Invasive Species | Fish and Invertebrates
Red-eared Slider
Mike Dobrzan
Red-eared Slider
(Trachemys scripta elegans)
French common name: Tortue à oreilles rouges
Red Eared Sliders are a popular pet turtle species, widely introduced across North America for their initial small size and bright colouring. Unfortunately many pet owners release these turtles into natural ecosystems, where they can out-compete native turtles and introduce diseases such as Salmonella bacteria.
Characteristics
Size: Medium Sized turtles (12-29 cm), making them slightly larger than native turtles.
Shell (colour and texture): The top of the shell (carapice) is a dark brown/green colour with a variety of dark lines and swirls, sometimes with patches of white, red, or yellow. It is weakly keeled (a slight ridge down the middle) with a rough appearance.
Markings: Bright red mark behind ear. Yellow strips running down neck, legs and tail.
Underside: The underside of the shell (plastron) is typically pale yellow with dark blotches.
Eggs: Eggs are white, oval and approximately 3-4cm across.
Habitat: Can survive in a variety of waterbodies such as lakes, wetlands and ponds (including stormwater ponds).
Charles J. Sharp
Key ID Features
Charles J. Sharp
Distinct Red mark behind ear
Peter Paplanus
Minor Ridge visible atop shell
Kateryna Martyniuk
Dark blotches on the plastron (underside of shell)
Common Look-a-Likes
Eastern Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta)
Absence of keeled shell (ridge in the middle of the shell).
Absence of red ear marking
Danielle Brigida
D. Gordon, E. Robertson
Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
Absence of red ear markings
Light yellow markings absent form head and neck
Dark markings on plastron are larger