SNAKE-NECKED TURTLE

any member of the family Chelyidae. Snake-necked turtles, like side-necked turtles (Pelomedusidae), withdraw the head by bending the neck sideways, rather than retracting it backward into the shell as other turtles do. About 10 genera and 35 species of snake-necked turtles are found in South America, Australia, and New Guinea. Some members of the family have exceedingly long, snakelike necks. The species Chelodina longicollis is a docile, long-necked, brown or black turtle with a shell about 12 centimetres (5 inches) long. It is the best known of the snake-necked turtles native to the Australian region. One of the most unusual of turtles is the matamata (Chelus fimbriatus), a South American member of the Chelyidae. The matamata grows to a shell length of about 3040 cm, has webbed feet, a large but weak-jawed mouth, and a rough, bumpy shell. Its eyes are small and set far forward, and the snout extends as a proboscis. The flat head and the long, flat neck are covered with numerous fringelike projections of skin. The matamata is aquatic and feeds on fishes and crustaceans. It catches its food by opening its mouth suddenly and drawing the prey into its mouth in a rush of water. Other members of the family Chelyidae include Emydura of New Guinea and Australia and the long-necked Hydromedusa of South America.