terrapin

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Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin).

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terrapin

turtle

Also known as: Malaclemys terrapin, diamondback terrapin, saltwater terrapin

Written by George R. Zug

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

terrapin, (Malaclemys terrapin), a term formerly used to refer to any aquatic turtle but now restricted largely, though not exclusively, to the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) of the turtle family Emydidae. Until the last third of the 20th century, the word terrapin was used commonly in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries as well as the United States. The diamondback terrapins inhabit salt marshes and coastal waters of North America from New England to the Gulf of Mexico. They are moderate in size, with shell lengths of 10–14 cm (4–6 inches) in males and 15–23 cm (6–9 inches) in ...(100 of 295 words)

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