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laura-worldwide — Alligator Snapping Turtle

Published: 2008-03-26 05:53:45 +0000 UTC; Views: 5455; Favourites: 44; Downloads: 1799
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Description Taken: March 24th, 2008 in Monroe at the Reptile Zoo.

The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is the largest freshwater turtle in the world. It is a larger and slightly less aggressive relative of the Common Snapping Turtle.

Description
The alligator snapping turtle is characterized by a large, heavy head and a long, thick tail with three dorsal ridges of large scales (osteoderms) giving it a primitive appearance reminiscent of some of the plated dinosaurs. They can be immediately distinguished from the common snapper by the three distinct rows of spikes and raised plates on the carapace, whereas the common snapper has a smoother carapace. They are a solid gray, brown, black, or olive-green in color, and often covered with algae. They have radiating yellow patterns around the eyes, serving to break up the outline of the eye and keep the turtle camouflaged. Their eyes are also surrounded by a star-shaped arrangement of fleshy filamentous "eyelashes."

There is an unverified report of a 403-pound alligator snapping turtle found in the Neosho River in Kansas in 1937,[2] but the largest one actually on record is 236 lb, and housed at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois. They generally do not grow quite that large. Average adult size is around 26 inches shell length with a weight of 175 lb. Males are typically larger than females
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Comments: 63

kolorful-klutz [2011-01-25 03:29:58 +0000 UTC]

WOAH. JUST WOAH.

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kolorful-klutz [2011-01-25 03:29:58 +0000 UTC]

WOAH. JUST WOAH.

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kolorful-klutz [2011-01-25 03:29:57 +0000 UTC]

WOAH. JUST WOAH.

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chuginkoolaid13ROCKZ [2010-12-29 07:40:54 +0000 UTC]

wow this thing is really badass!

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Goldleo [2009-08-11 17:01:37 +0000 UTC]

Cool capture! That's a really tough shot!

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boydrifter2006 [2009-03-30 19:31:20 +0000 UTC]

Cute yes. But also dangerous with that beak !

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laura-worldwide In reply to boydrifter2006 [2009-04-12 20:44:15 +0000 UTC]

Sure bloody is!

Laura

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azzurro360 [2009-03-26 01:22:59 +0000 UTC]

i love turtles but this one's scary

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laura-worldwide In reply to azzurro360 [2009-04-13 05:39:53 +0000 UTC]

I agree.

Happy Easter!
Laura
xoxo

P.S. - Sorry for the late reply, college is crazy right now!

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dark-princess-x [2009-03-25 19:03:08 +0000 UTC]

pretty cool

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laura-worldwide In reply to dark-princess-x [2009-04-13 05:45:44 +0000 UTC]

Thanks love.

Happy Easter!
Laura
xoxo

P.S. - Sorry for the late reply, college is crazy right now!

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dark-princess-x In reply to laura-worldwide [2009-04-13 06:54:20 +0000 UTC]

Happy easter 2;
&nd I don't mind 'bout the late reply,
kind of you, you reply anyway...

xx

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LadyLiena [2009-03-25 16:42:01 +0000 UTC]

big-guy!!! i love how you put the info on the animals with the picture.that's nice.

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laura-worldwide In reply to LadyLiena [2009-04-13 05:47:50 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad you like it.

Laura
xoxo

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LadyLiena In reply to laura-worldwide [2009-04-13 22:47:01 +0000 UTC]

yeah!

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bluefam [2009-03-23 07:08:48 +0000 UTC]

so cute.

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laura-worldwide In reply to bluefam [2009-04-17 01:35:40 +0000 UTC]

thank you.

Have a great weekend!
Laura
xoxo

P.S. - Sorry for the late reply, college is crazy right now!

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Maby8 [2009-03-21 03:54:34 +0000 UTC]

Awesome.

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laura-worldwide In reply to Maby8 [2009-04-17 02:54:01 +0000 UTC]

thank you love.

Have a great weekend!
Laura
xoxo

P.S. - Sorry for the late reply, college is crazy right now!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Maby8 In reply to laura-worldwide [2009-04-17 03:10:05 +0000 UTC]

Please do not apologize. You owe me nothing. I am merely and simply thankful for the reply. Enjoy your weekend.

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JIMCAREYPHOTOGRAPHY [2009-02-09 03:05:35 +0000 UTC]

we have a common snapper up my way, anout 100 years old, that is as big as that first turtle you mentioned

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laura-worldwide In reply to JIMCAREYPHOTOGRAPHY [2009-02-09 03:59:28 +0000 UTC]

Hmmmm... what is the first turtle I mentioned, nothing is coming to mind.

