Mandarins were the commonly used name before the Dancy Tangerine was marketed in America. As this new orange-red cultivar became popular and other cultivars were still called mandarins, they were believed to be different. Some horticulturalists still use the term tangerine for darker colored mandarins but they are the same!
Learn more about citrus varieties here:
Greenery’s Short Guide to Citrus Varieties
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