Alligator snapping turtle, Macroclemys temminckii

photo courtesy of qamla.com

The alligator snapping turtle is very large and has a massive head relative to its body. With a hooked jaw, strong claws and an extra row of scutes on its shell this turtle looks, and is, menacing.  They stay in the water most of the time, coming out primarily to nest and occasionally to bask in the sun.  Some believe that the alligator snapping turtle is extirpated in Indiana, but it may be found at a critically imperiled level in the southern part of the state.  It enjoys large, muddy rivers and usually crawls along the bottom instead of swimming.  The threats for this turtle are pollution, habitat alteration, and human consumption.