what is a terrapin

A terrapin is a type of small turtle that lives in fresh or brackish water. They are semi-aquatic and can be found swimming in waterholes, ponds, or lakes, as well as basking in the sun or burrowing in the mud on land. The name "terrapin" comes from the Native American Algonquian word "torope," which means "a little turtle". Terrapins are omnivorous and eat mollusks, small fish, crustaceans, insects, algae, and other aquatic plants. Unlike turtles and tortoises, terrapins remain relatively small, although there are some giant species of terrapin, such as the snapping turtle. The term "terrapin" was commonly used in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries as well as the United States to refer to any aquatic turtle, but now it is largely restricted to the diamondback terrapin.