Matamata

Overview

One of the world's most bizarre turtles, with a flattened, rough, bark-like shell and a broad, flattened head fringed with fleshy filaments that help it blend into leaf litter. It hunts by remaining motionless and suddenly opening its mouth to vacuum in fish. It has small eyes set on a long, snorkel-like snout and is exclusively aquatic.

Classification

The Matamata belongs to the suborder Pleurodira (side-neck turtles) and the family Chelidae. It is a largely southern-hemisphere family of side-neck turtles that bend the neck sideways rather than retracting it straight back. Its scientific name is Chelus fimbriata.

Appearance & Distinguishing Features

They are highly diverse in form, from long-necked snake-necked turtles to short-necked river species, generally with streamlined shells suited to freshwater life.

Habitat & Distribution

They occur across Australia, New Guinea, and South America in rivers, lakes, swamps, and temporary wetlands.

Diet & Feeding

Most are carnivorous or omnivorous, taking insects, fish, crustaceans, and plant matter depending on the species.

Behavior & Conservation

Many lay flexible-shelled eggs and show strong site fidelity to waterways. Several Australian species appear in the pet trade, while some are threatened by habitat loss and introduced predators.

Popularity & Recognition

The long-necked 'snake-neck' turtles are especially recognisable in Australian waterways and aquaria.