Skull Island Snake-neck Turtle

Chelodina skullus

The Skull Island Snake-neck Turtle is a 10 inch long snake-neck turtle found throughout the freshwater of Skull Island. This turtle is an opportunistic feeder, chewing on algae and water plants but will also wait in ambush and strike small fish passing by. Other prey items include frogs, invertebrates, eggs, and even small terrestrial animals that come to drink. Like others of its genus, the Skull Island Snake-neck Turtle shell offers little protection against predators, to compensate for this the turtle can escape using surprising bursts of speed. While attempting to escape, the turtle will attempt to stir up as much of the lake bed as possible to inhibit the predators sight, when attacked on land, the turtle will release a foul smelling liquid from its musk glands which is also used to advertise their status to potential mates. The shell of the turtle is a dark black with spots of brown, its skin is black as well.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira
Family: Chelidae
Genus: Chelodina
Species: C. skullus