Abstract:【Aim】 The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina Linnaeus) is native to the Canada and the United States but has been widely distributed in many countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas, posing serious threats to both local biodiversity and public health in China. Therefore, it is crucial to predict the potential distribution of C. serpentina in China in order to provide a significant scientific basis for assessing invasion risks and formulating effective control strategies. 【Method】 In this study, a total of 76 distribution points of C. serpentina and 19 bioclimatic variables were used to predict the potential distribution in China under both current and future climate conditions using the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS. The most important bioclimatic variables influencing its distribution were analyzed. 【Result】 The top three bioclimatic variables affecting the distribution of C. serpentina are the precipitation of driest month, the min temperature of coldest month, and mean temperature of wettest quarter. These variables might be the most important natural factor affecting the occurrence and distribution of C. serpentina. Under current climatic conditions, the high suitability areas for C. serpentina are mainly concentrated in South China, Central China, and East China, with a few in North China and Southwest China. There is almost no invasion risk in most of the northeast and northwest provinces of China. However, the high suitability areas are projected to increase in the future, particularly in the north Hubei, Henan, south Shaanxi, as well as localized areas in Jiangxi, Hunan, and Sichuan provinces. On the other hand, the high suitability areas are expected to decrease in the south Hebei, northwest Shandong, north Jiangsu, and localized areas in Guangxi and Sichuan provinces. With climate warming, the centroid distribution of high suitability areas for C. serpentina is shifting towards the southwest and northwest. 【Conclusion】 The C. serpentina has a high invasion risk in southern, central, and eastern China, and this risk is expected to increase in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen monitoring and regulation efforts in high-risk areas and actively conduct monitoring and investigations of invasive species to prevent further invasion and spread.