Thanks for clarifying dear,
Laura

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JIMCAREYPHOTOGRAPHY In reply to laura-worldwide [2009-02-09 12:59:06 +0000 UTC]

the common, more aggressive, snapping turtle

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laura-worldwide In reply to JIMCAREYPHOTOGRAPHY [2009-02-09 21:32:31 +0000 UTC]

Oh, got it. Thanks for clarfying that.

Laura

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Slave-To-The-System [2009-01-05 08:21:16 +0000 UTC]

This is a really awesome shot. Good job.

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laura-worldwide In reply to Slave-To-The-System [2009-01-06 01:04:42 +0000 UTC]

Thanks love, I really appreciate the support. It's as simple as that.

Have a great 2009!
Laura

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Slave-To-The-System In reply to laura-worldwide [2009-01-06 22:33:47 +0000 UTC]

Haha, you're welcome. Everyone needs support.

And you, too! Have a nice new year.

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jayshree [2009-01-01 00:33:40 +0000 UTC]

that is one scary looking dude or dudette. lol

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laura-worldwide In reply to jayshree [2009-01-04 20:06:39 +0000 UTC]

It was trying to bite me through the glass. Mean thing.

Have a happy 2009!
Laura

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jayshree In reply to laura-worldwide [2009-01-04 20:49:45 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, well as far as I've seen, they don't have the most "pleasant" personalities. lol

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laura-worldwide In reply to jayshree [2009-01-04 20:59:21 +0000 UTC]

No they sure don't.

Laura

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onin67 [2008-03-27 01:24:08 +0000 UTC]

wow this pic ir really amazing
great shot !

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 01:27:54 +0000 UTC]

thank you, so how has your day been so far?

laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 01:29:56 +0000 UTC]

Hey Laura ! nice to see u here
well my day was good... i went to the office, and now i'm in my house
how was ur day?

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 01:32:56 +0000 UTC]

Went to Tokyo's japanese steak house with my mother out to lunch. Then we were going to see a moive, but we missed it! So we went shopping instead.

Then came home and now its SNOWING in the springtime!!!! Really, really hard!

But really pretty.

Laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 01:45:02 +0000 UTC]

ohhh that sounds pretty good !
here we no have snow, hehehe we must travel like 3 hours from Lima to see snow !
so... was a great day too that's good
what r u doing now?

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 01:47:04 +0000 UTC]

just sitting in my room and surfing the internet on my laptop and eating an orange!

You?

laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 01:58:29 +0000 UTC]

well... i'm thinking about you and surfing the net too... and in a few minutes go for my dinner

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 02:02:18 +0000 UTC]

what time is it over there?

dinner already?

its 7p.m. wednesday here?

laura
xoxo

And I hoping when I got on here I'd have a message from you waiting for me!

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 02:15:02 +0000 UTC]

here is 9.13 pm wednesday .... in Lima, Peru
where are u? and what time is it right now?

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 02:17:05 +0000 UTC]

Seattle, Washington (U.S.)

and It is around 7:15p.m. ish...

kind of late to be eatting dinner, isn't it?

laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 02:22:45 +0000 UTC]

nop is normal here dinner at 9 or 10 pm
the luch is about 2-3pm
and breakfast at 7.30 am

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 02:27:53 +0000 UTC]

I'd starve to death!

Just kidding.

Will you be on later?

laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 02:28:33 +0000 UTC]

yep Laura... i hope see u later... if u want
ok?

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 02:37:51 +0000 UTC]

yeah, I'll on and off here like always tonight.

Just send me a message when you're finished, k?

laura
xoxo

Oh and what are we having for dinner today ^_^.

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 02:41:15 +0000 UTC]

spaguetti !
wait me....

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 03:50:55 +0000 UTC]

yummy ^_^.... I love pasta.

I'm going to go get a snack, be back in like 5mins.

laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 03:56:11 +0000 UTC]

OK Laurita
the spaguetti was delicious !

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laura-worldwide In reply to onin67 [2008-03-27 04:20:38 +0000 UTC]

hey I'm gonna to go watch T.V. with my little brother.

If I'm not on later I'll be on tomorrow...k?

laura
xoxo

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onin67 In reply to laura-worldwide [2008-03-27 04:26:00 +0000 UTC]

Ok, no worry
have a nice day tomorrow !

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