Pond slider

Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans, the red-eared slider
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)[1][2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Emydidae
Subfamily:	Deirochelyinae
Genus:	Trachemys
Species:	T. scripta
Binomial name
Trachemys scripta (Thunberg, 1792),[2] (Schoepff, 1792)[3]
Subspecies range map in the United States. Red: red-eared slider (also in Mexico) Yellow: yellow-bellied slider Green: Cumberland slider

The pond slider (Trachemys scripta) is a common, medium-sized semi-aquatic turtle. There are three subspecies of sliders.^[2] The most recognizable subspecies is the red-eared slider (T. s. elegans), which is popular in the pet trade and has been introduced to other parts of the world by people releasing it to the wild. Baby and juvenile pond sliders have a green shell (carapace) and yellow green skin with dark green striped markings. Markings and colors fade in adults to a muted olive green to brown or orange carapace. Some individuals become almost black with few visible markings. The carapace is oval and flattened for females, round and complex for males. The underside of the shell is yellow with dark markings in the center of each scute, making it easier to determine their sex. However, the markings underside the shell fade as the turtle age.

Distribution

The pond sliders are native to the United States and Mexico

Subspecies

• Trachemys scripta scripta – Yellow-bellied slider^[2]
• Trachemys scripta elegans – Red-eared slider^[2]
• Trachemys scripta troostii – Cumberland slider^[2]

Hybrid

• Trachemys scripta elegans x Trachemys scripta scripta – Red-eared slider x yellow-bellied slider^[4]

References

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status". Archived from the original (pdf) on 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2010-12-15. 
• Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007-10-31). "Checklist of Chelonians of The World". Archived from the original (pdf) on 2010-12-29. Retrieved 2010-12-29. 

External links

• J. Servan et C. Arvy, The introduction of Trachemys scripta in France. A new competitor for the European pond turtles; Bull. Fr. Pêche Piscic. Number 344-345, 1997
• Dewey, T. and T. Kuhrt. (2002). "Trachemys scripta" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed July 29, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Trachemys_scripta.html.
• Rhudy, Robyn "Sliders" (On-Line), Accessed April 29, 2009. at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/turtles/sliders.htm

Family Emydidae (pond turtles)
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Testudinoidea Family: Emydidae
Genus	Species of the subfamily Deirochelyinae
Chrysemys	Painted turtle
Deirochelys	Chicken turtle
Graptemys	Alabama map turtle Barbour's map turtle Black-knobbed map turtle Cagle's map turtle Escambia map turtle False map turtle Northern map turtle Ouachita map turtle Pascagoula map turtle Pearl River map turtle Ringed map turtle Texas map turtle Yellow-blotched map turtle
Malaclemys	Diamondback terrapin
Pseudemys	Alabama red-bellied cooter Northern red-bellied cooter Florida red-bellied cooter Peninsula cooter Rio Grande cooter River cooter Texas river cooter
Trachemys	Big bend slider Baja California slider Central Antillean slider Colombian slider Cuatro Cienegas slider Cuban slider D'Orbigny's slider Hispaniolan slider Jamaican slider Maranhão slider Meso-American slider Nicaraguan slider Ornate slider Pond slider Yaqui slider
	Species of the subfamily Emydinae
Clemmys	Spotted turtle
Emys	Blanding's turtle European pond turtle Sicilian pond turtle Western pond turtle
Glyptemys	Bog turtle Wood turtle
Terrapene	Coahuilan box turtle Common box turtle Ornate box turtle Spotted box turtle
Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist. Subspecies and the extinct (Gyremys sectabilis) are not included.