Mata Mata
Discovered: 1741
Location: South America
Not to be confused with the town of Matamata in New Zealand, the Mata Mata happens to be a freshwater turtle species. They are found in South America, mostly around the Amazon. Due to the many animals in this region, turtles likely would not stand much of a chance. This is why the species evolved to try and adapt to what it might face. As you can tell, this turtle has a very different shell compared to other turtle species you might see elsewhere. This is used for camouflage as well as defense.
It has what seems to be sharp spikes coming out of the shell. Yet it also has a triangular, flattened head with tubercles and flaps of skin. The Mata Mata species even have a horn on its snout along with three barrels on the chin, with four additional barbels around the upper jaw. None of these are hooked or notched, but they can be useful for defense. Most of these turtles do not get massive, but they can reach around 37 inches in length and weigh up to roughly 50lbs.