Diamondback terrapin

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a North American turtle adapted to brackish coastal wetlands. Its shell and skin bear distinctive diamond-shaped markings.

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Malaclemys: A genus of turtles containing the diamondback terrapin as its sole living species. This genus places the terrapin within turtle diversity.
Osmoregulation: The regulation of water and dissolved salts in an organism. Terrapins must balance water and salts while living in brackish habitats.
Diamondback terrapin conservation: Efforts to protect diamondback terrapins, their habitats, and their populations. Conservation addresses habitat loss, road mortality, and accidental capture.
Northern diamondback terrapin: The northern subspecies of diamondback terrapin, found along the Atlantic coast of the United States. This subspecies occupies the northern part of the species' Atlantic range.
Carapace: The hard upper shell of a turtle or tortoise. The terrapin's patterned carapace gives the species its common name.
Tidal marsh: A coastal wetland flooded and drained by ocean tides. Terrapins forage and shelter among the creeks and vegetation of tidal marshes.
Bycatch: The unintended capture of animals during fishing for other species. Terrapins can drown in crab traps left submerged without escape openings.
Ornate diamondback terrapin: A western Gulf Coast subspecies of diamondback terrapin with pronounced shell markings. Its Gulf Coast distribution and ornamented shell illustrate variation within the species.
Brackish water: Water with salinity between that of freshwater and seawater. Terrapins inhabit coastal waters where river and ocean water mix.
Bivalve: A mollusk with a body enclosed by two hinged shells. Clams and other bivalves are among the terrapin's hard-shelled prey.