Diamondback Terrapin Subspecies
A:Shell wedge-shaped, dark with usually narrow concentric dark & light rings on each scute, can be solid black. Skin usually olive with black speckles. From Cape Cod south to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Northern Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
B:Shell oval, with wider concentric dark and light rings. Pattern extremely variable, shell can be cream-colored with widely spaced dark rings, can also be solid black. Skin olive, gray or whitish with black spots, blotches, or speckles. From Cape Hatteras, North Carolina south to northern Florida. See an example
Carolina Diamondback Terrapin AKA Central Ornate Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin centrata
C:Shell oval, very dark with faint concentric markings. Scute centers lighter in appearance. Sometimes turtles lack deep growth rings. Skin usually olive or grey with dark spots or speckles. From Florida's east coast.
Florida East Coast Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin tequesta
D:Shell dark. Neck & back legs white with black stripes and blotches. From Florida Keys only.
Mangrove Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin rhizophorarum
E:Shell dark with orange or yellow scute centers. Skin white or pink with small round spots. From the west coast of Florida to the panhandle.
Ornate Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota
F:Shell dark. Skin dark olive with black spots. Lower shell mostly yellow. From Pensacola Florida to western Louisiana.
Mississippi Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin pileata
G:Shell dark, higher in rear. Skin dark olive with black spots. Lower shell mostly white. From western Louisiana to southern Texas.
Texas Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin littoralis
