Condition and Coloration of Lingual Lures of Alligator Snapping Turtles

Abstract/Summary

The lingual lure of Alligator Snapping Turtles, Macrochelys Gray, are believed to be the only prey-capturing lures within the mouths of modern reptiles. To date, no formal assessment of lure condition in Alligator Snapping Turtles has been published, and few researchers record lure data. Herein, we report damaged or missing lures from 25 Alligator Snapping Turtles (7 adults, 18 juveniles) from a sample of more than 2,000 lure assessments in 4 states, indicating this is a rare occurrence. We also describe lingual lure color observed in these assessments and introduce standardized terminology and color categories. We suggest researchers record data on the condition and coloration of the lingual lure to further our understanding of this ecological and evolutionary adaptation.