North American Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Testudines |
| Family | Chelydridae |
| Genus | Chelydra |
| Species | Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Accidental
Distribution
Range
Known from two counties across two states.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Florida, Kentucky
Counties
- Florida
- Marion
- Kentucky
- Wayne
Conservation and management
IUCN Red List
LC Least Concern
Assessed in 2025.
NatureServe
G4 Apparently Secure
National ranks
- United States
- N5 Secure
- Canada
- N4 Apparently Secure
Subnational ranks
- South Dakota
- S5 Secure
- Michigan
- S5 Secure
- Ohio
- S5 Secure
- Virginia
- S5 Secure
- District of Columbia
- S5 Secure
- Montana
- S3 Vulnerable
- Kentucky
- S5 Secure
- Nevada
- SNA Not Applicable
- Delaware
- S5 Secure
- North Carolina
- S5 Secure
- New Jersey
- S5 Secure
- Maryland
- S5 Secure
- New Hampshire
- S5 Secure
- Arkansas
- S5 Secure
- Illinois
- S5 Secure
- Washington
- SNA Not Applicable
- Wyoming
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Idaho
- SNA Not Applicable
- Indiana
- S5 Secure
- Massachusetts
- S5 Secure
- Georgia
- S5 Secure
- Nebraska
- S5 Secure
- Tennessee
- S5 Secure
- Pennsylvania
- S5 Secure
- New Mexico
- S5 Secure
- Oregon
- SNA Not Applicable
- Oklahoma
- SNR Unranked
- Louisiana
- S5 Secure
- South Carolina
- S5 Secure
- New York
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Alabama
- S5 Secure
- Rhode Island
- S5 Secure
- North Dakota
- SNR Unranked
- Utah
- SNA Not Applicable
- West Virginia
- S5 Secure
- Texas
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Florida
- S5 Secure
- Mississippi
- S5 Secure
- Missouri
- S5 Secure
- Vermont
- S5 Secure
- Arizona
- SNA Not Applicable
- Maine
- S5 Secure
- Minnesota
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Connecticut
- S5 Secure
- Wisconsin
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Iowa
- S5 Secure
- Colorado
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Kansas
- S5 Secure
- Nova Scotia
- S3 Vulnerable
- New Brunswick
- S3 Vulnerable
- British Columbia
- SNA Not Applicable
- Alberta
- SNA Not Applicable
- Saskatchewan
- S3 Vulnerable
- Ontario
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Manitoba
- S3 Vulnerable
- Quebec
- S4 Apparently Secure
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
References
- Franz, R., Bauer, J. & Morris, T. 1994. Review of biologically significant caves and their faunas in Florida and south Georgia. Brimleyana 20: 1–109. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/229726.
- Harker, D.F., Jr. & Barr, T.C., Jr. 1979. Caves and associated fauna of Eastern Kentucky, Volume 3. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Frankfurt, Kentucky, USA. 130 pp.
How to cite this account
Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758). Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-2294. https://cavebiology.org/species/chelydra-serpentina/ (accessed 7 September 2026).
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report a correction. Accounts are compiled from many sources and corrections from people who know the group are the most useful email we get.