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Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae. The name "terrapin" is derived from torope, a word in an Algonquian language [1] that referred to the species Malaclemys terrapin (the Diamondback terrapin). It appears that the term became part of common usage during the ...
Differences exist in usage of the common terms turtle, tortoise, and terrapin, depending on the variety of English being used; usage is inconsistent and contradictory. [3] These terms are common names and do not reflect precise biological or taxonomic distinctions. [4] Skeleton of a tortoise
Emydidae (Latin emys (freshwater tortoise) + Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos, “appearance, resemblance”)) is a family of testudines (turtles) that includes close to 50 species in 12 extant genera. [3] [4] Members of this family are commonly called terrapins, pond turtles, or marsh turtles. [1]
Whether the “turtle” is indeed a turtle, terrapin, or tortoise, they have common physical traits and major differences – as well as having different classifications depending on where in the ...
The word turtle is borrowed from the French word tortue or tortre 'turtle, tortoise'. [3] It is a common name and may be used without knowledge of taxonomic distinctions. In North America, it may denote the order as a whole. In Britain, the name is used for sea turtles as opposed to freshwater terrapins and land-dwelling tortoises. In Australia ...
Pond turtles, terrapins, and sliders: Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Geoemydidae Theobald, 1868: 24: Asian leaf turtles, roofed turtles, and Asian box turtles: Amboina box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) Kinosternidae Agassiz, 1857: 4: Mud and musk turtles: Common musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) Platysternidae Gray, 1869 : 1: Big ...
These tortoises may attain a length of 25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 in), [12] with males being slightly larger than females. A male tortoise has a longer gular horn than a female, his plastron (lower shell) is concave compared to a female tortoise. Males have larger tails than females do.
The diamondback terrapin or simply terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a species of terrapin native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the East Coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico coast, as well as in Bermuda. [6] It belongs to the monotypic genus Malaclemys.