Diamonds in the Marsh

A Natural History of the Diamondback Terrapin

Barbara Brennessel

She’s the mascot for the University of Maryland’s sports teams and her ancestors were nearly driven to extinction by Victorians who indulged in turtle soup. But as she buries herself in the mud every night to sleep, the diamondback terrapin knows none of this. The size of a dinner plate and named for the beautiful concentric rings on her shell, she can live at least forty years and is the only turtle in North America who can live in brackish and salty waters. Several diamondback populations have been the subjects of ecological studies in recent years, but most of that information was buried in scientific literature and various state and federal reports—until this book.

Synthesizing all known research on this remarkable animal, Diamonds in the Marsh is the first full-scale natural history of the diamondback terrapin. Focusing on the northern diamondback, Barbara Brennessel examines its evolution, physiology, adaptations, behavior, growth patterns, life span, genetic diversity, land use, reproduction, and early years. She also discusses its relationship to humans, first as an important food source from colonial times through the nineteenth century, and more recently as a cultural icon, frequently depicted in Native American art and design. She concludes with a look at contemporary hazards to the terrapin and urges continued study of this marvelous creature. Updated with a new introduction by Brennessel, and with a foreword by Bob Prescott, former executive director of Massachusetts’s Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary, Diamonds of the Marsh is perfect for those interested in the conservation of a species.

Paper: $27.95 | E-book: $22.95

ISBN-13: 9781684580804

Pages: 256 | Size: 6 in. x 9 in.

Date Published: September 1, 2021

Imprint:

Brandeis University Press

Nature & Environment

Environmentalists, ecologists and marine biologists will delight in this meticulously detailed but highly readable look at the only North American turtle species that can tolerate the ‘fresh water, salt water, and everything in between.

Publishers Weekly

Reviews

Environmentalists, ecologists and marine biologists will delight in this meticulously detailed but highly readable look at the only North American turtle species that can tolerate the 'fresh water, salt water, and everything in between'

Publishers Weekly
A serious treatment of the natural history of one of the most beloved creatures of the Eastern Seaboard... well illustrated with photographs.

Natural New England Magazine
A comprehensive natural history such as Diamonds in the Marsh is an invaluable tool in the study and conservations of a species, and can provide a solid foundation for future research, conservation, and management decisions. Brennessel effectively pulls together the bulk of literature on the diamondback and communicates it to the reader in a generally clear, uncluttered fashion so as to make it not only a resource for researchers, but also an interesting read for reptile aficionados.

Herpetological Review

About the Author

Barbara Brennessel

Barbara Brennessel, Ph.D. is Professor Emerita of Biology at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. She taught Biochemistry, Microbiology and other courses at Wheaton for 33 years. She currently lives on Cape Cod in Wellfleet. Her recent research is focused on the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). She wrote Diamonds in the Marsh: A Natural History of the Diamondback Terrapin. She also served on the Shellfish Advisory Board in Wellfleet, and wrote Good Tidings: The …

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Diamonds in the Marsh

A Natural History of the Diamondback Terrapin

Barbara Brennessel

Reviews

About the Author

Barbara Brennessel

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