Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys suwanniensis
These prehistoric-looking creatures grow up to 26 inches and weigh about 200 pounds. Its shell is spiked like it is a cross between a dinosaur and an alligator. The carap…
How to identify
These prehistoric-looking creatures grow up to 26 inches and weigh about 200 pounds. Its shell is spiked like it is a cross between a dinosaur and an alligator. The carapace is usually shiny black, blackish or brown. There are three rows of spikes which run from the next to the tail area. The carapace is surrounded by short spike looking bulges across the full area of the carapace. It has a 4-inch snort at the rear of its carapace. The head is beak-like, with shorter sharp brown spikes on its neck. The round eyes are located on the sides of the head and between each eye is a brown nose. The limbs are brown short and stocky. The females are smaller than males.
Range
The Suwannee alligator snapping turtle is found in the Suwannee River that flows south from Georgia into Florida in the United States.
Habitat
The Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle dwells in rivers, lakes and canals. They are currently endangered as their natural habitats are under threat from man-made activities. They are omnivorous eating fish, snakes, other turtles and frogs which they bait with the bright red worm-like piece of flesh in its tongue. They also eat berries nuts, berries and other vegetation found around its habitat. They look vicious but are not aggressive. They have no know predators and can live for up to a century. They are oviparous and can stay underwater for about 30 minutes at a stretch.
Similar species
The Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle was initially classified as a member of the Macrochelys temminckii or Alligator Snapping Turtle until 2014 when it was unbundled into three similar species. The Alligator Snapping Turtle or Macrochelys temminckii are found further west in the rivers of Mississippi in Alabama. The spikes across the shell look sharper than on the Apalachicola Alligator Snapping Turtle. The Apalachicola alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys Apalachicola are found in the freshwaters of the Apalachicola in Florida and Georgia.
Name and etymology
Suwanniensis: Belonging to the Suwannee River.
At a glance
Range
The Suwannee alligator snapping turtle is found in the Suwannee River that flows south from Georgia into Florida in the Unite…
Habitat
The Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle dwells in rivers, lakes and canals. They are currently endangered as their natural hab…
Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap