Terrapin
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There are seven types of terrapins In South Florida, there are three subspecies which include T. Tequesta in Biscayne Bay, T. rhizophoraruum in the Keys, and T. macrospilota in Florida Bay. The life of a south Florida Diamondback Terrapin is scarcely known. Even though we’ve been observing a few hatchlings in the wild, the behavior has been poorly documented in Florida Bay or in other areas in the Florida Keys. The animals show sexual dimorphism with females being larger, with a rounder head, deeper shell and shorter tail than males. Females may reach nine inches and males are about five inches in length. Mating occurs in spring and females usually lays 5-12 eggs on the beaches that ring many of the mangrove keys. The Diamondback Terrapins are carnivorous, feeding on molluscs and crustaceans.
