Terrapin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diamondback Terrapin |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Subclass: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | |
| Superfamily: |
Testudinoidea
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| Family: |
Emydidae
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| Subfamily: |
Deirochelyinae
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| Genus: |
Malaclemys
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| Species: |
M. terrapin
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| Binomial name | |
| Malaclemys terrapin Schoepf, 1793
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| Synonyms | |
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Emys Concentrica |
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A terrapin is a type of turtle that lives in brackish water. This means they live in water that is a mix of fresh water and salty ocean water. They are known for the cool diamond pattern you can see on their shells. Terrapins mostly eat small sea creatures like mollusks (like clams and snails), crabs, and fish.
One interesting thing about terrapins is that males and females look quite different in size. This is called sexual dimorphism. Female terrapins are much bigger than males. Male terrapins are usually about 4 to 5 inches long. Females, on the other hand, average almost 7 inches. The biggest terrapin ever recorded was a female that measured 9 inches!
What is a Terrapin?
A terrapin is a small turtle that lives in either fresh or brackish water. The word "terrapin" isn't a scientific group, so different kinds of terrapins might not even be closely related. Many of them belong to two main turtle families: Geoemydidae and Emydidae.
Where Did the Name "Terrapin" Come From?
The word "terrapin" comes from an old Native American word, torope. This word was used by the Algonquian people to describe the specific turtle species called Malaclemys terrapin. It became a common word in North America when European settlers arrived. Later, it traveled back to Great Britain and is now used for many different kinds of turtles in English. For example, in the UK, Red-eared slider turtles are often called "red-eared terrapins."
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