[[[CP|W:457|H:304|A:L|U:http://file2.qidian.com/chapters/20136/9/2689893635063744012423750236010.jpg]]] snapping turtle

The snapping turtle is the oldest existing reptile and one of the world's largest freshwater turtles, known as the king of freshwater animals, divided into two species, commonly known as the predator and the small crocodile, the predator is also known as the true snapping turtle (produced in the southeast of North America and the United States), the small crocodile is also known as the snapping turtle, there are four subspecies, namely North America, Florida, South America, and Central America. The common ones are North America and Florida, where Florida is more expensive due to some artificial reasons. Due to their large size and aggressiveness, they rarely have natural predators except alligators. It has lost its habitat due to human hunting and is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Later, because of its high ornamental value and strong adaptability, it is favored by domestic turtle lovers.

Chinese scientific name: snapping turtle

Latin scientific name: Macrochelystemminckii

Other names: alligator turtle, large snapping turtle, snapping turtle, alligator bite turtle

Two-name method: Macrochelystemminckii

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata phylum Chordata

Subphylum: Subphylum Vertebrata

Class: Reptilia

Subclass: Turtle and turtle subclass (Chelonia)

Order: Testudines

Suborder: Cryptodira

Family: Snapping turtles Chelydridae

Genus: Snapping turtle (Schweigger)

Subgenus: Snapping turtle genus (Chelydra)

Species: snapping turtle M. temminckii

Subspecies: C. serpentina

Distribution: Southeastern United States; Rivers, shallow lakes and marshes.

Named: TroostinHarlan,

Protection Level: VU (Near Extinction)

Naming: 1835

English name: AlligatorSnapper

features

The snapping turtle looks like a crocodile, and it is a combination of turtle and crocodile, so it is called a snapping turtle. Its head is thicker and cannot be completely retracted into the shell, the neck is short and stout, the collar and back are long with brown fleshy spines, the eyes are small, the mouth and the upper and lower jaws are small, the snout is pointed, the tail is pointed and long, the two sides are ridged, and there are fleshy spikes on the ridges, there is a scaly-like ridge in the front two-thirds of the front of the tail dorsal, and it is serrated mouth-like, the dorsal shell is very thin, the epithelium is mainly brown, occasionally brownish-yellow, the back has three vague ridges, and there are radial markings, the posterior edge is toothed, the abdomen is white, occasionally small black spots, black when young, the limbs are stout, and the muscles are developed, The claws are pointed and powerful, and they are good at crawling.

THE LENGTH OF THE BACK CARAPACE OF SNAPPING TURTLES CAN REACH MORE THAN 70CM, AND THE NORMAL GROWTH OF SNAPPING TURTLES STOPS AT ABOUT 40CM UNDER CAPTIVITY. Weight: 80KG or more, there has been a record of 200KG. It maintains the characteristics of the primitive turtle, the mouth, the shield of the dorsal armor, and the red tongue are all very peculiar, there are many fleshy protrusions on the head and neck, the turtle shell is long and thick, there are 3 raised longitudinal ridges on the back, the shield is brown, the 13 shields are like 13 hills undulating, arranged in 3 rows vertically and horizontally, and the edges of the dorsal armor have many jagged protrusions, making them look like dinosaurs wearing armor. They differ from snapping turtles in that they have three rows of spines on their shells. They are solid gray, brown, golden yellow, black, or olive green (often covered with a layer of algae). There are scattered yellow markings around the eyes, which grow on both sides of the mouth, and they are small and delicate, and have star-like fleshy "eyelashes". The tongue of a true snapping turtle has a bright red, bifurcated, worm-like fleshy process that is connected to the tongue by a rounded muscle in the middle. The ends are retractable and retractable, and the tongue is shaped like a worm and is used to lure fish. They will lie quietly in the water, waiting patiently for their prey with their mouths open. Their tongues mimic the movements of worms, attracting prey to swim into their mouths. When the prey enters the mouth, they will quickly close their mouths and complete the ambush. Its tail is thin and long, stiff like a steel whip, and unlike other turtles, its head and feet cannot be retracted into its shell.

The dorsal carapace of females is square, the base of the tail is thin, and the genital foramen is close to the posterior edge of the dorsal carapace, while the dorsal carapace of the male is rectangular, the base of the tail is thick and long, and the genital foramen is far from the posterior edge of the dorsal carapace.

In addition to the above characteristics, the female is the female if the genital orifice is located within the first hard spine of the tail or the level of the first hard spine of the tail, and the male is located outside the first hard spine of the tail.

The bite strength of the true snapping turtle is the second highest in the world. When persecuted, they become aggressive. The upper and lower jaws at the tip of its beak are hooked, like an eagle's beak, and so sharp that adult snapping turtles can easily bite off a person's fingers, and they must be played with extreme care.

