Diamondback terrapin

Diamondback terrapin
Hand-colored lithograph from Holbrook's North American Herpetology(1842)
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Emydidae
Subfamily:	Deirochelyinae
Genus:	Malaclemys Gray, 1844
Species:	M. terrapin
Binomial name
Malaclemys terrapin (Schoepff, 1793)
Synonyms
Malaclemys terrapin terrapin Testudo terrapin Schoepff, 1793 Testudo concentrica Shaw, 1802 Testudo ocellata Link, 1807 Testudo concentrata Kuhl, 1820 (ex errore) Emys concentrica Gray, 1831 (Duméril & Bibron, 1830) Testudo concentrica var polita Gray, 1831 Emys terrapin Holbrook, 1842 Emys macrocephalus Gray,1844 Malaclemys concentrica Gray, 1844 (1863) Emys macrocephala LeConte,1854 Emys terrapene LeConte,1856 (ex errore) Clemmys terrapin Strauch, 1862 Malaclemmys concentrica Gray, 1870 Malacoclemmys terrapen Boulenger, 1889 (ex errore) Malaclemys centrata concentrica Cochran, 1932 Malaclemys terrapin Bangs, 1896 Malaclemmys centrata concentrica Hay, 1904 Malaclemys centrata concentrica Siebenrock, 1909 Malaclemys terrapin concentrica Lindholm, 1929 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin Lindholm, 1929 Malaclemys terapin Iverson, Enrst, Gotte & Lovich, 1989 (ex errore) Malaclemys terrapene Stephens & Wiens, 2003 Malaclemys terrapin centrata Testudo centrata Latreille, 1801 Emys centrata Schweigger, 1812 Emys concentrica var livida Gray, 1831 Clemmys (Clemmys) centrata Fitzinger, 1835 Malaclemmys centrata Lönnberg, 1894 Malaclemys centrata Paulmier, 1902 Malaclemys [centrata] centrata Siebenrock, 1902 Malaclemmys terrapin centrata Mittleman, 1944 Malaclemys terrapin centrata Mittleman, 1945 Malaclemys terrapin centra Highfield, 1996 (ex errore) Malaclemys terrapin littoralis Malaclemmys littoralis Hay, 1904 Malaclemys centrata littoralis Siebenrock, 1909 Malaclemys pileata littoralis Stejneger & Barbour, 1917 Malaclemys terrapin littoralis Lindholm, 1929 Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota Malaclemmys macrospilota Hay, 1904 Malaclemys centrata macrospilota Siebenrock, 1909 Malaclemys pileata macrospilota Stejneger & Barbour, 1917 Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota Lindholm, 1929 Malaclemys terrapin pileata Emys pileata Wied, 1865 Malaclemmys pileata Hay, 1904 Malaclemys centrata pileata Siebenrock, 1909 Malaclemys pileata pileata Stejneger & Barbour, 1917 Malaclemys terrapin pileata Lindholm, 1929 Malaclemys terrapin rhizophorarum Malaclemys tuberculifera Gray, 1844 (nomen oblitum) Malaclemmys littoralis rhizophorarum Fowler, 1906 (nomen protectum) Malaclemmys terrapin rhizophorarum Carr, 1946 Malaclemys terrapin rhizophorarum Carr, 1952 Malaclemys terrapin rhizophararum Anderson, 1985 (ex errore) Malaclemys terrapin tequesta Malaclemys terrapin tequesta Schwartz, 1955

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) or simply terrapin, is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the eastern and southern United States, and in Bermuda. It belongs to the monotypic genus, Malaclemys. It has one of the largest ranges of all turtles in North America, stretching as far south as Florida Keys and as far north as Cape Cod.

The name "terrapin" is derived from the Algonquian word torope. It applies to Malaclemys terrapin in both British English and American English. The name originally was used by early European settlers in North America to describe these brackish-water turtles that inhabited neither freshwater habitats nor the sea. It retains this primary meaning in American English. In British English, however, other semi-aquatic turtle species, such as the red-eared slider, might be called a terrapin.

The common name refers to the diamond pattern on top of its shell (carapace), but the overall pattern and coloration vary greatly. The shell is usually wider at the back than in the front, and from above its appears wedge-shaped. The shell coloring can vary from brown to grey, and its body color can be grey, brown, yellow, or white. All have a unique pattern of wiggly, black markings or spots on their body and head. The diamondback terrapin has large webbed feet. The species is sexually dimorphic in that the males grow to approximately 13 cm (5.1 in), while the females grow to an average of around 19 cm (7.5 in), though they are capable of growing larger. The largest female on record was just over 23 cm (9.1 in) in length. Specimens from regions that are consistently warmer in temperature tend to be larger than those from cooler, more northern areas. Male diamondback terrapins weigh 300 g (11 oz) on average, while females weigh around 500 g (18 oz). The largest females can weigh up to 1,000 g (35 oz).

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