Northern Diamondback Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
Identification
 Pale white skin flecked with black spots. Upper beak at times has a white "got milk?" mustache. Shell color variable, but often gray/green. Concentric rings on the large carapace scutes give the turtle its name. Males are 4 to 6 inches, with larger females 6 to 9 inches.
Habitats
Diamondback Terrapins are our only turtle that lives exclusively in brackish
tidal marshes and estuaries. Unpolluted tidal marshes with native Spartina grass
are good candidates for habitat, rather than sites choked with Phragmites (bull
rushes). Terrapins nest in sandy, sunny areas; often the very places that are
prime beachfront property.
Diet
The bulk of Diamondback Terrapins' diet is mollusks and crustaceans, easily
dispatched by powerful jaws.
Behavior
 Diamondback Terrapins hibernate deep in the mud of tidal marshes. Upon emerging in spring, large mating aggregations form in the water, with females perhaps mating with multiple males. Nesting takes place in the daytime. Unlike most turtles, Terrapins use their front legs when starting to dig a nest. Clutches average 10 eggs. Upon emergence, hatchlings head for the nearest vegetation, and likely spend their first years burrowed into the marsh grass. During low tide Terrapins bask on the exposed mud banks.
Threats/Conservation
 Terrapins were decimated in the 1930's by the demand for turtle soup. In New England the threat of drowning in crab traps is far less than further south. Habitat destruction has been the most recent danger. With homes being built on beachfront property, nesting sites are eradicated or degraded. Raccoon populations are higher where people live, and these "subsidized predators" have in some areas destroyed 100% of a season's nests.
Even
low impact activities such as kayaking may stress Terrapins, who slide off of
their basking banks with the approach of every paddler. Without adequate time
to bask, Terrapins' have less available energy to feed in cool waters
 For detailed information about this species, we recommend Turtles of the United States and Canada by Ernst, Lovich, Barbour.
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