Tortue à oreilles rouges— Quebec wildlife

The red-eared slider or red-eared terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a subspecies of the pond slider (Trachemys scripta), a terrapin belonging to the family Emydidae. Native to the southern United States and extreme northern Mexico, it is popular as a pet across the world, and is the most invasive chelonian. It is the most commonly traded chelonian in the world. The red-eared slider is native to the central and southern United States and 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.

Description

The carapace of this species can reach more than 40 cm (16 in) in length, but the typical 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 20–30 years, although some individuals can live for more than 40 years. Their life expectancy is longer when they are kept in captivity. The quality of their living environment has a strong influence on their lifespans and well being. The shell is divided into the upper or dorsal carapace, and the lower, ventral carapace or plastron. The upper carapace consists of the vertebral scutes, which form the central, elevated portion; pleural scutes that are located around the vertebral scutes; and then the marginal scutes around the edge of the carapace. The rear marginal scutes are notched. The scutes are bony keratinous elements. The carapace is oval and flattened (especially in the male) and has a weak keel that is more pronounced in the young. The color of the carapace changes depending on the age of the terrapin. It usually has a dark green background with light and dark, highly variable markings. In young or recently hatched terrapins, it is leaf green and gets slightly darker as a terrapin gets older, until it is a very dark green, and then turns a shade between brown and olive green. The plastron is always a light yellow with dark, paired, irregular markings in the centre of most scutes. The plastron is highly variable in pattern. The head, legs, and tail are green with fine, irregular, yellow lines. The whole shell is covered in these stripes and markings that aid in camouflaging an individual. These terrapins also have a complete skeletal system, with partially webbed feet that help them to swim and that can be withdrawn inside the carapace along with the head and tail. The red stripe on each side of the head distinguishes the red-eared slider from all other North American species and gives this species its name, as the stripe is located behind the eyes, where their (external) ears would be. These stripes may lose their color over time. Color and vibrance of ear stripe can indicate immune health, with bright red having higher immune response than yellow stripes.