Chelydra Chelydra serpentina Common snapping turtle The common snapping turtle (*Chelydra serpentina*) is a large freshwater turtle of the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida and as far southwest as northeastern Mexico. This species and the larger alligator snapping turtle are the only two species in this family found in North America (though the common snapping turtle, as its name implies, is much more widespread). snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758) WIKIPEDIA:Chelydra_serpentina snapping turtle requires discussion