Max Size: Females 23 cm (9 in), Males average 13 cm (5 in)
Habitat: Brackish coastal tidal marshes from the Florida Keys to Cape Cod
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, marine snails and bivalve mollusks
Fun Facts:
- By consuming snails (like periwinkles) that overgraze on ecologically important marsh grasses such as Spartina sp., terrapins can play a keystone role in supporting ecosystem health
- Like nearly all non-avian reptiles, terrapins exhibit sexual dimorphism wherein the females are larger and stronger than males
- The word terrapin is derived from the Algonquin word “torope” meaning “a little turtle”, and is now used to describe various brackish water turtles around the world, only 3 of which – including the Diamondback – are native to the US
- Due to historic hunting/harvesting to make turtle soup by colonial americans, the terrapins are now protected in many states, making them illegal to hold as pets
- To balance their body’s salt concentration, they use lachrymal (tear duct) salt glands to expel excess salt and can drink water through their nose