Terrapin · Lablypedia

In a nutshell

Terrapins or water tortoises are a group of several species of aquatic reptile of the order Testudines living primarily in fresh or brackish tidal waters, and having the clawed feet of tortoises rather than the flippers of marine turtles. In American English, they are referred to as marsh, pond, or tide-water turtles, with some species called pond sliders as well. Whereas tortoises are almost strict herbivores and frugivores — largely feeding on flowers, grasses, leaves, and fallen fruit — a great many terrapins are mainly carnivorous — largely feeding on amphibians, arthropods, freshwater fish, and molluscs — though some are herbivores. Terrapins are identified primarily with the taxonomic family Emydidae, but do not form a single taxon and may not be closely related, with some belonging to the families Geoemydidae, Pelomedusidae, Podocnemididae, and Chelydridae. Though primarily aquatic, terrapins do relatively frequently come to land for many reasons, but particularly to warm up by basking in the sun.

Related on Lably

Through Fresh water, Herbivore and Carnivore

Lab · Class 5–8Cyclones & Extreme Weather Lab · Class 5Every Drop Counts Lab · Class 8–12Ecosystem Dynamics Lab · Class 3Animals Around Us

Etymology

The name "terrapin" is derived from the word in the Algonquian languages: torope that referred to the species Malaclemys terrapin, the diamondback terrapin. It appears that the term became part of common usage during the colonial era of North America and was carried back to Great Britain. Since then, it has been used in common names for freshwater species of Testudines in the English language, but is not as widely used in North America.

Terrapins gave their name to a colloquialism for the War of 1812 — 'the Terrapin War' — because, through the blockade, the United States was shut up tight in its shell like a terrapin against the British forces.

2 more chapters are free with a Lably account.

More in Organisms

BacteriaDomain of microorganisms FungusOrganism belonging to kingdom Fungi MammalClass of animals with milk-producing glands BirdWarm-blooded animals with wings and feathers HumanSpecies of hominid in the genus Homo InsectClass of arthropods

Etymology

Species

Conventions

More in Organisms