Did you know that this species is Maryland’s state reptile and the mascot of the University of Maryland?

Diamondback terrapins are aquatic turtles with concentric, diamond-shaped markings and grooves on the scutes (plates) of their carapaces (top shells), which range from medium gray or brown to nearly black. Their skin can be pale gray to black, marked with dark spots, blotches or stripes. No two diamondback terrapins are exactly alike in color and pattern.

Their large webbed feet and muscular legs make terrapins strong swimmers, which helps them survive in environments with daily tidal changes and strong currents. Terrapins, like sea turtles, have glands that help remove excess salt from their bodies by secreting tears with high concentrations of sodium chloride.

Terrapins mate in early spring and nest through mid-summer. Females lay two to three clutches of eggs annually, with clutch sizes ranging from 4 to 23 eggs. Sometimes hatchlings overwinter in the nest and emerge the following spring. During the cold winter months, diamondbacks hibernate, buried in the mud at the bottom of tidal creeks, completely submerged and inactive.

Read on to learn more about the diamondback terrapin!