Mortality incidental to trapping for blue crabs is a primary threat to diamond-backed terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) populations. Due to sexual size dimorphism in this species, crabtrap mortality is believed to be biased toward smaller adult males and juvenile females. However, a comparison of commercial trap funnel openings and adult female size from a Gulf Coast population suggested that crab-trap mortality is a larger threat than previously thought to adult female terrapins in this population and possibly others.
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