northern snake-necked turtle

The northern snake-necked turtle, belonging to the genera Chelodina and Macrochelodina, is a type of side-necked turtle found in Australia and southern New Guinea. These turtles are distinguished by their exceptionally long necks, which can be nearly as long as their shells and move in a serpentine manner. They are primarily aquatic, preferring to walk along the bottom of waterways rather than swim.1

As carnivores, their diet consists mainly of fish. They hunt by folding their necks against their bodies to hide or stalk prey. When prey is close, they lunge forward with their heads, creating a vacuum with their mouths to suck in the prey and water, then snapping their jaws shut.1

A unique reproductive behavior is observed in the northern snake-necked turtle (Macrochelodina rugosa), which lays its eggs in underwater nests. The embryos enter a dormant state (diapause) and resume development only when the nest dries during the dry season, hatching at the beginning of the rainy season. Like many reptiles, their sex determination is temperature-dependent.12