A leaflike faceSourced
A leaflike turtle draws fish into its mouth
The mata mata is a South American freshwater turtle with a flattened triangular head and skin flaps. Its shell resembles bark and its head resembles fallen leaves. It waits in the water, then opens its mouth to draw in a nearby fish and swallow it whole.
The still, leaflike shape conceals an ambush feeder.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Mata mata · Wikimedia contributors
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Reviewed: 2026-10-10