Red eared slider

Red-eared slider
Trachemys scripta elegans (Wied-Neuwied), an 1865 engraving by Karl Bodmer, who accompanied the authority on his expedition
At the Cincinnati Zoo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Trachemys
Species:	T. scripta
Subspecies:	T. s. elegans
Trinomial name
Trachemys scripta elegans (Wied-Neuwied, 1839)
Synonyms
Emys elegans Wied, 1839 Emys holbrookii Gray, 1844 Emys sanguinolenta Gray, 1856 Trachemys elegans Agassiz, 1857 Clemmys elegans Strauch, 1862 Trachemys holbrooki Gray, 1863 (ex errore) Trachemys holbrookii Gray, 1869 Trachemys lineata Gray, 1873 Pseudemys elegans Cope, 1875 Chrysemys elegans Boulenger, 1889 Chrysemys scripta var. elegans Boulenger, 1889 Chrysemys palustris elegans Lindholm, 1929 Pseudemys troostii elegans Stejneger & Barbour, 1939 Pseudemys scripta elegans Cagle, 1944 Trachemys scripta elegans Iverson, 1985 Trachemys scripta elagans Fong, Parham & Fu, 2002 (ex errore) Trachemys scripta elgans Fong, Parham & Fu, 2002 (ex errore)

The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), also known as the red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world. It has, therefore, become the most commonly traded turtle in the world. It is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico, but has become established in other places because of pet releases, and has become an invasive species 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 published by the IUCN.

Red-eared sliders get their name from the small red stripe around their ears.. The "slider" in their name comes from their ability to slide off rocks and logs and into the water quickly. This species was previously known as Troost's turtle in honor of an American herpetologist; Trachemys scripta troostii is now the scientific name for another subspecies, the Cumberland slider.

The red-eared slider belongs to the order Testudines, which contains about 250 turtle species. It is a subspecies of Trachemys scripta. They were previously classified under the name Chrysemys scripta elegans.

The species Trachemys scripta contains three subspecies: T. s. elegans (red-eared slider), T. s. scripta (yellow-bellied slider), and T. s. troostii (Cumberland slider).

The carapace of this species can reach more than 40 cm (16 in) in length, but the average length ranges from 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in). The females of the species are usually larger than the males. They typically live between 20 and 30 years, although some individuals have lived for more than 40 years. Their life expectancy is shorter when they are kept in captivity. The quality of their living environment has a strong influence on their lifespans and well being.

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Wikipedia