Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)
Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)
Native to the freshwater areas of the southeastern United States, the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is distinguished as the largest freshwater turtle in North America and one of the largest in the world. Its name derives from both its strong jaw and its ridged shell resembling that of an alligator’s skin. Whereas the Common Snapping Turtle has a smoother shell surface, the Alligator Snapping Turtle has three rows of spikes along its carapace, or hard upper shell. Noted as a mostly carnivorous scavenger, it will feed on both live and dead organisms with a diet consisting mainly of fish.
The Alligator Snapping Turtle has a carapace length between 22”-29” (56-74 cm), carapace width of 18.5”-24.4” (47-62 cm), body height of 10.2”-13” (26-33 cm), and weight in the range of 176-251 lb (80-114 kg). The typical lifespan of the Alligator Snapping Turtle is between 11-45 years in the wild and 20-70 years in captivity.
Native to the freshwater areas of the southeastern United States, the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is distinguished as the largest freshwater turtle in North America and one of the largest in the world. Its name derives from both its strong jaw and its ridged shell resembling that of an alligator’s skin. Whereas the Common Snapping Turtle has a smoother shell surface, the Alligator Snapping Turtle has three rows of spikes along its carapace, or hard upper shell. Noted as a mostly carnivorous scavenger, it will feed on both live and dead organisms with a diet consisting mainly of fish.
The Alligator Snapping Turtle has a carapace length between 22”-29” (56-74 cm), carapace width of 18.5”-24.4” (47-62 cm), body height of 10.2”-13” (26-33 cm), and weight in the range of 176-251 lb (80-114 kg). The typical lifespan of the Alligator Snapping Turtle is between 11-45 years in the wild and 20-70 years in captivity.
