Alligator Snapping Turtle

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a huge species of turtle belonging to the family of Chelydridae. The species is found in the freshwater ecosystems throughout the United States. M. Tamminckii is among the largest freshwater turtles found in the world. It is the biggest freshwater turtle species in North America. It is usually connected to, but is not closely related to snapping turtles and is found in the Genus Chelydra

Alligator Snapping Turtle is distinguished by a massive head that is heavy and a thick, long shell that has three dorsal ridges with massive scaling (osteoderms) that give it a primitive appearance, reminiscent of many of the plate-covered dinosaurs particularly Ankylosaurus.

It is immediately differentiated from the snapping turtles of the common species by three different rows of raised plates and spikes on its carapace as opposed to the standard snapping turtle is smoother in its carapace. M. temminckii can be described as a solid grey or black or olive-green color and is usually covered with algae.

It is characterized by radiating yellow patterns around the eyes. They serve to break up the shape that surrounds the eyelids to help keep the turtle hidden. Also, the eyes can be enclosed by a star-shaped arrangement filamentous, fleshy “eyelashes”.

Diet

Alligator Snapping Turtle, also known as the alligator, is an opportunistic food source which is nearly carnivore. It depends on live food that it catches and dead organisms it finds. It will devour almost everything it can find. Fishermen have celebrated the ability of this species to catch fish and diminish fish populations, however, in reality, it mostly targets the most abundant and easy to catch prey. It rarely has any significant negative effect on the fish population.

The diet of the natural predator consists mostly of fish and carcasses of fish as well as carrion, mollusks amphibians, however it can also devour snails, snakes, worms, and other invertebrates such as crawfish, insects, aquatic plants, and other turtles and, occasionally, even small alligators.

In a study that was conducted by researchers in Louisiana, 79.8% of the stomach contents of Alligator Snapping Turtle was discovered to consist of other turtles. However, the inability of reptile-bone and shell fragments in digestion could be the reason for these pieces to be more adsorbent in the stomach as opposed to other things.

This species can also sometimes, hunt aquatic rodents such as muskrats and nutrias, or catch small or mid-sized mammals like Opossums, squirrels, mice as well as raccoons and armadillos when they try to swim or approach an edge of the ocean.