Northern Diamondback Terrapin

Malaclemys terrapin terrapin — Emydidae

4–9 inches Males 4–5.5 in.; females significantly larger at 6–9 in.

IUCN

Vulnerable

Federal (US)

Species of concern

Virginia

None

VWAP Tier

Tier IIa

Habitat

brackishsemi-aquaticwetland

Found in Virginia

Coastal plain

How to identify

Concentric diamond or ring pattern on each scute
Gray or white skin with dark spots or speckles
Brackish water habitat only
Females significantly larger than males
Light-colored, bulbous head

About this species

The diamondback terrapin is the only North American turtle that lives exclusively in brackish coastal habitats — the salt marshes, tidal creeks, and estuaries of the Atlantic coast. Virginia's coastal plain, including the Chesapeake Bay, is critical habitat. Their concentric diamond-shaped rings on each scute make them unmistakable, and no two individuals have the same pattern.

Often confused with

Eastern Painted Turtle

Painted turtles have smooth scutes with red or yellow markings and are found in freshwater, not brackish water

Red-eared Slider

Red-eared sliders have a distinctive red patch behind the eye and are found in freshwater

Did you know

"Diamondback terrapins can tolerate a wider range of salinity than almost any other turtle, moving between near-fresh water and full saltwater within the same tidal creek system."

SERC rehabilitation notes SERC head-starting program species. Our PHP cohort of diamondback terrapins is a current active project, head-started from eggs rescued by a volunteer from a construction site near a local natural area. We keep nesting locations general to protect terrapins from poaching. Crab pot drowning is a major mortality source in Virginia.

Sightings & citizen science

Help document Virginia wildlife by logging your sightings on iNaturalist. Every observation builds the conservation data that researchers and rehabbers depend on.

View Northern Diamondback Terrapin observations on iNaturalist ↗

Found one injured?

If you've found an injured or displaced Northern Diamondback Terrapin in Virginia, our triage guide walks you through what to do.

Triage guide →