Mata mata

Mata mata Temporal range: Pliocene–Recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Shedds Aquarium
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Pleurodira
Family:	Chelidae
Subfamily:	Chelidinae
Genus:	Chelus
Species:	C. fimbriatus
Binomial name
Chelus fimbriatus Schneider, 1783

The mata mata or matamata (Chelus fimbriatus) is a freshwater turtle found in South America, primarily in the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

Taxonomy

The mata mata was described for the first time by French naturalist Pierre Barrère in 1741 as a "large land turtle with spiky and ridged scales" (translation).^[1] It was first classified as Testudo fimbriata by German naturalist Johann Gottlob Schneider in 1783. It was renamed 14 different times in 2 centuries, finally being renamed Chelus fimbriatus in 1934 by Robert Mertens and Muller.^[1][2][3]

Anatomy and morphology

The mata mata is a large sedentary turtle which has a large triangular flattened head characterized with many tubercles and flaps of skin and a "horn" on its long and tubular snout.^[1] There are three barbels on the chin and four additional filamentous barbels at the upper jaw, which is neither hooked nor notched.^[4]

The mata mata's brown or black oblong carapace can measure up to 45 cm (18 in) at adult age.^[5] The full adult weight is 15 kg (33 lb).^[5] The mata mata's plastron is reduced, narrowed, hingeless, shortened towards the front, and deeply notched at the rear with narrow bridges.^[4] The plastron and bridges are cream to yellow or brown.^[4]

Overall view of the Mata mata turtle

The head, neck, tail, and limbs are grayish brown on adults.^[4] The neck is longer than the vertebra under its carapace and is fringed with small skin flaps along both sides.^[4] Hatchlings show a pink to reddish tinge in the underside edge of their carapace and plastron that gradually disappear as they grow.

Each forefoot has five webbed claws. Males have concave plastrons and longer, thicker tails than females.^[4]

Habitat

The mata mata inhabits slow moving, blackwater streams, stagnant pools, marshes, and swamps ranging into northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, Ecuador, eastern Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern and central Brazil. The mata mata is strictly an aquatic species but it prefers standing in shallow water where its snout can reach the surface to breathe.^[6]

Behavior

The appearance of the mata mata's shell resembles a piece of bark, and its head resembles fallen leaves.^[7] As it remains motionless in the water, its skin flaps enable it to blend into the surrounding vegetation until a fish comes close^[7] The mata mata thrusts out its head and opens its large mouth as wide as possible, creating a low-pressure vacuum that sucks the prey into its mouth, known as suction feeding.^[7] The mata mata snaps its mouth shut, the water is slowly expelled, and the fish is swallowed whole; the mata mata cannot chew due to the way its mouth is constructed.^[7]

Matamata head, in profile

Reproduction

Males display for females by extending their limbs, lunging the head toward the female with mouth agape, and moving the lateral flaps on the head. Nesting occurs from October through December in the Upper Amazon. The 12 to 28 brittle, spherical, 35 mm (1.4 in) diameter eggs are deposited in a clutch.

Diet

The mata mata is carnivorous, feeding exclusively upon aquatic invertebrates and fish.^[1][7]

In captivity

Mata mata turtles are readily available in the exotic pet trade and are quite expensive to obtain. Due to their unique appearance, they make interesting display animals. They also grow quite large. However, mata matas are not active hunters, so, like the alligator snapping turtle, they need less space than a large, active species.

As with all aquatic turtles, water quality is one of the keys to keeping this species successfully in captivity. Warm, acidic water is the best type used with a high tannin content that should be maintained all year round. Moderate to heavy filtration is recommended.^[8]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Espenshade III, William H (1990), "Matamata, Chelus fimbriatus", Tortuga Gazette 26 (5): 3–5 
2. ^ Matamata, Chelus fimbriatus, California Turtle & Tortoise Club
3. ^ Chelus fimbriatus, The Reptile Database
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Bartlett, Dick (2007), "The Matamata", Reptiles Magazine 15 (12): 18–20 
5. ^ ^{a b} (French) Toutes les tortues du monde by Franck Bonin, Bernard Devaux and Alain Dupré, second edition (1998), editions Delachaux and Niestlé/WWF.
6. ^ Rosenfeld, Arthur (1989), Exotic Pets, New York: Simon & Schuster, pp. 153–155, ISBN 067147654 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} Cogger, Harold; Zweifel, Richard (1992), Reptiles & Amphibians, Sydney, Australia: Weldon Owen, pp. 112, ISBN 0831727861 
8. ^ Mata mata Care Sheet

External links

• Chelus fimbriatus, The Reptile Database