Terrapin

A terrapin is one of several small species of turtle living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit, and may not be very closely related, although many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae. A distinction between turtle and terrapin does not exist in other European languages. The name "terrapin" is derived from the Algonquian word torope,^[1] used for Malaclemys terrapin. In the UK, red-eared sliders are known as red-eared terrapins.^[2]

Species

Turtle species with "terrapin" in their common names include:

• Diamondback terrapin or just "terrapin" Malaclemys terrapin, a turtle of the Emydidae family, native to the US
• European pond terrapin or European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis, a turtle in the family Emydidae found in West Asia and parts of North Africa
• Mexican spotted terrapin or Mexican spotted wood turtle Rhinoclemmys rubida, a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae, endemic to Mexico
• Painted terrapin Batagur borneoensis, a turtle in the Geoemydidae family native to Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand
• Northern river terrapin Batagur baska, a critically endangered turtle in the Geoemydidae family native to Cambodia
• Southern river terrapin Batagur affinis, a turtle in the Geoemydidae family native to Cambodia
• Smiling terrapin or Black marsh turtle, Siebenrockiella crassicollis, a turtle in the Geoemydidae family native to Southeast Asia
• Seychelles black terrapin Pelusios seychellensis, an extinct species of turtle in the Pelomedusidae family that was endemic to Seychelles
• Serrated hinged terrapin Pelusios sinuatus is a species of turtle in the Pelomedusidae family found in southern Africa
• Striped-neck terrapin or Caspian turtle Mauremys caspica, a turtle in the family Geoemydidae (Bataguridae), native to the eastern Mediterranean region
• Bengal eyed terrapin, Burmese eyed turtle or Burmese peacock turtle Morenia ocellata, a turtle in the family Geoemydidae found in Burma and possibly Yunnan, China
• Indian pond terrapin or Indian black turtle Melanochelys trijuga, a turtle in the family Geoemydidae found in South Asia

References

1. "Terrapin" at m-w.com
2. Coombes, Allen, ed. (2008). Wildlife of Britain. The definitive visual guide. Doring Kindersley. p. 168. ISBN 978-1-4053-6709-7.