Editing Alligator snapping turtle (section)

==Taxonomy==
Although it was once believed that only one [[Extant taxon|extant]] species exists in the genus ''[[Macrochelys]]'', recent studies have shown that there are two species, the other being the [[Suwannee snapping turtle]] (''M. suwanniensis'') of the [[Suwannee River]].<ref name=ReptileDatabase/> The most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of the two species lived approximately 3.2 to 8.9 million years ago, during the late [[Miocene]] to late [[Pliocene]].<ref name=thomas14/><ref name=Rhodin2017/> A third species, the [[Apalachicola snapping turtle]] (''M. apalachicolae''), has been proposed,<ref name=thomas14/> but is generally not recognized.<ref name=ReptileDatabase/><ref name=Rhodin2017/><ref name=Folt2015/>

The alligator snapping turtle is given its common name because of its immensely powerful jaws and distinct ridges on its shell that are similar in appearance to the rough, ridged skin of an [[alligator]]. It is also slightly less commonly known as "the loggerhead snapper" (not to be confused with the [[loggerhead sea turtle]] or [[loggerhead musk turtle]]).