snapping turtle
Aggressive shelled reptile
A snapping turtle is a large freshwater turtle native to North America, known for its powerful hooked jaws and aggressive defensive behavior when threatened on land.
Snapping turtles can deliver a painful bite and are best left alone: We spotted a snapping turtle crossing the road.
The common snapping turtle and the larger alligator snapping turtle are the two main species.
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- plastronVentral shell portion
- scutesHorny epidermal plates
- shellHard outer covering
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
claws · tail · scales · armor · ridged · keratin · neck · retractable
Pierce with teeth
- lungeSudden forward movement
- jawsMouth's bony framework
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
territorial · ambush · attack · predator · ferocious · dangerous · powerful · aggressive
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- cold-bloodedUnfeeling or externally heated
- herpetologyStudy of reptiles, amphibians
- chelonianTurtle family member
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
longevity · omnivore · scavenger · carrion · eggs · nesting · hatchling · conservation
Small still body
- swampWaterlogged land with vegetation
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- wetlandWaterlogged land ecosystem
muddy · bottom-dwelling · submerged · lake · river · stream · basking · aquatic plants
Very old indeed
- primitiveIn earliest form
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
archaic · prehistoric · living fossil · unchanged · Mesozoic · ancestral
carapace
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
beak · claws · tail · scales · armor · ridged · keratin · neck · retractable · jaw
bite
Pierce with teeth
defensive · territorial · ambush · attack · predator · ferocious · dangerous · powerful · aggressive · menacing
reptile
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- cold-bloodedUnfeeling or externally heated
- herpetologyStudy of reptiles, amphibians
- chelonianTurtle family member
species · longevity · omnivore · scavenger · carrion · eggs · nesting · hatchling · conservation
pond
Small still body
- swampWaterlogged land with vegetation
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
wetland · muddy · bottom-dwelling · submerged · lake · river · stream · basking · aquatic plants · sediment
ancient
Very old indeed
Cretaceous · archaic · prehistoric · living fossil · unchanged · Mesozoic · ancestral
snapping turtlelap dog
Small pet breed
golden retriever · lamb · domesticated animal · dove · bunny rabbit
snap, turtle, snapped, snaps, snapping, snapshot, turtles, snappish, unsnap