File:Alligator_snapping_turtle.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Alligator snapping turtle
Sign in to saveAlso known as Macrochelys temminckii
heaviest freshwater turtle in the world
OverviewAI-generated
The alligator snapping turtle, scientifically named *Macrochelys temminckii*, is a species of freshwater turtle. It belongs to the family Chelydridae and the order Testudines within the phylum Chordata. The taxon is classified under the genus *Macrochelys* and is endemic to the United States.
The species has an accepted taxonomic status, with the authority cited as (Troost, 1835). Its IUCN conservation status is listed as Endangered, a designation recorded in 2025. In captivity, the maximum longevity for this organism is 70.3 years.
Synthesized by Vinony from 28 facts across 7 sources: Wikidata, GBIF, Gbif Occ, WoRMS, IUCN Red List, Encyclopedia of Life, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Species
EndangeredGENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassCrocodylia
- OrderTestudines
- FamilyAlligatoridae
Maximum longevity: 70.3 years (captivity)
via GBIF · IUCN
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Macrochelys
- Image
- Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) by Sam Stukel, USFWS (52459090278).jpg
Show 8 more facts
- taxon rank
- species
- IUCN conservation status
- Endangered status
- taxon name
- Macrochelys temminckii
- Commons category
- Macrochelys temminckii
- Commons gallery
- Macrochelys temminckii
- taxon common name
- tartuga caimán
- endemic to
- United States
- short name
- M. temminckii
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
~17 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. They are the largest freshwater turtle in North America. The species is endemic to freshwater habitats in the United States. M. temminckii is one of the heaviest living freshwater turtles in the world. It is often associated with, but not closely related to, the common snapping turtle, which is in the genus Chelydra. The specific epithet temminckii is in honor of Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.
Taxonomy
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Alligator snapping turtle” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.