Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Chelydridae

Chelydridae

9.9
A group of large freshwater turtles like snapping turtles
  • noun
  • /ˌkɛlɪˈdraɪdi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Chelydridae
  • The family Chelydridae is best known for its powerful snapping turtles found across North America.

Examples

  • The family Chelydridae includes the well-known snapping turtles that inhabit lakes and rivers.

  • The largest member of the Chelydridae is the alligator snapping turtle, which can weigh over 100 kilograms.

  • Biologists studied the evolutionary relationships within the Chelydridae to understand their adaptation to aquatic environments.

  • The Chelydridae family includes some of the largest freshwater turtles.

  • Many species within the Chelydridae family are known for their powerful jaws.

  • Biologists classify the Chelydridae as a unique family of large turtles due to their distinctive traits.

  • One fascinating aspect of the Chelydridae is their ability to remain submerged for long periods.

Synonyms

family Chelydridae
vsChelydridae
  • Specialized
9.5

A group of turtles like snapping turtles with strong jaws

is the same meaning but written with the rank before the name

Compounds

family Chelydridae
  • Specialized
9.5

A group of turtles like snapping turtles with strong jaws

Surface Forms

Chelydridae singular
Chelydridaes plural

Morphology

Chelydridae = Chelydra (opaque) = Chelydra + idae

The suffix '-idae' is a specialized taxonomic marker meaning 'family' that is unlikely to be recognized by an average B1 learner, so the family meaning is not derivable from the components for most learners.

Etymology

Chelydridae comes from the genus name Chelydra, which in turn comes from the Greek word chelys meaning 'turtle', plus the scientific family ending -idae. So Chelydridae literally names a family of turtles, which fits that it is the group of large snapping turtles.