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Trachemys scripta

(Thunberg in Schoepff, 1792)

Pond Slider

G5Secure Found in 66 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
PSESA Status
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104105
Element CodeARAAD09010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassChelonia
OrderTestudines
FamilyEmydidae
GenusTrachemys
USESAPS
Synonyms
Chrysemys scriptaPseudemys scriptaTestudo scriptaSchoepff, 1792
Other Common Names
Common Slider (EN) slider (EN) Tortue à oreille rouges (FR)
Concept Reference
King, F. W., and R. L. Burke, editors. 1989. Crocodilian, tuatara, and turtle species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Association of Systematics Collections, Washington, D.C. 216 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Formerly included in the genus Pseudemys, and sometimes has been placed in the genus Chrysemys. Seidel (2002) reviewed the extant species and subspecies of Trachemys and concluded that 15 species should be recognized. See also Ward (1984) and Seidel and Smith (1986).

Trachemys scripta formerly included T. gaigeae and T. gaigeae hartwegi as subspecies.

See Jackson (1988) for review of fossil record in relation to taxonomic status of Trachemys.

MtDNA data reveal two lineages with a strong geographic orientation generally consistent with decribed subspecies ranges, though two individuals with the western haplotype A were observed in the Atlantic coastal plain (Walker and Avise 1998).
Conservation Status
Review Date2005-08-17
Change Date1996-10-21
Edition Date2005-08-17
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Range Extent Comments
The range extends from Michigan to Argentina, and from the Atlantic coast to New Mexico; it also includes southern Baja California (at least formerly). The species has been introduced and is established in many areas outside the native range, including Florida (Schwartz and Henderson 1991; Ashton and Ashton 1991; Hutchison, 1992, Herpetol. Rev. 23:74-75; Townsend et al., 2002, Herpetol. Rev. 33:75; Ehret and Parker, 2005, Hepretol. Rev. 36:78), Guam (McCoid, 1992, Herpetol. Rev. 23:26), New York (Klemens 1993), and New Mexico (Stuart, 1995, Herpetological Review 26:107). It has been found in California (e.g., Stitt et al., 2004, Herpetol. Rev. 35:187) and Hawaii (McKeown 1996), but establishment is uncertain.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Usually in quiet water with abundant aquatic vegetation, soft bottom, and basking sites. Hibernates underwater or in protected places near waterline (Ernst and Barbour 1972). More tolerant of pollution than are most turtles. Eggs are laid in nests dug in soft damp soil in open areas. Nesting area may be on nearest suitable site or far from water (usually the former) (Ernst and Barbour 1972). In Costa Rica, some females briefly enter the sea and nest on Caribbean Sea beaches (upper beach berm usually under cocoplum vegetation; hatchlings probably do not enter the sea (Moll 1994).

Ecology

Most of 1006 turtles marked and released in Illinois were recaptured within 0.8 km of release point (see Ernst and Barbour 1972). Movements exceeding 2 km are known. In South Carolina, a metapopulation encompassed habitats 3.5 km from a core area (10-ha wetland) (Burke et al. 1995).

Some populations exhibit significantly faster growth rate and larger adult body size than others.

Nest survivorship in Panama was 0.03. In South Carolina, annual first-year survivorship (from egg laying) averaged 0.11 (range 0.01-0.28) over 5 years; annual survivorship was 0.84 for adult males, 0.77 for adult females (Frazer et al. 1990).

Reproduction

In the U.S., eggs are laid from mid-March to August, with the earliest nesting occurring in the southern states. Nests from January to March near Tortuguero, Costa Rica (Moll 1994). In South Carolina, mean clutch size was 6.3 (range 1-6); nesting females produced an average of 1.1 clutches/year (usually 1 clutch, rarely as many as 3); successive clutches generally were separated by an interval of about 1 month; females matured at age 7 years (Frazer et al. 1990). In Illinois, females produced an estimated 2-3 clutches per year, and most adult females evidently nested in successive years (Tucker 2001). In the U.S., eggs hatch in summer or early fall; hatchlings may commonly overwinter in nest (Jackson 1994). In Costa Rica, hatchlings from sea beach nests emerged by May and June (Moll 1994). In South Carolina, the mean proportion of adult females nesting in any given year was 0.37 (Frazer et al. 1990). See Tucker et al. (1995, Herpetologica 51:354-358) for information on annual variation in individual growth rates.
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IowaS3Yes
DelawareSNANo
West VirginiaSNAYes
MassachusettsSNANo
WashingtonSNANo
MissouriS5Yes
IndianaS4Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
FloridaS5Yes
TexasS4Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
New MexicoS4Yes
KansasS5Yes
PennsylvaniaSNANo
ArizonaSNANo
OklahomaSNRYes
ArkansasS5Yes
South CarolinaSNRYes
MarylandS5Yes
NevadaSNANo
IllinoisS5Yes
New YorkSNANo
GeorgiaS5Yes
LouisianaS5Yes
IdahoSNANo
North CarolinaS5Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
NebraskaS1Yes
MichiganSNAYes
New JerseySNANo
OhioSNRYes
OregonSNANo
MississippiS5Yes
KentuckySNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
CanadaNNA
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecSNANo
Nova ScotiaSNANo
OntarioSNANo
SaskatchewanSNANo
British ColumbiaSNANo
Roadless Areas (66)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Arizona (4)
AreaForestAcres
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Arkansas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
California (31)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Dobie FlatModoc National Forest15,079
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
LavasModoc National Forest25,864
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
Mystic (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest836
North MountainStanislaus National Forest7,856
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sheep MountainAngeles National Forest21,098
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
Florida (3)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Clear LakeApalachicola National Forest5,592
Natural Area WsaOsceola National Forest2,543
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Louisiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Saline Bayou W & S River CorridorKisatchie National Forest5,355
Mississippi (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sandy Creek Rare Ii AreaHomochitto National Forest2,620
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Irish Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest1,226
Nevada (2)
AreaForestAcres
Mystic (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,644
Rose - Davis Mdw.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,361
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
North Carolina (4)
AreaForestAcres
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Pond Pine BCroatan National Forest2,961
Wesser BaldNantahala National Forest4,061
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Hellhole ExtFrancis Marion National Forest891
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Texas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Utah (4)
AreaForestAcres
418024Uinta National Forest51,699
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
Burch CreekWasatch-Cache National Forest6,938
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Washington (2)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
References (33)
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