The primary body size of the large snapping turtle is 8~10g, the general adult body size is 61~76cm, 77~91kg, and the maximum record is 79cm and 107kg (Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, USA); A large snapping turtle weighing 403 pounds was found in Kansas, USA, but the heaviest recorded was only 236 pounds and stored at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. They usually grow to this size. The average adult shell is about 26 inches long and weighs 175 pounds. Male turtles are generally larger than females. They can also be about 16-32 inches long. The average newborn body size of the baby snapping turtle is 3.3cm long and weighs 7.2g (the smallest is 3.1cm, 5.8g, the maximum is 3.7cm and 14.8g), and the average adult body is 31~46cm long and weighs 23~36kg, and in nature, the largest individual can reach more than 38kg. Different from ordinary turtle eggs (oval), the small snapping turtle is ovate and spherical, white, with a diameter of 23~33mm and a weight of 7~15g.

Long snout, sharp teeth, short limbs, flat and powerful tail, hard and thick scales. It inhabits tropical rivers and swamps, and rarely leaves the water too far. Carnivorous. Oviparous. Saltwater crocodiles can be up to 6 meters long. In September 2011, a 6.17-meter-long, 1,075-kilogram saltwater crocodile was captured in Bunawan, North Agusan Province in the southern Philippines, and in July 2012, it was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's largest crocodile. [1]

Crocodiles have strong immunity, which can prevent the scars left by crocodiles from fighting predators in a hostile environment from causing fatal infections. Scientists have found that crocodiles' powerful immune systems can kill HIV, and researchers have found that certain proteins in crocodiles' blood can kill penicillin-resistant bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus......

The heart of a crocodile has two chambers (left atrium, right atrium) and two chambers (left ventricle, right ventricle) like that of humans, and is the first time in vertebrates that the left and right ventricles are completely separated. (Amphibians and reptiles other than crocodiles have only one ventricle, or left and right ventricles that are not completely separated.) Among vertebrates, only crocodiles, birds, and mammals have hearts that are completely separated from the left and right ventricles.

Crocodiles tend to live in the range of 45-100 years, with an average of 75 years. According to some archaeologists, ancient crocodiles were up to 12 meters long.

The crocodile is an animal that once existed at the same time as the dinosaurs, but its super adaptability has kept it alive to this day.

Distribution

It is mainly found in the Mississippi River Basin in North America, the southern and central regions of the United States, and Central America, with the southeastern United States being the dominant one. Miami is an important area of origin for snapping turtles. Snapping turtles in the United States are known as "southern turtles" and "northern turtles" due to their different distribution areas, and their body colors are divided into two types: "yellow-backed" and "black-backed", yellow-backed snapping turtles are resistant to high temperatures, and black-backed snapping turtles are resistant to low temperatures. China mainly introduced from Florida, except for a small number of large snapping turtles, most of the small snapping turtles, distributed in the provinces of B City, S City, JS Province, ZJ Province, JX Province, HaiN Province, GD Province, GX Province, HuN Province, ShanD Province, SC Province, etc.

Habits

Snapping turtles are carnivores and also eat carrion. Its diet is wide and varied, small fish, crayfish, all kinds of shellfish and all kinds of fruits and vegetables are its prey objects, wild individuals will also prey on snakes, birds.

In the US state of Michigan, hatchlings even eat plants. They usually do this when there is a lack of food or in the summer. When they mature, they become omnivorous and do not pose a threat to fish populations. Fishermen praise their ability to catch fish (luring prey with their tongues). Small fish are often a food source for young turtles. They will eat almost anything. They mainly eat fish and dead fish, invertebrates, carrion and amphibians, but also snakes and other turtles, as well as birds. Snapping turtles will eat any meat, including beef, chicken and pork, but they should first lure them to "eat". Adult snapping turtles have also preyed on tiny crocodiles.

Living environment

The fastest-growing snapping turtle at 28 degrees to 30 degrees has a growth rate several times slower than the optimal growth water temperature of 30 °C ~ 31 °C under the condition of 18 °C ~ 20 °C for a long time.

Growth and reproduction

Snapping turtles reach sexual maturity at the age of 12. They mate once a year, in early spring in the south and late spring in the north. Female turtles are responsible for nesting and are 2 months old

It will lay 10-50 eggs. The sex of the hatchlings depends on the temperature of the eggs when they hatch. Nests are generally located at least 50 yards away from the water's edge to avoid flooding and flooding. The hatching period is 100-140 days, and the hatchlings are born in early winter.

The average lifespan of snapping turtles in the wild is unknown, but it is believed to live to be 70-150 years old. The lifespan under rearing is generally 20-70 years.

