Diamondback Terrapin

Range

Continuous range along the east coast from Massachusetts, around the tip of Florida, and along the Gulf of Mexico coast to Corpus Christi, Texas.

Habitats

Terrapins live near the coast in brackish water marshes that flood at high tide. They can also be found in mangrove swamps in Florida. They are often found living around different species of Spartina marsh grasses.

Identification

A brackish-water turtle (terrapin) that typically has grey skin adorned with black spots that sometimes connect to form lines, and are unique to each individual. The shell color varies, but is usually dark yellow, green, or brown on the carapace, with a dark yellow plastron and sides. Carapace scutes are designed with a pattern of concentric black irregular rings, like growth rings in a tree trunk. The carapace length of males can reach just over 5 inches, while females grow to over 7 inches or more. Their shells are often wider at the front than the back, and they have large webbed feet for swimming.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians