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Reptilia    Testudines    Emydidae  

Diamondback Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin (Schoepff, 1793)

Current SSAR Comments:
Hart et al. (2014, Conservation Genetics 15: 593–603) and Drabeck et al. (2014, Journal of Herpetology 48: 125–136) examined genetic geographic variation across the range of M. terrapin. They both questioned if the current subspecies designations were warranted; however, they made no explicit taxonomic recommendations. Rhodin et al. (2021, Chelonian Research Monographs (8): 1–472) retained the existing subspecies pending additional studies with more complete geographic sampling.
Rhodin et al. (op. cit.) use "Diamondback" in the standardized English name for M. terrapin and all of its subspecies. "Diamondback Terrapin" is used by the IUCN Red List and most conservation organizations (Anders Rhodin, personal communication).

Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2023.04.09.21.53.11)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 1.08 MB

First instance(s) of published English names:
Concentric Tortoise (Testudo concentrica: Shaw, George. 1802. General zoology or systematic natural history. Volume 3. G. Kearsley, London, U. K.. 615pp.); Terrapin (Emys centrata: Harlan, Richard. 1827. Genera of North American Reptilia, and a synopsis of the species Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philidelphia 5(2):317-372); Concentric Terrapin (Emys concentrica: Gray, John E. 1830. A synopsis of the species of the class reptilia. Pages 1-110 in The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, member of teh Institute of France, with Additional Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Named, and of many not before noticed. Ninth Volume. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London, England. pp.); Salt-water Terrapin (Emys palustris: De Kay, James E. 1842. Zoology of New-York, or, The New-York Fauna: Comprising Detailed Descriptions of All the Animals Hitherto Observed within the State of New-York, with Brief Notices of those Occasionally Found Near its Borders, and Accompanied by Appropriate Illustrations. Volume 1, Part 3 (Reptiles and Amphibians). W. & A. White & J. Visscher, Albany, New York. pp.); Smooth Terrapin (Emys terrapin: De Kay, James E. 1842. Zoology of New-York, or, The New-York Fauna: Comprising Detailed Descriptions of All the Animals Hitherto Observed within the State of New-York, with Brief Notices of those Occasionally Found Near its Borders, and Accompanied by Appropriate Illustrations. Volume 1, Part 3 (Reptiles and Amphibians). W. & A. White & J. Visscher, Albany, New York. pp.); Salt-water Terrapen (Malaclemys concentrica: Gray, John E. 1856. Catalogue of shield reptiles in the collection of the British Museum. Part I. Testudinata (Tortoises). Taylor and Francis, London, England. 79pp.); Concentric Terrapine (Emys concentrica: Royal College of Surgeons of England. 1859. Descriptive catalogue of the specimens of natural history in spirit contained in the Museum of the Royal college of surgeons of England. Vertebrata: Pisces, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia. Taylor and Francis, London, England. pp.); Salt-water Terrapine (Emys concentrica: Royal College of Surgeons of England. 1859. Descriptive catalogue of the specimens of natural history in spirit contained in the Museum of the Royal college of surgeons of England. Vertebrata: Pisces, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia. Taylor and Francis, London, England. pp.); Terrapin (Malacoclemmys concentrica: Yarrow, Henry C. 1876. List of Skeletons and Crania in the Section of Comparative Anatomy of the United States Army Medical Museum for use during the International Exhibition of 1876 in Connection with the Representation of the Medical Department U.S. Army. Army Medical Museum, Washington, D. C. pp.); Salt-Marsh Turtle (Malacoclemmys palustris: Jordan, David Starr. 1876. Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States: Including the District East of the Mississippi River, and North of North Carolina and Tennessee, Exclusive of Marine Species. Jansen, McClurg, and Company, Chicago, Illinois.. 342pp.); Diamond-back (Malacoclemmys palustris: Jordan, David S. 1878. Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States: Including the District East of the Mississippi River, and North of North Carolina and Tennessee, Exclusive of Marine Species. Second Edition, Revised, and Enlarged. Jansen, McClurg & Company, Chicago. pp.); Salt-water Terrapin (Malacoclemmys centrata: Beyer, George. 1900. Louisana herpetology. Proceedings of the Louisiana Society of Naturalists 1897-1899():24-46); Terrapin (Malacoclemmys terrapin: Drowne, Frederick P. 1905. The reptiles and batrachians of Rhode Island. Monograph of the Roger Williams Park Museum 15():1-24); Salt Marsh Turtle (Malaclemys centrata concentrica: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Terrapin (Malaclemys centrata concentrica: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Diamond Back (Malaclemys centrata concentrica: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Diamond Back Terrapin (Malaclemys centrata concentrica: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Salt Marsh Terrapin (Malaclemys centrata concentrica: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Diamond-back terrapin (Malaclemmys centrata: Brimley, Clement S. 1915. List of reptiles and amphibians of North Carolina. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 30(4):195-206); Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Southern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin centrata: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Southeastern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin centrata: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Texas Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin littoralis: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Florida Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Mississippi Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin pileata: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Mangrove Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin rhizophorarum: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Florida Key Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin rhizophorarum: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.);

Taxon Links:

  
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
  
The Reptile Database
  
NatureServe
  
iNaturalist
  
GenBank
  
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database

Pertinent LIterature:
1793 Schoepff, Joannis D. Historia testudinum iconibus illustrata. Fasciculus III et IV. [A history of turtles illustrated with icons. Bundle 3 and 4.] Joannis Jacobi Palm, Erlangae [=Erlangen], Germany. 33-80, Plates XI-XVI, XVIIB-XXXpp.
2014 Hart, K. M., M. E. Hunter, and T. L. King. Regional differentiation among populations of the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). Conservation Genetics 15():593-603
2014 Drabeck, D. H., M. W. H. Chatfield, and C. L. Richard-Zawacki. The status of Louisiana's Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) populations in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Insights from population genetic and contaminant analysis. Journal of Herpetology 48():125-136
2021 Rhodin, Anders G. J., John B. Iverson, Roger Bour, Uwe Fritz, Arthur Georges, H. Bradley Shaffer, and Peter Paul van Dijk. Turtles and tortoises of the world during the rise and global spread of humanity: First checklist and review of extinct pleistocene and holocene chelonians. Chelonian Research Monographs (8):1-472

THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY — Accessed: Thursday 30 January 2025 02:06 CT