What's the Mata Mata??

In my post Captivating Camouflage I talk about various critters that mimic other living things.  Another master of camouflage is a freshwater turtle that can be found in Northern South American rivers, lakes and marshes, but especially in the Amazon river system. Its claim to fame is looking like dead leaves, a rock or a log and can be hard to distinguish from its surroundings.

Its ability to blend in to its environment makes it a successful predator, sometimes just waiting for fish to approach unaware that it is even there.  Its unusual head enables it to literally suck in its prey.  Small fish is its main diet, but aquatic worms are also on the menu.

It is also known to 'herd' fish into a confined area where they can't escape and chowing down.   Actually chowing down is a misnomer because due to the shape of its head, it can't chew.  It swallows everything whole.


This turtle's shell can grow up to 18 inches across and it can weigh over 30 pounds.  Not a lot is known about its life expectancy in the wild, but in captivity it has been known to live up to 35 years.