Copyright Chris Frost 2019 | All Rights Reserved

Red necked terrrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)

The red-eared slider or red-eared terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a subspecies of the pond slider (Trachemys scripta), a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States, is also popular as a pet across the rest of the world, and is the most invasive turtle. It is the most commonly traded turtle in the world.

The red-eared slider is native from the Midwestern United States to northern Mexico, but has become established in other places because of pet releases and has become invasive in many areas where it outcompetes native species. The red-eared slider is included in the list of the world’s 100 most invasive species.

Seen by the lake in the gardens of Chiswick House in 2023

0Shares


Leave a comment