Chelydra

In contrast to matamatas and other aquatic turtles that generate massive negative pressures and thereby employ suction to engulf prey, Chelydra is predominantly a ram-feeder that doesn’t generate negative pressure when it lunges.

Archive 2006-05-01 Darren Naish 2006

Along these lines, Lauder & Prendergast (1992) used high-speed video recording to study feeding behaviour in Chelydra.

Archive 2006-05-01 Darren Naish 2006

There we saw a beautiful Great Egret (Adrea alba), and a snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) coming up for air.

"I'd rather be a forest than a street..." niamh_sage 2009

So right now things are undecided, and Chelydra may or may not turn out to be polytypic.

Archive 2006-02-01 Darren Naish 2006

Macroclemys, the alligator snapper, is altogether different from Chelydra in terms of what it does and what it can do.

Archive 2006-05-01 Darren Naish 2006

Chelydra likes to skulk in aquatic vegetation, though it also floats near the water surface.

Archive 2006-05-01 Darren Naish 2006

They showed that Chelydra lunges and engulfs fish prey within 78 ms, with ‘peak head extension velocities of 152.5 cm per second’.

Archive 2006-05-01 Darren Naish 2006

Recall that the term ‘snapper’ refers specifically to Chelydra serpentina, and is never used for alligator snapper Macroclemys temminckii.

Archive 2006-02-01 Darren Naish 2006

Like Chelydra, Macroclemys grabs crustaceans, worms, fish, frogs and snakes, and it also eats static prey like plants and clams.

Archive 2006-05-01 Darren Naish 2006

Behavioral responses of hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) at subzero temperatures.

Archive 2006-02-01 Darren Naish 2006