Hobbies And Interests
Shell
Compared to the upper shell, or carapace, the lower shell -- the plastron -- of the alligator snapping turtle is relatively small. The plastron is gray, while the larger carapace is black or brown. It features three distinct rows of ridges that go from the front of the shell to the back, reports Outdoor Alabama. The edge of the shell on both males and females possesses rows of serrations. Carapace lengths vary between 15 and 26 inches.
Head
Alligator snapping turtles, male and female alike, have wide jaws that are quite strong. The head is unusually large and forms a hooked beak at the end, resembling that of a bird of prey. The alligator snapping turtle uses its beak to capture its prey. Alligator snapping turtles have a special appendage attached to their tongues. They can wiggle it like a worm with their mouth open, tricking curious aquatic creatures such as fish close enough to be able to snap their mouth shut quickly and secure them.
More Characteristics
The muscular tail of the alligator snapping turtle is the same length in the male and female. The webbed feet have large claws and they aid the turtle in swimming. Algae often grows on the alligator snapping turtle, giving it a natural camouflage as it sits and waits for prey to swim close by. The skin on the neck of this reptile is yellow-brown, but the head, neck and front legs are brownish.
Female Behavior
During May, the female alligator snapping turtle makes a laborious journey onto land, as far as 70 yards from the edge of the water in which they reside. The female turtle digs a hole with her feet and then lays between 10 and 50 legs in it. She buries the eggs with leaves, dirt and/or sand and makes her way back into the water. The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the hatchlings, notes the Chicago Zoological Society. High or low temperatures as the eggs incubate result in females, while moderate readings generate males. Even when they hatch, at lengths of 1 1/2 inches, the two sexes look alike.