Snake-Neck (Chelidae family of Turtles)
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Snake-necked turtles are found in South America, Australia and New Guinea in fresh water. The long (snake-necks) allow them to breath easily at the surface without exposing their bodies to potential predators. Near Perth in Australia is the Western Swamp Tortoise (Pseudemydura umbrina) which is the rarest and most threatened turtle species in the world, with as few as 50 remaining in the wild.
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AUSTRALIAN PAINTED (OR RED-BELLIED SHORT-NECKED) TURTLE
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|  | Emydura subglobosa
| Common on the south coast of Papua New Guinea, the Painted Turtle was also discovered on the very northern reaches of the Cape York peninsula of Australia during the 1970s, colonies probably being separated by rising water levels some 7,000 years ago. The Emydura genus are unusual in the Celidae family, having short-necks. Australian Painted Turtles are small, growing to only around 25cm (10in) in length, primarily carnivorous, they have a broad diet and are voracious eaters in captivity.
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Image: David Warwick (Taronga Zoo Exhibit - Feb 2005)
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EASTERN SNAKE-NECKED (OR LONG-NECK) TURTLE
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| | Chelodina longicollis
| The most commonly kept turtle in Australia, the Eastern Long-Necked Turtle occurs throughout south-eastern and eastern Australia in slow moving waterways. Shell length may reach around 25cm (10in). A very hardy turtle capable of tolerating lower temperatures than most of this genus, it also has a broad carnivorous diet of fish, worms, insects and amphibians.
STATUS: COMMON
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Image: David Warwick (Taronga Zoo Exhibit - Feb 2005)
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MATA MATA
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| | Chelus fimbriatus
| The latin name describes this unique turtle as 'fringed', however Mata Mata in South American Indian means the much more colourful 'I Kill'. The Mata Mata looks like debris or a pile of rocks in its muddy habitats in South America. Once small fish stray to near to this effective camouflage, the Mata Mata uses its long neck and enormous mouth to swallow the prey whole along with large amounts of water in vacuum cleaner style.
One of the largest fresh water turtles, the Mata Mata shell can reach 45cm (18in) in length.
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Image: David Warwick (Taronga Zoo Exhibit - Jan 2005)
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