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Snapping turtles (or snappers) are large, New World freshwater turtles of the family Chelydridae. The species range from southeastern Canada, west to the Rocky Mountains and south through Mexico to Ecuador. In the southern United States, they are not referred to as cooters. Cooters are another group of turtles entirely, including the Florida red-bellied turtle.

Snapping turtles are noted for their powerful beak-like jaws and pugnacious disposition. They have a muscular build with ridged shells that may measure from 35 cm long in Chelydra species to some 66 cm long in the alligator snapping turtle (Macroclemys temminckii). The latter species is the largest freshwater turtle in the world, weighing up to 100 kg. The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina) and its subspecies are much smaller, weighing up to 17 kg in weight. In some areas they are hunted heavily for their meat. They may live for 50 years or more.

Snapping turtles have long spiked tails and necks which can reach two thirds the lengh of their shells, making handling dangerous. They cannot fully retract their head and appendages, relying on fierce displays when aggravated. Their snapping jaws and sharp claws are capable of inflicting serious injury: these turtles are best left alone.

They are poorly suited to terrestrial locomotion, spending most of their time in ponds, shallow lakes and streams; they forgo regular basking. Rare forays onto land occur in June and July when females lay their spherical eggs. Some may inhabit brackish environments, such as estuaries. All snapping turtles are important scavengers, but will also actively hunt fishAtlantic herring, Clupea harengus one of the most abundant species in the world Photo A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded) water-dwelling vertebrate with gills. There are over 27,000 species of fish, making them the most diverse group of vertebrates., frogA frog is a fresh-water amphibian which changes from a tadpole and is of the family Ranidae in the Order Anura. They are closely related to toads. The Ranidae are sometimes called the "true frogs" since a few members of other families also have common nams and small mammalSubclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorps. The alligator snapper has a flesh-red, worm-like tongue which it uses to lure fish into its mouth.

Family Chelydridae

• Subfamily Chelydrinae
  • Genus Chelydra
  • Genus Macrochelys
• Subfamily Platysterninae
  • Genus Platysternon

See also: A snapping turtle trying to capture a wary Canada goose can be seen at predatorThis snapping turtle is trying to make a mealof a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. A predator is an animal or other organism that hunts and kills other organisms for food in an act called predation . Most predators are carnivores. Some predators a.