Protection level

It is on the verge of extinction due to overcapture and trafficking. According to the World Wildlife Union report, the giant snapping turtle ranks sixth in the ranking of rare and endangered species in the world (the top 10 are: 1. Black rhinoceros, 2. Giant panda, 3. Southeast Asian tiger, 4. Great crocodile, 5. Golden Seal grass, 6. Great snapping turtle, 7. Hawksbill turtle, 8. Bigleaf mahogany, 9. Green-cheeked parrot, 10. Marco shark). The giant snapping turtle has long been an important member of the Red Book of the World's Endangered Wildlife Conservation List. [2]

Population status

It has lost its habitat due to human hunting and is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

value

economic value

Snapping turtles have been introduced to China and successfully bred in captivity. It is famous for its strong body and meaty in the world, so it is also called the meat turtle, it is a rare and superb turtle, with the characteristics of high meat yield, rich nutrition, fast growth rate and high economic value. Its meat yield ranks first among turtles, and the meat is delicate, crispy, delicious and odorless.

Medicinal value

The tonic effect is very obvious, it can help the yang channel, replenish yin and blood, and benefit the essence and qi, and the essence and blood deficiency, fatigue and weakness, long-term paralysis and weakness, and tuberculosis and cough are all effective. It is also especially suitable for postpartum tonic, anemia, insomnia and mental decline. ** They also have certain medicinal value.

Ornamental value

Snapping turtles have a high ornamental value, according to the ordinary seedlings sold in the market, the current price of Buddha snapping turtles is the most expensive, followed by real snapping turtles, mixed Buddha snapping turtles, and North American snapping turtles. And Central America, South America seedlings are more expensive because of the introduction of less, and the price of mutated seedlings is because of its beautiful appearance and less quantity The price is always high, and the price of domestic individuals because of their excellent appearance and the careful care of the breeders is very considerable, not to say that the hormone turtles in the farm can be compared, and the turtles in the farm are mostly sent to restaurants for people to eat, and the domestic individuals as pets can not be generalized.

Raised in captivity

Snapping turtles can successfully breed in the country most of the only North American snapping turtles, and most of the Buddha snapping turtles and true snapping turtles are imported from abroad, can breed domestically few breeders, snapping turtles are the world's many turtle breeds of the leader, for its highest meat yield (85% ~ 89%) famous in the world. Its meat is delicate and crispy, and its nutritional value far exceeds that of pig, beef and mutton. It is a treasure all over the body, meat, liver, gall bladder, blood, bone have a variety of medicinal health effects, flexible and smooth leather can be made into precious leather handbags, leather bags, etc. Therefore, there is a lot to be done in the active development of snapping turtle farming. The price of a snapping turtle per kilogram is 800 yuan ~ 1000 yuan, and there is no goods available.

Because of its domineering appearance, snapping turtles are favored by turtle lovers in China, so they are kept as pets, they do not like to bite compared to snapping turtles, but they will bite when threatened, and bite without mouth, can easily bite off fingers.

In some states in the United States, such as California, where they are not naturally distributed, they are generally prohibited from being raised. Many people abandoned this ferocious pet in pools or rivers because they no longer wanted to have it. At Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan, in August 2012, while cleaning up the silt at Chung Hsing Lake, two snapping turtles were found in the lake, which had been released before 2002, and the turtles grew to half a meter long and weighed 20 kilograms because of the abundance of food in the lake. These practices will bring harm to the native species in the release site, so it is resolute not to release them. First of all, it is important to emphasize that the giant snapping turtle is a very timid animal, so don't be fooled by his fierce appearance. The newly bought snapping turtle should first be placed in a quiet and dark place to let it get used to it for a while, so that it can get familiar with its surroundings. Particular attention should be taken to avoid vibrations as much as possible. Large snapping turtles are particularly sensitive to shocks. [2]

It is normal for the big snapping turtle that has just entered not to eat, most turtles have to eat first, the big snapping turtle must be alive to eat, live small fish, small loaches can be, and when you see it start to open its mouth to fish, the food is considered a success. But you come up and feed it raw meat, as if no snapping turtle would eat it. I have been raising snapping turtles for 11 years, and I have never seen them eat raw meat in the first place. Although the giant snapping turtle is a deep-water turtle, it also needs to bask in the sun, which will have a great effect on the absorption of nutrients from the dorsal carapace. It's a high aquatic turtle, which is good, but it can't swim and can only crawl on the bottom. So the water can't be too deep, too deep will drown. The depth of the water is generally two to three times the height of its back armor. The water temperature is around 28 degrees, which is the best temperature for it to grow.

There is also a big snapping turtle itself that doesn't like to move, it's just like that, normal. If you've ever had a leaf turtle, you'll find it even lazier than a large snapping turtle. Then there is the fact that age cannot be judged by the length of its dorsal armor. Its growth rate depends entirely on how much it is fed and how fast it is fed. So its growth is not exactly proportional to the time.

