Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
Summary 5
Trachemys scripta, better known as the pond slider, is a common, medium-sized semi-aquatic turtle. There are three subspecies of sliders. The most recognizable subspecies is the red-eared slider (T. s. elegans), which is popular in the pet trade. This subspecies has been introduced to other parts of the world by people releasing it to the wild. Slider hatchlings have a green shell (carapace) and skin with yellow green and dark green striped markings. Markings and colors...
Diagnosis 6
Hatchling and juvenile pond sliders have a green upper shell (carapace), yellow bottom shell (plastron) and green and yellow stripes and markings on their skin. These patterns and colors in the skin and shell fade with age until the carapace is a muted olive green to orange brown or brown and the plastron is a dull yellow or darker. Some sliders become almost black with few visible markings. The carapace is oval with a bit of rounding and a central crest with knobs, but these features soften and fade with age, adults being smoother and flatter.[1][2]
Conservation 6
This species is invasive and needs no conservation.
Sources and Credits 6
- Rhodin 2010, p. 000.103
- Fritz 2007, pp. 207-208
Sources and Credits
- (c) J. N. Stuart, all rights reserved, uploaded by J. N. Stuart, http://www.flickr.com/photos/21786539@N03/3414909321
- (c) Andrew Reding, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/seaotter/34483179243/
- (c) Xavier Robin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/xavier_robin/35432702134/
- (c) muzina_shanghai, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/muzina_shanghai/1032955765/
- Adapted by calebcam from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachemys_scripta
- (c) calebcam, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
