a little less common and on the threatened species list is the brazilian snake-necked turtle (hydromedusa maximiliani), which is one of the smalles freshwater turtles and prefers the higher elevations of the mata atlântica.

the mata atlântica (atlantic rain forest) is the name given to the area of land that stretches along the coast of brazil from the northeastern state of rio grande do norte to the southern state of rio grande do sul and continues into the country of paraguay and argentina.

 believed to have once covered a region as large as 500,000 square miles, current estimates put the area at between 7% and 15% of its original size, but yet it still accounts for over 70% of brazil's total population and 80% of its gnp. so important is this area that it was recognized as an unesco world heritage site in 1999.