Other Definitions
alligator snapping turtle (dict)
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Alligator Snapping Turtle
The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macroclemys temminckii) is a larger and more aggressive relative of the common snapping turtle. It is characterized by a large, heavy head and a thick tail with a dorsal ridge of large scales which gives it a primitive appearance reminiscent of some of the plated dinosaurs. Like the common snapping turtle, the alligator snapping turtle lives in a largely aquatic environment. Its natural diet consists primarily of small fish and amphibians. Although some people have raised alligator snapping turtles as pets, keeping them in a bathtub or children's wading pool, this practice cannot be recommended. The alligator snapping turtle's aggressive temperament makes handling it exceedingly dangerous, particularly to children or to other household pets. Furthermore, removing alligator snapping turtles from the wild damages the ecosystems from which they are taken, and is illegal in many jurisdictions.
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