Environment
Where are Alligator Snapping Turtles found (country/countries)?
Exclusively found in the United States
How many phalluses does the male Alligator Snapping Turtle have?
2
What are Turtles hunted for?
Jewelry and decoration. Harvested as food for local consumption in tropical areas.
What does the alligator snapping turtle have in common to other turtles?
The alligator snapping turtle has an outer shell to protect themselves.
What is their ideal habitat?
Fresh water, with Tree root masses, stumps, and submerged trees.
At what age/ages do/does the Alligator Snapping Turtle reach sexual maturity?
11-13 years of age
What are reptiles commonly used for?
food and ecological services, medical products and leather goods
When did the first reptiles appear?
300 million years ago during the Carboniferous Period
What do Alligator Snapping Turtles eat and how do they catch their food?
They need to capture food for themselves or scavenge for food. They have a piece of flesh on their tongue that looks like a work to help lure in prey. They also have a very strong bite force.
How many clutches does the female Alligator Snapping Turtle lay a year, and how many eggs are in one clutch?
1 clutch every 1-2 years and 10-60 eggs in each
What material has become popular for jewelry and decoration?
Tortoiseshell
How long can an Alligator Snapping Turtle stay submerged underwater for?
Can submerged underwater for 40 to 50 minutes
How do Alligator Snapping Turtles use their snouts to their advantage?
They like to submerge themselves underneath the mud to stay cool. Their snouts allow them to almost full submerge and still be able to breathe.
What is extrapulmonary respiration?
when water passes across a specialized membrane inside the turtle’s mouth. ability to extract oxygen from the water/mud
What do reptiles provide biologists and scientists with
An abundance of unexpected and lifesaving information.
The alligator snapping turtle is unable to hide deep into their shell, but what do they do to counter this?
The alligator snapping turtles have a more aggressive nature than the average turtle to deter their predators, as well as their shell having pronounced horns.
How do Alligator Snapping Turtles use the environment to their advantage?
Developed a unique hunting technique
-They have a bright red tongue with a worm shaped piece of flesh attached to it to lure in their prey to mistaken its tongue for a worm.
Camouflage into their environment
-They use algae to cover up their shells
How many loop systems and heart chambers are in the Alligator Snapping Turtles circulatory system?
2 loops and 3 heart chambers that is surrounded by a pericardial membrane
What kind of predators are alligators snapping turtles
They are apex predators, playing an important role in the ecosystems they inhabit by controlling populations of their main prey species and clean up their habitat by feeding on carrion.
How long ago and what period did the first reptile fossils appear?
About 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous Period.