Snapping Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Other names of animal:snappers,freshwater turtles.
1. Turtles are members of the Class Reptilia, Order Testudinata. They are the oldest living reptiles, having evolved more than 200 million years ago.
2. The most unique feature of a turtle is its shell. The shell’s shape, color and pattern make it a readily used feature for species identification. The shell is divided into an upper part, the carapace, and a lower part, the plastron. Both carapace and plastron are covered with scales called scutes. In addition to using the shell as an identifier, the plastron’s shape can be used in sex determination. In many species male turtles have a concave plastron; female turtles have a flat plastron.
3. Its large head, long tail and short temper make identification easy. Snappers areso named because they defend themselves by snapping and biting aggressively when handled or otherwise molested.
4. Head is black with large powerful jaws.
5. Carapace (upper shell) is variable in color (green and brown to almost black) with jagged enlarged scales on top and serrated edges towards the back.
6. Plastron (lower shell) is small and narrow which doesn’t allow the snapping turtle to pull its body parts into its shell.
7. Legs are very thick and powerful with yellowish coloration.
8. Tail is yellowish and long (nearly as long as the shell). Tail is saw-toothed along the top.
9. Dried snapping turtle shells were mounted on sticks and used as rattles by Native Americans.
10. Snapping Turtles can be harmful. While in the water snapping turtles are very shy. But on land they are very aggressive and will attack with a painful bite.
11. Snapping turtles can live for 30 to 40 years.
12. A snapping turtle will sometimes release a foul odor from a gland on the underside of its body.
13. The Snapping Turtle is a constantly moving animal. It live near the shore by lakes, rivers, or streams. They also live near ponds, canals, or swamps. Like muddy bottoms of the water source; also like to live near drift wood and vegetation.
14. When the Snapping Turtle is younger it likes to prey upon Earthworms, Snails, small fish, plants, and insects. When the Snapping Turtle is older it preys upon baby ducklings, frogs, large fish, snakes, small mammals, salamanders, and tadpoles.
15. Are not normally prayed on when older. When young hatchlings/eggs is when they get prayed on the most .
Known Predators: Great Blue Herons, Raccoons, Stripped Skunks, Red
Fox, Largemouth Bass, Bull frogs, north water snakes.
16. Snapping Turtles are fairly aggressive animals.Have a mossy/brown shell to help them camouflage with the lakes mucky bottoms. There shell is also rough, which allows them to blend in with the rocks. One of the most obvious traits of the SNAPPING turtle is that it has a powerful jaw (protects them from predators).
17. The Snapping Turtle is hatched and survives on it’s own from birth. They live to exceed 40 years on average.
18. The Snapping Turtle is an indigenous creature and has no special status
19. The Snapping Turtle, when confronted, release a foul odor from a gland under their stomach for defense.
20. This amazing animal has a tail so long its nearly as long as its shell.
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