In order to adapt to the consumption trend of people's favor for green food, the new technology of green breeding of snapping turtles is introduced as follows:

Turtle pond construction

Choose a place with convenient water source, no pollution, convenient transportation but quiet to build a pool. Its shape is the cement plastering pool with rectangular arc angle in the east-west direction or the earthen pool of the same shape but the external construction of the anti-escape wall is appropriate, and the area of each pool is tens of square meters ~ hundreds of square meters; The depth of the pool is 1.2 meters ~ 1.5 meters, the water depth is 30 cm ~ 80 cm, the bottom of the pool has a slope of 10 ° ~ 16 degrees from north to south, and the lowest part is provided with a drainage pipe mouth with an anti-escape net cover; The corners of the pool are all rounded arcs, and they are covered with anti-escape plates; The periphery of the turtle pond is built with an anti-escape wall, the wall is 1 meter high, a door is left on one side of the wall, and the top of the wall can also be added to the anti-escape pressure plate ("T" shaped anti-escape wall) that goes out of the eaves in the pool. A jack with a diameter of 2 cm ~ 3 cm should be left at the top of the perimeter escape wall every 0.6 meters or so. On the highest water mark of the cement pool wall outside, several overflow holes are left. The newly built cement pool has alkaline substances, and the walls and bottom of the pool can be brushed with 10% glacial acetic acid, soaked for 1 ~ 2 days after being filled with water, and then used the same method to eliminate alkali once after being discharged, and then rinsed with clean water and filled with new water. Before raising turtles, it is necessary to use 15×10-6~20×10-6 bleaching powder or 1×10-6 "strong chlorine" to sprinkle disinfection and sterilization on the whole pool, and the turtle species can be stocked after 2 days.

In order to help prevent heatstroke and cool down, increase shelter and purify water quality, water peanuts, water hyacinth and other plants should be planted in the pool, and its area should not exceed 1/4~1/3 of the total area of the pool;

In addition to the above general conditions, artificially creating an optimal growth temperature for snapping turtles is an important measure to intensify turtle rearing. At low temperature, the water (gas) is heated by a smokeless boiler to maintain the turtle pond water at about 30 °C and the air temperature at about 31 °C; It is also possible to use temperature automatic control instrument and electric heating device to achieve constant temperature intensive feeding.

Turtle species are stocked

The use of high-density green aquaculture is a new technology to obtain high benefits, and it is also an inevitable trend in the development of turtle farming. Its initial stocking density (about 200 g/piece) is 24 / square meter ~ 27 / square meter, and it should be about 5 kg / square meter by weight, but with the rapid growth of snapping turtle individuals, attention should be paid to reducing the density in time. When the average specification reaches 350 grams/piece~400 grams/piece, it should be reduced to 20 pieces/square meter~22 pieces/square meter; When the average size reaches 500 grams/piece, it can be stocked at 15 pieces/square meter ~ 17 pieces/square meter; When 600 grams/piece, 12 pieces/square meter ~ 14 pieces/square meter are stocked; 700g/pcs should be 10/m²~12/m²; 800g/pcs is 8pcs/m²~9pcs/m².

Feed feeding

It is recommended to use SDG snapping turtle special green compound feed (protein content of more than 48%). When modulating, the ingredients are weighed on site, and the total weight of the ingredients is 5%~10% photosynthetic bacteria and about 45% of the water is added to make long particles with a particle size of 2 mm ~ 3 mm. If conditions permit, it can be made into floating extruded pellet feed, which has a better effect.

The feeding amount of compound feed is 1.5%~2.5% of the total weight of snapping turtles and 5%~10% of fresh feed. Feeding 3 times a day, respectively at 6 o'clock ~ 7 o'clock, 12 o'clock ~ 13 o'clock, 17 o'clock ~ 18 o'clock. The feeding should be more and even, and try to make the sound of the feed when it enters the water. Do not concentrate in one place, resulting in piles of feed. The number of feed tables in each pool should be determined according to the size of the pool, generally 3~4 per square meter.

Water quality regulation

In view of the high-density intensive turtle breeding conditions, the turtle's food intake and excrement are more, and the water temperature is higher, even if the feed is green feed, the pollution rate of water quality is also faster, and the water body is easy to produce more harmful substances, especially H2S is more harmful, and by splashing and bottom application of photosynthetic bacteria, the water quality can be effectively improved and harmful substances can be reduced. Each time a new pool water is filled, 10×10-6~15×10-6 photosynthetic bacteria are applied at the same time; Water change is also an effective way to adjust the water quality, the water depth can be changed once a day for about 20 cm, and the water depth of 30 cm can be changed once every 2 days. Do not change the water for many days, and do not make the water smell. Quicklime can be sprinkled every 7 days ~ 10 days, with a concentration of 70×10-6, and pay attention to cross-application with photosynthetic bacteria, not at the same time.

Water temperature control

The scientific regulation of water temperature directly affects the weight gain and survival rate of adult turtle breeding, and the growth rate of snapping turtles is several times slower than the optimal growth water temperature of 30 °C~31 °C under the condition of 18 °C ~ 20 °C for a long time. Therefore, it is important to keep the water temperature of turtle breeding within 30°C~31°C. On the other hand, when the turtle pond is changing the water or exposed to the outside world happens to encounter bad weather such as heavy rain or sudden temperature changes, it should be taken in time to avoid water temperature changes greater than 2°C.

disease control

Snapping turtles are generally less diseased, but they are susceptible to indigestion under high-density breeding conditions, and can be fed bait containing multi-enzyme tablets (2 tablets per kilogram of turtles). Traumatic diseases can be disinfected with iodine tincture cotton wool, and it will be cured in 2~4 days after applying anti-inflammatory muscle building cream.

