Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Alligator snapping turtle?

I photographed this turtle walking on the bottom of a shallow muddy pond. I have never seen such a knobby and shapely shell on a mature snapper(there isn't much for scale, but this is a huge turtle). I find lots of big breeder size common snappers in this same pond and they always seems much smoother.

Thanks for your opinions,
Adam

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Adam Schroeder

Yes, it's an Alligator Snapping Turtle. Your multiple photos make it much easier to be sure. The three distinct keels on the back and, in the last photo, the noticeably pointed snout are good field I.D. marks, and the size, of course. Where was it and how big do you think it was? They are generally found in the Mississippi River drainage system, which covers a lot of territory, and some other "Southern" rivers.

Looks like a common with a knobby shell to me, nothing out of the ordinary. Ive kept both common and ally snappers. Head position is too far out and too tilted up to be an ally. The eyes to the tip of the nose is too short to be an ally. Looks like a well fed (actively searching for food in the pics too) common snapper.

You’re wrong.

Of course i am. I have been keeping and breeding both species for over 15 years, but i never paid attention to the details..... lol

odyssey is right it is without any doubt an ally.....bet my house on it....

Not a turtle expert, but have worked with reptiles for 30 years and keep an ally. When I saw the first photo I thought "ally", then the second and thought "geez weird head shap for an ally" and the third pic confirm at least to me it's a common because of the head shape and the way its holding its head out of the water.

Looks like a common snapper to me also. 2nd pic shows a good shot of the head and face which is too compact to be an ally, they have much longer snout/beaks while commons have a short compact face.

I know this thread is old, but I'm shocked that anyone is saying this is a common snapper. There's no question about it. It's an alligator snapper. I'm shocked that anyone would claim to have any knowledge about snappers and say the turtle in the pics is a common snapper. There's literally about 10 obvious signs in the pic that it's an AST. You can even see the small "spikes" that cover the neck and head area. Common snappers don't have those. Common snappers do not have 3 distinct ridges on the shell either. This is like turtles 101, people. Wow.