alligator snapping turtle

noun

1. a large American snapping turtle, Macroclemys temmincki, having three prominent ridges on its shell and a wormlike process on the floor of the mouth used to attract prey.

Word History and Origins

Origin of alligator snapping turtle¹

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

Example Sentences

The alligator snapping turtle discovered in Cumbria is off to a specialist reptile centre, with vets warning people against trying to get one for themselves.

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A small alligator snapping turtle pulled from a lake in Cumbia has been nicknamed Fluffy.

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An invasive alligator snapping turtle has been pulled from a Cumbrian tarn.

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What kind of person decides to let an alligator snapping turtle bite their rump? — the formula for a successful segment, Steve-O explained, is pretty simple.

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The service proposed threatened status in April for the related Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, found in the Suwannee River basin in Georgia and Florida.

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