Juvenile turtle rearing

The newly hatched juvenile turtle should be sterilized with 10% salt water after the umbilical cord converges and placed in a container with a water temperature of 25-30, and the water is changed 3 times a day, and after 3 days, it can be fed with a mixture of cooked eggs and cooked millet. After about 50 days, feed chopped small fish, snails, mussels, offal and scraps. After 90 days, it can be transferred to the cement pond for feeding.

Adult turtle rearing

The feed of adult turtles is mainly small fish, snails, mussel meat, animal offal and scraps, supplemented by some soaked wheat, crushed corn, vegetables, aquatic plants, etc. It is also necessary to add vitamins, trace elements and calcium. Feed at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day, change the water once every 7 days in spring and autumn, and change the water once every 3 days in summer. After the end of October, it enters the hibernation period.

It generally grows 500-1000 grams per year. Heated breeding in winter, the annual weight gain is as high as 700-1400 grams. It can be sold at 1000 grams, and the benefits are amazing. Small-scale breeding of 10-12 can increase the annual weight by about 5-10 kilograms, at least 5000-10000 yuan, and the benefits are considerable.

Distribution

North America

(NorthAmerican(Common)SnappingTurtle)

Scientific name: Chelydraserpentinaserpentina

Body length: usually can grow to 30~40cm, the maximum can be more than 50cm. It is the largest of the four subspecies

Origin: It is widely produced, mainly in southern and eastern Canada, and extends to the eastern part of the United States, Florida Peninsula to Texas.

Suitable growth temperature: 22~28°C

Predatory: The larvae can be fed in a variety of ways, such as small fish, shrimp, bread worms and any water, turtle feed, etc.

When an adult is an animal, it will hunt all small animals in the water or on the shore, and as long as it can swallow it, it is its prey.

Morphological micro:

It is the most common of the four subspecies, and most of the commonly found snapping turtles in the market. The neck is a raised sarcoma. The dorsal carapace is slightly raised and has a serrated edge at the back and is square and round, and the color is dark, and the dorsal carapace is generally narrow in front and wide in the back. The width of the third vertebral shield is not more than one-third of the width of the whole dorsal armor, which is narrower than that of the second rib shield. The length of the anterior page of the ventral carapace does not exceed 40% of its dorsal carapace. The head is short, the snout is slightly pointed, and there are usually black stripes on the upper and lower jaws. In general, the dorsal carapace of juveniles is black or black-brown, and turns brown and gray-brown when adults. The ventral carapace is usually black, red, orange-red or with red, orange-red spots. The larvae of this subspecies are bold and fearless, active in temperament, relatively docile and hardy.

It lays about 17~60 white spherical eggs, the diameter of the eggs is 3-4cm, and the natural incubation is about 55~125 days, but the basic incubation period of temperature control is about 2 months.

Fozhou

(FloridaSnappingTurtle)

Scientific name: Chelydraserpentinaosceola Body length: about 30~40cm, up to 50cm

Origin: Mainly produced in Florida and South Georgia

Habitat: Found mainly in swamps, ponds or lakes, with some slower rivers flowing.

Suitable growth temperature: 22~32°C

Predatory: The larvae can be fed in a variety of ways, such as small fish, shrimp, bread worms and any water, turtle feed, etc.

When an adult is an animal, it will hunt all small animals in the water or on the shore, and as long as it can swallow it, it is its prey.

Morphological micro:

The neck of the Crocodile is a distinctly protruding fleshy spine, the dorsal carapace is oblong and has no obvious bulge, the front is narrow and the back is wide, the back part is obviously jagged, and the color is generally light and yellowish brown. The length of the anterior page of the ventral carapace does not exceed 40% of the length of its dorsal carapace. The width of the anterior margin of the third vertebral shield is the same width or slightly wider than that of the second costal shield. The ventral carapace is generally plain yellow. The head is pointed and thin, and the eyes are closer to the snout. The barbed-like upper and lower beaks and three serrated ridges extend from the tip of the tail to the tail. It is a ferocious carnivore and eats a variety of wild animals. In the habitat, when people approach, the Crocodile will attack violently. The larvae of this subspecies are more timid, but the adults are quite fierce and aggressive, and the ferocity is much more ferocious than that of the North American subspecies. This subspecies prefers high temperatures

Reproduction:

The breeding season lasts from April to November, and from May to September, the female turtle will come ashore and burrow on her hind feet, and lay about 11~83 white spherical eggs, and the hatchlings can hatch in about 55~125 days (about late summer to spring of the following year).

South america

The full name is South American (Ecuador) snapping turtle (South American Snapping Turtle).

