[7] The Australian snapping turtles are largely herbivorous, with specialized mouth structures for eating fruits.

The various species can be found in large numbers where they are still abundant, e.g., Northern Territory of Australia.

John Edward Gray created the generic name, Elseya, in 1867 in honour of Dr. Joseph Ravenscroft Elsey, a surgeon-naturalist on the Gregory Expedition[8] that traversed northern Australia from the Victoria River to Moreton Bay in 1855–1856.

[7] Elseya nadibajagu is a Pliocene species of extinct Australian snapping turtle, described from the Bluff Downs region of Queensland, Australia.

;[22] whereas Elseya uberrima is a Pleistocene species described from the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia.