Hey humans, thanks for visiting me in one of the best Terrapin Museums of the world! You know me don’t you? You call me the Terrapin!
You might have read a lot about me in your text books and watched movies about me on television. Now you have come to visit me and it makes me feel very important.
I feel, “I’m no less than a movie star when it comes to your attention. You humans simply stare at me because I’m so different.
You might have heard the story of the fast but hasty hare and the slow but steady tortoise. Yes, I’m the proud kin of that wise tortoise (a distant relative to be more specific).
Well, most humans who visit a Terrapins Museum say that I resemble the tortoise which is absolutely true. I look like a tortoise but there are a lot of differences between me and the tortoise.
Many of you just stare at me through the glass walls of Terrapin Museum chambers, make comments on my looks and just move away to the next exhibit. But I think you should take time to go through my family history.
After all, I belong to the illustrious Malaclemys family of turtles. If any of your relatives will want to know, you can tell them that. A visit to the museum without educating yourself doesn’t take you anywhere.
Now coming back to my family history do you know what Malaclemys actually means? The term is of Greek origin and is based on our food preferences. We love those scrumptious mollusks a lot and we really freak out on them. That’s why we got the term Malaclemys meaning “eaters of mollusks.”
To my horror I came to know that you people love preying on me, the way I love preying on mollusks. It seems you make all kinds of tasty recipes by killing me, and cooking me. What a heinous crime that is!
But I understand that is quite fair because even we give mollusks the same treatment. Native Americans have named us edible turtles, because they literally feast on us. That’s the reason I have chosen to stay in brackish water far away from your reach.
Did you know that I’m known as the Diamondback Terrapin my British and Americans? That’s with good reason. My carapace (shell) has got beautiful diamond-shaped patterns on it and the color is too good.
Want to know more about me? I’ll surely come back with more information! Goodbye