Scientific name: Chelydraserpentinaacutirostris

Body length: about 20~30cm, up to 41cm

Origin: Mainly distributed in the north of Honduras, the east of Nicaragua, to Costa Rica in Panama, across the Pacific Ocean to Colombia and Ecuador, and south to the Gulf of Eyakil.

Habitat: Found mainly in swamps, ponds or lakes, with some slower rivers flowing.

Temperature: 22~28°C

Predatory: The larvae can be fed in a variety of ways, such as small fish, shrimp, bread worms and any water, turtle feed, etc. When an adult is an animal, it will hunt all small animals in the water or on the shore, and as long as it can swallow it, it is its prey.

Morphological characteristics:

The overall appearance is very similar to that of the North American subspecies, but the Ecuadorian and Nicaraguan populations are also different due to their geographical distribution. Its nearly circular dorsal armor has slight protrusions that flatten as it grows. The third vertebral shield is smaller, no more than 25% of the length of the dorsal carapace, and some individuals of the genus Ecuador have small symmetrical protrusions on both sides of the rib shield where the neck shield is attached, while the Nicaraguan population is not easily seen, and is thought to be a common occurrence in turtles that grow entirely in South America, such as the Argentine snake neck and some kind of turtle with six vertebral shields. The dorsal carapace is olive-brown, dark brown, olive-gray or black. The length of the anterior page of the ventral carapace is more than 40% of the length of the dorsal carapace, and the ventral carapace is yellow, yellowish-brown, or gray, and the juvenile gastric carapace will have red spots. In juveniles, radial streaks or dots can be seen on the dorsal carapace. The lower jaw has three pairs of whisker-like protrusions, the first pair is large and the last two pairs are small. The neck is a raised sarcoma. The tail is prominently protruded in three rows. There are many protrusions on the flanks and limbs. In their habitat in the northern part of the habitat, snapping turtles sometimes hibernate and do not appear until the following spring, when the temperature rises. This subspecies is native to Central and South America, and it is not easy to obtain in the wild, and animal dealers rarely distribute it, so only the United States and Japan have sporadic imports to satisfy the preferences of a few collectors. P.S has four tentacles on the chin of Nicaraguan individuals, and the neck protrusion is relatively sharp compared to that of Ecuadorian individuals, and the carapace is darker in color, which is closer to the North American subspecies.

Reproduction:

Mating occurs in April and May every year, and about 30-40 eggs are laid in June, which are spherical in shape and 3-4cm in diameter. The incubation period is basically controlled at about 2 months, and mating will be carried out about 10 months before hibernation.

China and the United States

The full name is Mexican Snapping Turtle

Scientific name: Chelydraserpentinarossignoni

Body length: about 20~30cm, maximum 49cm.

Origin: Mainly distributed in southern Mexico, from the central Belacruz south to Guatemala to the Caribbean, Honduras. It is also divided into two populations, one native from Honduras and one from Mexico, which are similar in appearance to the Florida subspecies, especially those found in Honduras.

Habitat: Found mainly in swamps, ponds or lakes, with some slower rivers flowing.

Temperature: 22~28°C

Predatory: The larvae can be fed in a variety of ways, such as small fish, shrimp, bread worms and any water, turtle feed, etc.

When an adult is an animal, it will hunt all small animals in the water or on the shore, and as long as it can swallow it, it is its prey.

Morphological characteristics:

The overall color of the Mexican snapping turtle (including the ventral carapace, dorsal carapace, and skin) is darker than that of the other three subspecies. The dorsal carapace of the juvenile is dark gray to black, with white spots on the carapace of the border shield and white spots on the ventral carapace. There are two pairs of whisker-like protrusions on the lower jaw, which are very special and distinct. Like the camellia snapping turtle, the fleshy spines on the neck and other epidermis are thin and pointed, and they are very obvious. The head is broad and strong, the upper part is flat, dark brown, and the snout is narrow and slender. The dorsal carapace is rectangular and has no obvious bulge, and the third vertebral shield is the largest, accounting for 25% of the dorsal carapace. The anterior part of the ventral carapace accounts for more than 40% of the length of the dorsal carapace. This turtle species looks more domineering than the other subspecies, and is the rarest of the four subspecies. The carapace of the P.S. Mexican population is basically black, while the carapace of the Honduran population is relatively dark with brown color.

Reproduction:

Every year from April to June is the breeding season, and the female and male turtles will lay about 20~30 spherical eggs with a length of 3~4cm. The incubation period is about 60~90 days.

Species identification

Giant snapping turtle scientific name: Macroclemystemmincki, English name: AlligatorSnappingTurtle; The scientific name of the baby snapping turtle is Chelydra Serpentinasap., and the English name is CommonSnappingTurtle. Are large snapping turtles and baby snapping turtles the same breed? On a literal note, it's easy to get the misconception that the baby snapping turtle is the next generation of the big snapping turtle, or that the same species of snapping turtle is called a big snapping turtle and a small snapping turtle according to a certain size criterion, which is not the case.

