noun
also snapping terrapin
1. : either of two large edible American aquatic turtles of the family Chelydridae with powerful jaws and a strong musky odor:
a. : a turtle ( Chelydra serpentina ) that has the head covered with smooth skin, has large plates in a double row on the underside of the tail, and is distributed from eastern Canada to Central America and Ecuador
b. : alligator snapper 1
2. : soft-shelled turtle
[s]snapping.jpg[/s] [
snapping turtle 1a
]