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Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys temminckii
Description
North America's largest freshwater turtle, a ridge-shelled giant that lures fish with a wormlike tongue. In Indiana it clings to a few southwestern rivers.
Stats
Size
Carapace 15 - 26 inches
Status
State Endangered
Similar Species
Common Snapping Turtle, which is smaller with lower keels and a less beaklike head.
Diet
Chiefly fish, lured with the wormlike tongue; also mollusks, carrion, and other turtles.
Habitat
Deep pools, backwaters, and large rivers of southwestern Indiana.
Reproduction
Lays about 10-50 eggs in early summer; rarely leaves the water except to nest.
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys temminckii
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