The large snapping turtle Macroclemys and the small snapping turtle Chelydra Serpentinasap are two different species, the large snapping turtle is also known as the convex snapping turtle, the small snapping turtle is also known as the flat-backed snapping turtle, and the small snapping turtle has 4 subspecies: 1) Chelydraacutirostris South American snapping turtle, also known as false snapping turtle, 2) Chelydraosceola Florida snapping turtle, which can grow to 17 inches and weigh 45 pounds; 3) Chelydra rossignonii American snapping turtle, also known as rodent turtle; 4) Chelydraserpentina North American snapping turtle, also known as kowtow turtle.

Main differences:

The main difference between a large snapping turtle and a small snapping turtle is the protrusion of the shield on its back, which is always noticeable as it ages. The upper jaw of the large snapping turtle is like an olecranon, the hook is large, there are countless tentacles on the head, neck, and abdomen, there are 3 raised longitudinal ridges on the dorsal carapace, brown, each shield has protrusions, the abdominal carapace is brown, with an upper margin shield, the tail is long, and there is a worm-like appendage at the bottom of the mouth, often lying in the water, with the mouth open, and the appendage is used to lure nearby fish.

The upper jaw of the baby snapping turtle is hook-shaped, but the hook is small, the tentacles are only a few, the dorsal carapace is brownish-yellow or black-brown, there are 3 longitudinal ridges, the costal shield is slightly raised, and the ridges gradually wear out with time. The ventral carapace is grayish-white, without a shield on the upper margin, and the tail is slightly shorter, the most striking feature is a serrated ridge on the back of the tail, also known as the tail spines. The main difference between the large snapping turtle and the small snapping turtle is the protrusion of the shield on its back, which is always prominent with age, while the small snapping turtle is obvious in its juvenile and juvenile stages, and less prominent in the adult stage.

Exterior features

The difference between a large snapping turtle and a small snapping turtle is mainly manifested in six aspects:

1. Head, the head of the predator is more pointed, and the head of the small snapping turtle is more round. Large snapping turtles have an eagle-like upper jaw with a large hook, while small snapping turtles have a hook-like upper jaw but a small hook. The big snapping turtle can turn its head to attack other animals suddenly, and the small snapping turtle can turn its head with its body to look for the target of attack, or even chase and bite.

2. Mouth, the mouth of the large snapping turtle is longer than that of the small snapping turtle, and the tongue has a red structure, while the small snapping turtle does not have these characteristics.

3. Back carapace, the dorsal carapace of the large snapping turtle is obvious, while the carapace of the small snapping turtle is not obvious, almost flat, and the dorsal carapace looks relatively round. The large snapping turtle has 3 raised longitudinal ridges on its dorsal carapace, brown, each shield has a protrusion, the ventral carapace is brown, with an upper edge shield, and the dorsal carapace of the small snapping turtle is brownish-yellow or black-brown, with 3 longitudinal ridges, and the rib shield is slightly raised, and the ridges gradually wear out over time. 4. Abdomen, the abdomen of the large snapping turtle has countless tentacles, and the abdomen of the small snapping turtle has only a few tentacles, and the abdominal carapace is grayish-white, without a shield on the upper edge.

5. Tail, the tail of the large snapping turtle is longer, the tail of the small snapping turtle is shorter, and the back of the tail has a serrated ridge, also known as the tail spines.

6. Growth rate, the big snapping turtle grows slowly when it is a child, when it grows to 250 grams, the growth rate accelerates, under artificial temperature control conditions, from 250 grams to 2500 grams as long as 1 year, the largest individual in nature reaches more than 100 kilograms. Baby snapping turtles grow slowly below 50 grams, and it takes about 80 days to grow from 7 g to 50 grams, and it only takes 1 year for baby snapping turtles from about 50 grams to 2500 grams or 7 grams to grow to about 1500 grams on average under temperature control conditions. In its natural state, baby snapping turtles can grow to more than 23 kilograms. The difference in the growth rate of large snapping turtles and small snapping turtles is mainly caused by different habits, large snapping turtles are lazy and not good at active feeding, relying on the "tongue" that resembles an earthworm to lure small fish to "take the bait", small snapping turtles can take the initiative to feed, and the growth rate is naturally faster than that of large snapping turtles, so there are more small snapping turtles bred in China than large snapping turtles.

Living environment

Normal life at 2°C~38°C, normal overwintering above 1°C, shallow hibernation below 12°C, deep hibernation at 6°C, small activity at 15°C~17°C, normal feeding above 18°C, best activity and foraging at 20°C~33°C, best growth at 28°C~30°C, less movement above 34°C, and escape from the heat at the bottom and in the sediment.

