Texas Diamond-backed Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin littoralis
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by John Williams
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by John Williams
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by John Williams
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by John Williams
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by Matt Hollanders
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by Matt Hollanders
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by Matt Hollanders
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- M. t. litteralis – Galveston Co, TX – photo by Matt Hollanders
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Malaclemys t. littoralis occurs in the bays, salt marshes and other coastal waterways along the Texas Gulf Coast from the Texas/Louisiana border southward to Nueces and Kleberg Counties.
LEGAL STATUS: No Listings
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Malaclemys terrapin littoralis (Hay 1904)
Genus: Malaclemys, Greek – malakos = soft + emys = a freshwater tortoise – ref. skin of this turtle is soft as compared to most other turtles
Species: terrapin, Latin = a turtle – derived from Native American word for turtle
Subspecies: littoralis, Latin = of the waters edge, or sea shore — ref. habitat
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962