Snapping Turtles of the United States

Snappers are among the largest of living freshwater species. They are characterized by massive heads with powerful hooked jaws, long tails, relatively snall cross shaped plastrons, and carapaces with 12 marginal scutes on each side.

These primitive looking turtles occupy aquatic habitats of many descriptions, are opportunistic feeders, and lay large numbers of flexible shelled, spherical shaped eggs, Males grow larger then females.

 

There are only two species of Snapping Turtles in the U.S.

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Found from southern Alberta, Cananda to Nova scotia, south to the Gulf of Mexico.

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macroclemys temmincki)

Found from the coastal plain from southeastern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle to eastern Texas, north to Iowa and Indiana.