NEW ORLEANS -- It's a marvelously ugly beast, with spiked and ridged armor, a sharply hooked beak, a fishing lure in its mouth and a nasty bite. But the alligator snapping turtle's hard shell holds ...

“Turtles were around before dinosaurs, and they watched them emerge, prosper, and disappear altogether. Without changing their body plan at all, turtles further observed the rise of birds and mammals.

Snapping turtles often get a bad reputation for their hooked jaws and rugged appearance. They look like creatures built only for defense, but the truth is far more interesting. These reptiles have ...