# Amazon mata mata (*Chelus fimbriata*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/amazon-mata-mata  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The amazon mata mata (Chelus fimbriata) is a reptile in the turtles and tortoises subgroup, placed in the family Chelidae. It belongs to the order Testudines, suborder Pleurodira and superfamily Cheloidea, within the class Reptilia and phylum Chordata. The scientific name Chelus fimbriata carries the authority (Schneider, 1783), and the species sits in the genus Chelus. Other English names include Mata mata, Matamata turtle, Amazon mata-mata, Amazonian mata mata and Amazonian mata-mata.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | up to 12 kg |
| Length | up to 95 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Longest recorded lifespan | 35.8 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | 12 – 28 |
| Reproduction | Eggs |
| Active | Day and night (cathemeral) |
| Lifestyle | Aquatic |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Reptilia
- order: Testudines
- family: Chelidae
- genus: Chelus
- species: *Chelus fimbriata* (Schneider, 1783)

Synonyms: *Chelys boulengerii*, *Testudo bi-spinosa*, *Testudo bispinosa*, *Testudo fimbria*, *Testudo fimbriata*, *Testudo matamata*, *Testudo rapara*, *Testudo raparara*, *Testudo raxarara*, *Testudo terrestris*, *Testudo torticollis*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the amazon mata mata?

The amazon mata mata is a reptile in the turtles and tortoises subgroup, belonging to the order Testudines.

### What is the scientific name of the amazon mata mata?

Its scientific name is Chelus fimbriata, in the genus Chelus.

### Who named the amazon mata mata and when?

The species name Chelus fimbriata carries the authority (Schneider, 1783).

### What family does the amazon mata mata belong to?

It belongs to the family Chelidae, in the superfamily Cheloidea and suborder Pleurodira.

### What are other names for the amazon mata mata?

Other English names are Mata mata, Matamata turtle, Amazon mata-mata, Amazonian mata mata and Amazonian mata-mata.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [ReptTraits: a comprehensive dataset of ecological traits in reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24572683.v4), CC BY 4.0, v1-2. Oskyrko, O., Mi, C., Meiri, S. et al. (2024) ReptTraits: a comprehensive dataset of ecological traits in reptiles. Scientific Data 11: 243. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03079-5. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24572683.v4
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Amazon mata mata (Chelus fimbriata). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/amazon-mata-mata