The yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta ) is a land and water turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. This subspecies of pond slider is native to the southeastern United States, specifically from Florida to southeastern Virginia, and is the most common turtle species in its range. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including slow-moving rivers, floodplain swamps, marshes, seasonal wetlands, and permanent ponds. Yellow-bellied sliders are popular as pets.
Adult male yellow-bellied sliders typically reach 5–9 inches (13–23 cm) in length; females range from 8–13 inches (20–33 cm). The carapace (upper shell) is typically brown and black, often with yellow stripes. The skin is olive green with prominent patches of yellow down the neck and legs. As the name implies, the plastron (bottom shell) is mostly yellow with black spots along the edges. Adults tend to grow darker as they age. Yellow-bellied sliders are often confused with eastern river cooters, who also have yellow stripes on the neck and yellow undersides, but the latter lack the green spots characteristic of this species. The yellow belly often has an "s"-shaped yellow stripe on its face. They also have markings shaped like question marks on their bellies. Females of the species reach a larger body size than the males do in the same populations.
The Yellow-bellied Slider is a large, semi-aquatic, basking turtle that can be found resting on logs, stumps, or rocks in sunny, mild weather. It can live for more than 25 years in the wild, and up to 40 years in captivity. This species can mate with the Redeared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), producing hybrids that are often sold as pets.
This turtle is considered native to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. It has expanded its range, with established populations now found in Arizona, California,
Florida, and Pennsylvania. Other states, including New Mexico, New York, and Virginia have collected individual turtles, but it is yet unknown if established populations exist in these states. In Pennsylvania, the Yellow-bellied Slider has been reported in the Lake Erie, Ohio, Susquehanna,
and Delaware River watersheds.
