# Common snapping turtle (*Chelydra serpentina*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-snapping-turtle  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a reptile in the turtles and tortoises subgroup, belonging to the family Chelydridae in the order Testudines. It is a medium-sized turtle with a representative adult body mass of 4.5 kg, and our sources report adult weights from 3.9 to 5.2 kg. Its main foods are amphibia, aquatic plant, bird, carrion, fish, invertebrate, mammal and reptile. It produces 1 clutch per year with 26 eggs per clutch, the eggs incubate for 77.5 days, and the species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.88 kg – 5.17 kg |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | 39.9 years – 47 years |
| Main food | amphibia, aquatic plant, bird, carrion, fish, invertebrate and 2 more |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Egg incubation | 77.5 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 26.5 – 32 |
| Age at maturity | 6 years – 16 years |
| Litters or clutches a year | 1 |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Reptilia
- order: Testudines
- family: Chelydridae
- genus: Chelydra
- species: *Chelydra serpentina* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Chelydra emarginata*, *Chelydra lacertina*, *Chelydra laticarinata*, *Chelydra laticarinatat*, *Chelydra osceola*, *Chelydra sculpta*, *Chelydra serpentina osceola*, *Chelydra serpentina serpentina*, *Devisia mythodes*, *Testudo longicauda*, *Testudo serpentaria*, *Testudo serpentina*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the common snapping turtle?

The common snapping turtle is a reptile in the turtles and tortoises subgroup, placed in the family Chelydridae and the order Testudines.

### How heavy is the common snapping turtle?

Its representative adult body mass is 4.5 kg, with our sources reporting adult weights from 3.9 to 5.2 kg.

### What does the common snapping turtle eat?

Its main foods are amphibia, aquatic plant, bird, carrion, fish, invertebrate, mammal and reptile.

### Is the common snapping turtle endangered?

No. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, which is not a threatened category.

### How long does the common snapping turtle live?

Its lifespan is 40 years, and our sources report values up to 47 years.

### How many eggs does the common snapping turtle lay?

It lays 26 eggs per clutch, with up to 32 reported, and produces 1 clutch per year; the eggs incubate for 77.5 days.

### When does the common snapping turtle reach sexual maturity?

It reaches sexual maturity at 9 years, with our sources reporting from 6 to 16 years.

### Who named the common snapping turtle?

Its scientific name, Chelydra serpentina, carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758).

## Sources

- [An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1), CC0 1.0, E096-269. Myhrvold, N.P., Baldridge, E., Chan, B., Sivam, D., Freeman, D.L. & Ernest, S.K.M. (2015) An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96: 3109. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0846R.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1
- [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).
- [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: Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-snapping-turtle