Zoology of the ZooPl. CLXXXI
Red-eared slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Reptilia · Testudines · Emydidae
Fig. 1. Red-eared slider
Fig. 2. Range
| Length or height | Shell about 12-28 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight | About 0.5-3 kg |
| Food | Plants, insects, fish |
| Lifespan | About 20-30 years or more (est.) |
| Society | Basks in groups |
| Habitat | freshwater, urban |
| Range | North America |
| Wild or tame | Wild |
The world's most traded pet turtle, native to the Mississippi valley. Released pets now live on every continent but Antarctica; in Florida it competes and interbreeds with the native yellow-bellied slider. Florida lists it as a Conditional species (FWC).
Observe: Look for the red stripe behind the eye.