Large snapping turtles and small snapping turtles have similar basic habits. Usually not aggressive in the water, but on land it can rush and bite. Fingers and toes are webbed, water-dwelling, inhabiting deep rivers, lakes, mud pools, and occasionally touching saltwater areas. Under the conditions of artificial breeding, snapping turtles have good adaptability to both shallow and deep water, but they should be given a shallow water environment due to their weak swimming ability in the juvenile stage. The diet of snapping turtles is mixed, carnivorous, mainly eating fish, shrimp, frogs, salamanders, small snakes, ducks, water birds, interfering with aquatic plants, and falling fruits. Likes nocturnal activities and feeding. The breeding habits of large snapping turtles and small snapping turtles are not exactly the same, the mating period of small snapping turtles in the United States is 4~11 months, eggs, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China spawning period of 5~8 months (high temperature areas can advance and extend the spawning time), generally 15~40 eggs per spawn, the actual situation varies according to the size and development of the parent turtle, in the reproductive season dissection can be seen 4 kg weight of the parent turtle with 80 eggs, including 20 hard-shell eggs. Multiple spawning in 1 year. The author has seen 9 kg of parent turtles lay 110 eggs a year, all of which are fertilized and hatched. The mating period of large snapping turtles in the United States is 2~4 months, and the spawning period is 4~6 months, with 10~52 eggs laid each time. Under natural conditions, the incubation period of large and small snapping turtle eggs is 9~18 weeks, and the incubation period will be longer when the weather is cold and dry. Artificial temperature control can shorten the hatching period of snapping turtle eggs, and the constant temperature of 32 °C can hatch after about 60 days.

class

Snapping turtle

The snapping turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. They are relatives of true snapping turtles, are large and aggressive, and have few natural predators other than alligators. It ranges from southern Canada to Ecuador and has four subspecies. They are:1. Chelydraserpentina North American snapping turtle, 2.Chelydraserpentinaosceola Florida snapping turtle, 3.Chelydraserpentinaacutirostris South American snapping turtle, 4.Chelydrarossignoni American snapping turtle.

Features: The head is large, the ventral carapace is smaller than the dorsal carapace, the tail is short, and the back has a distinct serrated protrusion. It is divided into 4 subspecies, mainly by the length of the range extending to the anterior edge of the ventral shield from the junction of the lingual and ventral plates below the abdominal carapace, and the width of the third pyramid and the protruding state of the head.

Habits: Snapping turtles inhabit freshwater environments and sometimes swim near the coast. Omnivorous, feeds on large and small animals and a variety of aquatic plants, feeds on large and small animals and a variety of aquatic plants, and has a strong tendency to walk nocturnally. During the spawning period, 11-83 spherical eggs can be laid at a time. [2]

Rodents

Two species of edible freshwater turtles in the family Chelydridae are named for their biting patterns. Found in North and Central America, it is known for its large and aggressive nature. Brownish yellow to black, rough dorsal carapace, small and cross-shaped ventral carapace, long tail, large head, hook-like lower palate. 20~40 eggs are laid each time. The shelled small tortoiseshell is about 2.5~4 cm (1~1.5 inches) long, and the meat is edible.

Common snapping turtle

Chelydraserpentina, also known as snapping turtle. Widely spread from Canada to Central America. It is characterized by a serrated ridge on the back of the tail, an average length of 20~30 cm (8~12 inches) on the back of the tail, and a weight of 4.5~16 kg (10~35 lbs). There are three longitudinal ridges on the dorsal carapace of young turtles, which gradually wear away with time. Hidden in the mudflats of shallow streams. Omnivorous. Usually not aggressive in the water, but on land it can rush and bite.

Big snapping turtle

Also known as large snapping turtles, snapping turtles, and alligator bite turtles, it is only found in the Mississippi River Valley in North America. is one of the most famous snapping turtles in the world. It retains the characteristics of the original turtle, with a peculiar mouth, dorsal armor shield, and red tongue. The upper and lower jaws at the front of the mouth are hooked, like an eagle's beak, and are so sharp that they can bite off human fingers. The dorsal armor shield is tan in color, the eyes are long on both sides of the mouth, small and spirited, and there are many fleshy protrusions on the head and neck. It has a bright red, bifurcated, worm-like fleshy process on its tongue that is connected to it by a rounded muscle in the middle. Both ends can be freely retracted and moved.

(Macrochelystemmincki) is the largest freshwater turtle in the United States, native to the southern and central regions of the United States. It is not easy to move, and there are 3 raised longitudinal ridges on the back. A is about 40~70 cm (16~28 inches) long, weighs about 18~70 kg (40~155 lbs), and has been recorded to be about 100 kg (200 lbs). There is a worm-like appendage at the bottom of the mouth, which often lies in the water, with its mouth open, and lures nearby fish through the appendage. Also eats plants. Snapping turtle fossils have been found in Miocene sediments in Europe and North America. The large snapping turtle is large, with a dorsal carapace of about 31 inches and can weigh up to 200 pounds.

Related information

Snapping turtle fossils have been found in Miocene sediments in Europe and North America. Unlike other animals in the plesiosauridae, the genus is found only in North America, and it is generally believed that there are only three effective species under it:

1. Extant snapping turtles

2. M. schmidti (extinct, grown in early and middle Miocene Nebraska) and

3. M. auffenbergi (extinct, grown in mid-Pliocene Florida).