parts are called the carapaces and the bottom parts are called the plastrons. The carapaces cover the turtles' backs, while the plastrons cover their bellies. The carapaces and plastrons are connected by a bridge of tiny bones that extend upward from the plastron. Snapping turtles have dull gray, black, or brown carapaces which are often covered with algae, small living organisms. The carapaces are made of raised, bumpy-looking, joined scales, called scutes. The plastrons, of snapping turtles, are slightly smaller and lighter colored than their carapaces. Smaller snapping turtles, such as the common snapping turtle, typically measure 8 to 17 inches (20 to 43 centimeters) in length, weighing between 8 and 35 pounds (4 to 16 kilograms). Larger snapping turtles, like the alligator snapping turtle, can grow to be about 31 to 40 inches (79 to 101 centimeters) long and weigh between 154 to 176 pounds (70 to 80 kilograms).

Snapping turtles have two different methods of breathing. On land they breathe through their lungs, but in water they breathe through their skin.

Snapping turtles are omnivorous, or meat-and-plant eating, freshwater turtles. Although they often eat fish, insects, mollusks, smaller turtles, plants, and carrion, or dead animal flesh. They have also been seen attacking baby alligators. Snapping turtles are very aggressive turtles and will prey on almost anything they can catch. Sometimes they hide and surprise their prey with a vicious bite from their sharp beaks. Other times they feed on animals which are already dead. Snapping turtles are found from Canada to the northwestern parts of South America.

Snapping turtles breed in the water during the summer time. The females then crawl onto land to lay their eggs. They dig a hole in the dirt or sand with their hindlimbs and lay the eggs into that nest, or hole. Snapping turtles usually lay between 8 and 52 eggs in each clutch, or batch of eggs. They may lay as many as 80 eggs in one season in multiple clutches. There is a two to three month incubation period for the eggs. The incubation period is the amount of time it takes for the eggs to hatch. After the eggs are laid, the female goes back into the water and has no further relationship with her young. Once the eggs are laid the begin their incubation period, or time of growth within the eggs.

Snapping turtles use their strong outer shell as their main means of protection. When threatened by a predator snapping turtles usually raise their bodies and lunge at their attackers. There are a large number of animals which prey on snapping turtle eggs such as crows, minks, skunks, foxes, and raccoons. Hatchlings, or baby turtles, and young turtles are threatened by crows, hawks, bullfrogs, large fish, and snakes. Fully grown snapping turtles are sometimes killed by alligators and humans.

Snapping turtles have a lifespan between 30 and 60 years, depending on the species. Typically, the larger the species, the longer the lifespan.

The genus Chelydra contains the following extant species of snapping turtles:

South American snapping turtle Chelydra acutirostris

Central American snapping turtle Chelydra rossignonii

Common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina

The genus Macrochelys contains the following extant species of snapping turtles:

Suwannee snapping turtle Macrochelys suwanniensis 

Alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii 

Bibliography

“Alligator Snapping Turtle.” National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/alligator-snapping-turtle. Accessed 3 May 2024.

Bosch, Adam T. “Chelydra Serpentina (Common Snapping Turtle).” Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chelydra‗serpentina/. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Chelydridae.” Animalia, animalia.bio/chelydridae. Accessed 8 May 2024.

Nichols, Matt, et al. “Macrochelys Temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle).” Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Macrochelys‗temminckii/. Accessed 3 May 2024.

“Suwannee Snapping Turtle.” Animalia, animalia.bio/index.php/suwannee-snapping-turtle. Accessed 3 May 2024.

Pecor, Keith. “Chelydridae.” Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chelydridae/. Accessed 8 May 2024.