|
Mata Mata Turtle
Order: Testudines
Family: Chelidae
Genus: Chelus
Species: fimbriatus
Range & Habitat
Northern South America, in such places as Brazil, Guianas and Venezuela. They live in muddy and shallow ponds, lakes and very slow-moving rivers.
Reproduction & Growth
The Mata Mata nesting takes place during October and December. They lay 12-28 eggs in river beaches or on high land near the banks of small waterways. The eggs incubate in 2-4 months at 28 degrees celcius. The hatchlings are about three inches long. The new born turtles are usually golden yellow or orange and the adults are usually brown or black. There is no maternal care for the young. The mata mata turtle can live up to 10 1/2 years in the wild. It does well in captivity, too. As adults, the mata mata turtle may grow to be about seventeen and a half inches long. The females can weigh up to 27 pounds.
Diet
In the Wild: Fish and aquatic invertebrates
In the Zoo: Fish
General Information
The Mata Mata Turtle is not a very good swimmer, but they walk along the bottom of the stream, sitting very still in the water where they are camouflaged by their color and shape. Their noses have a tubular extension that allows the animal to breathe while remaining totally submerged. The Mata Mata Turtle is often mistaken for rocks or sunken logs. Their brown, black, golden yellow, and orange shells give them this appearance. They are also mistaken for algae. Their unique skin texture gives them this look. The Mata Mata Turtle looks almost identical to the Alligator Turtle, even some experienced scientists have gotten them mixed up. Camouflaged, they capture their food by opening their mouths, thereby expanding their throat, which causes a big rush of water, sucking prey into their mouths. Next the turtle's mouth drains the water out, swallowing the prey whole. The Mata Mata Turtle has rippling flaps on both sides of its neck that are thought to contain sensitive nerve endings that the turtle uses to detect prey even in murky waters. These turtles are in danger because of habitat loss.
Click here to learn about Animal Care.
|
