Diamondback terrapin

Diamondback terrapin
Photographed in the wild
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Emydidae
Genus: Malaclemys
Gray, 1844[3]
Species:
M. terrapin
Binomial name
Malaclemys terrapin
(Schoepff, 1793)[3]
Synonyms[4][5]
List
  • 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[4])
  • Testudo concentrica var polita Gray, 1831
  • Emys terrapin Holbrook, 1842
  • Emys macrocephalus Gray,1844
  • Malaclemys concentrica Gray, 1844 (1863[4])
  • 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[4]
  • Malaclemys terrapin Bangs, 1896
  • Malaclemmys centrata concentrica Hay, 1904
  • Malaclemys terrapin terrapin Lindholm, 1929
  • 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
  • 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 or simply terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a species of terrapin native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the East Coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico coast, as well as in Bermuda.[6] 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 the Florida Keys and as far north as Cape Cod.[7]

The name "terrapin" is derived from the Algonquian word torope.[8] 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.[8] In British English, however, other semi-aquatic turtle species, such as the red-eared slider, might also be called terrapins.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Roosenburg, W.M.; Baker, P.J.; Burke, R.; Dorcas, M.E.; Wood, R.C. (2019). "Malaclemys terrapin". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T12695A507698. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T12695A507698.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Rhodin1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d Malaclemys terrapin (SCHOEPFF, 1793) - The Reptile Database
  5. ^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 190–192. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895.
  6. ^ Parham, J.F.; Outerbridge, Monika. E.; Stuart, B.L.; Wingate, D.B.; Erlenkeuser, H.; Papenfuss, T.J. (2008). "Introduced delicacy or native species? A natural origin of Bermudian terrapins supported by fossil and genetic data". Biol. Lett. 4 (2): 216–219. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2007.0599. PMC 2429930. PMID 18270164.
  7. ^ Seigel, Richard A. (1980). "Nesting Habits of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) on the Atlantic Coast of Florida". Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 83 (4): 239–246. doi:10.2307/3628414. JSTOR 3628414.
  8. ^ a b "Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary". Merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 30 January 2022.