1. History

The origin of this order is still unknown. The earliest fossils are ancient tortoises from the Permian period in South Africa, with bone casings. The three-layer turtle and the primitive turtle have also become turtle-shaped. But the differences among the three are by no means the same. The southern tortoise of the Permian period in South Africa has thick ribs, an uneven skull, and teeth on the palate surface. It is generally inferred that it is relatively close to a branch of the sauropoda. In the Jurassic period, there were two suborders of amphibian turtles and side-necked turtles in Sichuan Province, China.

2. Origin

Snapping turtles are divided into two categories, commonly known as predators and crocodiles. Crocodile, also known as true snapping turtle, is produced in North America in the southeastern part of the United States. Small crocodile, also known as pseudo snapping turtle, has four subspecies, namely North America, Florida, South America, and Central America. North America is widely produced, mainly in southern and eastern Canada, and extends to the eastern Florida peninsula to Texas. Florida is mainly produced in Florida and South Georgia. South America is mainly distributed in northern Honduras, eastern Nicaragua, to Costa Rica in Panama, across the Pacific Ocean to Colombia and Ecuador, and south to the Gulf of Eyakil. China and the United States are mainly distributed in southern Mexico, from Bella Cruz in the middle to Guatemala to the Caribbean and Honduras. It is also divided into two populations produced in Honduras and Mexico, which are very similar in appearance to the Florida subspecies, especially the populations produced in Honduras. In the United States, snapping turtles are known as "Southern turtles" and "Northern turtles" due to their different distribution areas. China is mainly imported from Florida. Except for a small number of large snapping turtles, most of them are small snapping turtles. The provinces include Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Shandong, Sichuan, etc.

3. Habits

Snapping turtles are carnivores , also eat carrion. Its diet is wide and miscellaneous, small fish, various shellfish and various fruits and vegetables are the objects of its prey, and individuals in the wild will also prey on species. In Michigan, hatchlings even eat plants. They usually do so when there is a lack of food or in summer. As they mature, they become omnivorous and pose no threat to fish populations. Fishermen praise their ability to catch fish (with their tongues to lure prey). Small fish are often a food source for hatchlings. They will eat almost anything. They mainly eat fish and dead fish, invertebrates, carrion, and amphibians, but also snakes or other turtles, as well. Raised snapping turtles will eat any meat, including beef, chicken, and pork, but must first lure the snapping turtles to "eat". Adult snapping turtles have also hunted tiny crocodiles. The snapping turtle grows fastest at 28-30 degrees. The snapping turtle grows several times slower than the optimal growth water temperature of 30 to 31°C under the conditions of 18°C to 20°C for a long time. Snapping turtles reach sexual maturity at 12 years of age. They mate once a year, in the early spring for the southern ones and late spring for the northern ones. The female turtle is responsible for nest building and will lay 10-50 eggs after 2 months. The sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature at which the eggs hatch. Nests are generally located at least 50 yards from the water's edge to avoid flooding and flooding. The incubation period is 100-140 days, and hatchlings are born in early winter.

4. Type

There are two types of snapping turtles: big snapping turtles and small snapping turtles. The large snapping turtle is also known as the convex-backed snapping turtle and the true snapping turtle. The small snapping turtles are also called flat-backed snapping turtles, which are mainly divided into South American snapping turtles, also known as false snapping turtles; Florida snapping turtles; Central American snapping turtles, also known as snapping turtles; North American snapping turtles, also known as snapping turtles. Kowtow turtle. Large snapping turtles are only found in the Mississippi Valley of North America. One of the most famous snapping turtles in the world. It maintains the characteristics of the original turtle, and the mouth, carapace scutellum, and red tongue are very peculiar. The upper and lower jaws at the front of the mouth are hook-shaped, like an eagle's beak, so sharp that they can bite off a person's fingers. The carapace scutellum is tan, the eyes are long on the sides of the mouth, small and energetic, and there are many fleshy protrusions on the head and neck. It has a bright red, bifurcated worm-like fleshy protrusion on its tongue, which is attached to the tongue by a circular muscle in the middle. Both ends can freely retract and move.

The snapping turtle: One of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. They are relatives of the true snapping turtle, large and aggressive, and have few natural predators apart from alligators. Distribution from southern Canada to Ecuador, there are four subspecies. They are: 1. Chelydra serpentina North American snapping turtle, 2. Chelydra serpentina osceola Florida snapping turtle, 3. Chelydra serpentina acutirostris South American snapping turtle, 4. Chelydra rossignoni Central American snapping turtle.

Characteristics: The head is large, the plastron is smaller than the carapace, the tail is short, and the back has obvious serrations. Divided into 4 subspecies, mainly based on the length of the hyoid-abdominal plate below the plastron and the junction of the abdominal plate, extending to the front edge of the abdominal shield, the width of the third cone and the protruding state of the head. distinguish.

Habits: The snapping turtle lives outside freshwater environments and sometimes swims into areas near the coast. Omnivorous, feeding on large and small animals and various aquatic plants, and feeding on large and small animals and various aquatic plants, with a strong nocturnal tendency. During the spawning period, 11-83 spherical eggs can be laid each time.

Snap turtles: Two edible freshwater turtles of the snapping turtle family (Chelydridae), so named for their bite. Found in North and Central America, it is known for its large size and aggressiveness. Brown to black, rough carapace, small cruciform plastron, long tail, large head, and hooked lower palate. 20 to 40 eggs are laid each time. The small tortoise shell is about 2.5 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 cm) long, and the meat is edible.

Common snapping turtle: Chelydra serpentina, also known as the snapping turtle. Widespread from Canada to Central America. It is characterized by a serrated ridge on the back of the tail, an average carapace length of 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12), and a weight of 4.5 to 16 kg (10 to 35 pounds). Young turtles have 3 longitudinal ridges on their carapaces that wear down over time. Hidden in the mudflats of shallow creeks. Omnivorous. Usually not aggressive in the water, but can sprint and bite on land.