Chelydra rossignonii (Bocourt, 1868)

Head and Appendage Morphology

Chelydra rossignonii has a large head, long tail, and pointed snout.

Carapace Characteristics

Its coarse carapace has three distinct, easily visible ridges, and comes in a range of colors including brown to olive, or olive to black.

Shell Camouflage

Algae sometimes grows on the turtle's shell, helping it camouflage.

Plastron Coloration

Its small plastron can range from cream to yellow, or tan to gray.

Skin Coloration by Age

Adult individuals have entirely gray or black skin, while juveniles have white speckles on their skin.

Neck Skin Features

The skin around the turtle's neck is covered in long tubercles.

Species Distribution

Chelydra rossignonii is distributed across Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

General Habitat Types

Its natural habitats are slow-moving freshwater rivers, swamps, tributaries, and wetlands.

Habitat Preference

It favors murky water with abundant vegetation, and avoids open water.

Reproduction and Behavior Traits

This species is oviparous, solitary, and nocturnal.

Aquatic Tendency

It is thought to be mostly aquatic, and rarely moves onto land or basks in open spaces.