Terrapins are the semi-aquatic, freshwater-living versions of turtles. They live in either fresh or slightly salty (brackish) water, and you will find them by waterholes, ponds or lakes. They tend to swim quite often, but also spend their time on land, basking in the sun and occasionally burrowing in the mud. Their hard shell is slightly streamlined yet also slightly domed (like tortoises). Even though they can swim, they don’t have flippers like a turtle, but rather legs similar to tortoises. You could say that they are like a mix between a turtle and tortoise. Terrapins are omnivorous, and their diet can consist of molluscs, small fish, crustaceans, insects, algae and other aquatic plants. Unlike turtles and tortoises, terrapins remain relatively small. Terrapins are aggressive and will bite. They have incredibly sharp claws and a powerful snapping jaw. Although they do not have teeth, they can easily take a finger off with a single chomp. They may also ‘bark’ when angry.
Info source URL: https://africageographic.com/…/whats-the-difference-betwee…/
