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Chelydra Serpentina

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Powerful and aggressive, the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, is a heavy-bodied species with a distinctive prehistoric aspect. The genus name, Chelydra, means “water serpent,” while the species name, serpentina, means “snake-like” (Ernst, et al., n.d.). A member of the chelonian family Chelydridae, the common snapping turtle was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish botanist and zoologist Carolus Linnaeus. Currently regarded as having stable population levels, the species is, nevertheless, heavily exploited with documented population declines in some portions of its range. Identification Range and Habitat Subspecies The chelonian scientific community currently recognizes two subspecies of C. serpentina, namely C. s. osceola

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