Mud turtle

mud turtle
    n 1: bottom-dwelling freshwater turtle inhabiting muddy rivers
         of North America and Central America
    

Snapping \Snap"ping\,
   a. & n. from {Snap}, v.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Snapping beetle}. (Zool.) See {Snap beetle}, under {Snap}.
      

   {Snapping turtle}. (Zool.)
   (a) A large and voracious aquatic turtle ({Chelydra
       serpentina}) common in the fresh waters of the United
       States; -- so called from its habit of seizing its prey
       by a snap of its jaws. Called also {mud turtle}.
   (b) See {Alligator snapper}, under {Alligator}.
       [1913 Webster]
    

Mud \Mud\ (m[u^]d), n. [Akin to LG. mudde, D. modder, G. moder
   mold, OSw. modd mud, Sw. modder mother, Dan. mudder mud. Cf.
   {Mother} a scum on liquors.]
   Earth and water mixed so as to be soft and adhesive.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Mud bass} (Zool.), a fresh-water fish ({Acantharchum
      pomotis} or {Acantharchus pomotis}) of the Eastern United
      States. It produces a deep grunting note.

   {Mud bath}, an immersion of the body, or some part of it, in
      mud charged with medicinal agents, as a remedy for
      disease.

   {Mud boat}, a large flatboat used in dredging.

   {Mud cat}. See {mud cat} in the vocabulary.

   {Mud crab} (Zool.), any one of several American marine crabs
      of the genus {Panopeus}.

   {Mud dab} (Zool.), the winter flounder. See {Flounder}, and
      {Dab}.

   {Mud dauber} (Zool.), a mud wasp; the {mud-dauber}.

   {Mud devil} (Zool.), the fellbender.

   {Mud drum} (Steam Boilers), a drum beneath a boiler, into
      which sediment and mud in the water can settle for
      removal.

   {Mud eel} (Zool.), a long, slender, aquatic amphibian ({Siren
      lacertina}), found in the Southern United States. It has
      persistent external gills and only the anterior pair of
      legs. See {Siren}.

   {Mud frog} (Zool.), a European frog ({Pelobates fuscus}).

   {Mud hen}. (Zool.)
   (a) The American coot ({Fulica Americana}).
   (b) The clapper rail.

   {Mud lark}, a person who cleans sewers, or delves in mud.
      [Slang]

   {Mud minnow} (Zool.), any small American fresh-water fish of
      the genus {Umbra}, as {Umbra limi}. The genus is allied to
      the pickerels.

   {Mud plug}, a plug for stopping the mudhole of a boiler.

   {Mud puppy} (Zool.), the menobranchus.

   {Mud scow}, a heavy scow, used in dredging; a mud boat.
      [U.S.]

   {Mud turtle}, {Mud tortoise} (Zool.), any one of numerous
      species of fresh-water tortoises of the United States.

   {Mud wasp} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
      hymenopterous insects belonging to {Pepaeus}, and allied
      genera, which construct groups of mud cells, attached,
      side by side, to stones or to the woodwork of buildings,
      etc. The female places an egg in each cell, together with
      spiders or other insects, paralyzed by a sting, to serve
      as food for the larva. Called also {mud dauber}.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Trionyx \Tri*on"yx\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? (see {Tri-}) + ? a
   claw.] (Zool.)
   A genus of fresh-water or river turtles which have the shell
   imperfectly developed and covered with a soft leathery skin.
   They are noted for their agility and rapacity. Called also
   {soft tortoise}, {soft-shell tortoise}, and {mud turtle}.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: The common American species ({Trionyx ferox} syn.
         {Aspidonectus ferox}) becomes over a foot in length and
         is very voracious. Similar species are found in Asia
         and Africa.
         [1913 Webster]