Mаtа mаtа turtles аre mаsters аt disguise; they suck in prey by prоducing а vаcuum аnd dress like а piece оf bаrk with spiky ridged scаles. Plus, it seems like it’s аlwаys grinning.

Even though it has an unusual appearance due to its long, thick neck and abnormally big head, the mata mata never stops smiling. Photo by Per Se

The mata mata is one of the biggest freshwater turtles, with a shell that may reach over 45 cm, or 1.5 feet, and a weight of around 17 kg, or 38 lb. It seems weird to humans, nevertheless. Its long, thick neck and abnormally large head are both marked by a proliferation of warts and ridges called tubercles. A bright disc, like a holed penny, lies on either side of its lengthy snout. Plus, the animal seems to continually be smiling because to its large mouth.

The mata mata’s appearance is an adaptation to their environment that provides several benefits, even though it may be unattractive to some.

A strangely shaped skull. Illustration by Joachim S. Müller

These nocturnal turtles, which are native to the South American Amazon and Orinoco basins, are carnivores that feed on aquatic invertebrates and tiny fish. However, larger predators, like crocodiles, can still prey on them despite their large shells.

That is when their various skin folds, ridges, and bumps become relevant. The mata mata’s skin formations may be unsightly to humans, but they serve a practical purpose. For example, they make you look like swamp putrefaction and decaying wood, which are common but edible in the river basins where the mata mata lives.

Splats all over. Photo by Stan Shebs

Algae and weeds can grow on the turtle’s skin and shell, making it look even more like an unappealing piece of rock or wood. It’s a masterful disguise that works wonders in warding off predators and drawing in unwary prey.

Flaps that are well-innervated can detect vibrations caused by waves in the water and respond accordingly. Similar to a cat’s whiskers, they detect changes in the water’s velocity and direction and relay that information to the turtle, which aids in navigation and hunting, especially when large, splashy predators like crocodiles are around.

To further disguise themselves, turtles can cover their bodies with algae and plants. Loury Cédric’s Cedricguppy is the source of the image.

When hunting, the mata mata uses an unusual technique that entails herding its prey. They’ve been seen pursuing fish until they become stuck in an aquarium corner.

When mata mata sees its victim drawing near, it pounces by stretching its neck and gaping its enormous jaws wide. The next step is suction feeding, in which it uses a low-pressure vacuum to draw its prey into its mouth. The mata mata cannot chew because of its mouth’s construction, so when it snaps its jaws shut, it slowly expels water and swallows the fish whole.

His method is this:

The mata mata is likely very intelligent, as shown by its shepherding behavior. Even more impressively, captive mata matas have been seen capturing prey in aquariums by manipulating the flow of water.

What this means is that these creatures have intelligence beyond what meets the eye, and that their flat, lumpy heads conceal a lot of processing power.