The yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) is named for the yellow spots on its head – which are more prominent in juveniles and males, and fade to near invisibility in adult females. Found in the freshwater rivers and lakes of South America, particularly the Amazon River and its tributaries, they are large predators that can eat fruit, seeds, vegetation, insects, and small fish. Also known as the yellow-headed sideneck turtle, they are a type of side-necked turtle, meaning they cannot retract their entire head into their shell but rather turn their head sideways into the shell.
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