Keywords
diamondback terrapin
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Abstract
Florida is home to several species of sea turtles, but in addition to sea turtles, Florida has another native turtle that inhabits coastal waters: the diamondback terrapin. This “lesser known” coastal turtle occurs along Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts; however, many people are unaware of the species. This fact sheet provides information on diamondback terrapin ecology and conservation and will be of interest to lay and professional audiences interested in learning more about and contributing to conservation of this species.
References
Butler, J. A., R. A. Seigel, and B. K. Mealey. 2006. “Malaclemys terrapin – Diamondback Terrapin.” In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles, Chelonian Research Monographs No.3, edited by P. A. Meylan. pp. 279–296.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Accessed 2024. Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/freshwater-turtles/diamondback-terrapin/
Ernst, C. H., and J. E. Lovich. 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada. 2nd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Hart, K. M., M. E. Hunter, and T. L. King. 2014. “Regional Differentiation among Populations of the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin).” Conservation Genetics 15:593–603. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-014-0563-6
Lamont, M. M., D. Johnson, and D. J. Catizone. 2021. “Home Ranges and Movements of Two Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) in Northwest Florida.” Estuaries and Coasts 44:1484–1491. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00892-0.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2022. “New Rules for Diamondback Terrapins.” https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/freshwater-turtles/dbt-rules/
Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2022. 2022 Element Tracking Summary https://www.fnai.org/PDFs/tracking/element_tracking_summary_202201.pdf
Roosenburg, W. M., P. J. Baker, R. Burke, M. E. Dorcas, and R. C. Wood. 2019. Malaclemys terrapin. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12695A507698.
https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T12695A507698.en
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