Chelidae is one of three living families of the turtle suborder Pleurodira, and are commonly called Austro-South American side-neck turtles. The family is distributed in Australia, New Guinea, Eastern
The mata mata, mata-mata, or matamata is a South American species of freshwater turtle found in the Amazon basin and river system of the eastern Guianas. It was formerly believed to also occur in the
Chelidae
…platycephala) at 18 cm (7.1 in) and the western swamp turtle (Pseudemydura umbrina) at 15 cm (5.9 in), whereas the larger species such as the mata mata (Chelus fimbriata) and the white-throated snapping turtle (Elseya albagula) both exceed 45 cm (18 in) in shell length. Chelids exhibit XX/XY genetic sex determination…
2009 Chelus fimbriatus
Top view of the mata mata turtle
Head, in profile
On exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences