Chelus fimbriatus

The sidenecked turtle or matamata is possibly one of the strangest looking animals on the planet. Spending their life in water, sidenecked turtles prefer shallow areas where they can extend their snout above the surface to breathe, while still touching the bottom. Sidenecked turtles look so strange to disguise their outline, so they can blend into the surroundings of fallen leaves and bits of wood. The miscellaneous flaps of skin also contain nerves to help with sensing prey and their environment. Unusually for a turtle, they extend their neck under their shell laterally as opposed to vertically giving the animal its English common name. They ambush fish from a camouflaged position and rapidly extend their necks sucking the animal into their mouth, which is then swallowed whole.

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