terrapin

Terrapin is a common name for several species of small to medium-sized turtles that inhabit brackish water environments, including tidal marshes, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. They are semi-aquatic, spending time in water but frequently basking on logs, mud banks, or shoreline.

The best-known terrapin is the diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin, a species native to brackish waters along the eastern and southern United States and into parts of the Caribbean. The term terrapin is often associated with this species, though in some regions it is used colloquially for other brackish-water turtles as well. Terrapins have adapted to saline or brackish conditions that limit many other freshwater turtles.

Physical characteristics vary by species, but terrapins typically have a smooth or gently keeled carapace with patterned markings. Males are usually smaller than females and often possess a more concave plastron and longer tails. Diet is omnivorous, consisting of crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, insects, and aquatic vegetation. They feed in shallow water and along the substrate, using strong jaws to crush shells.

Reproduction occurs in warm seasons, with females nesting on sandy or loose soil beaches. A female may lay multiple clutches of eggs, each containing several eggs. Incubation is temperature-dependent, and hatchling emergence occurs after several weeks to months, depending on conditions.

Conservation concerns include habitat loss, coastal development, pollution, and bycatch in fisheries. In many regions, diamondback terrapins are protected by law or subject to conservation programs that monitor nests and protect nesting areas to maintain local populations.