Trachemys scripta elegans (Red-eared Slider). Reproduction

Abstract

The natural range of Trachemys scripta elegans is centered in the south-central United States, from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. Because of its prominence in the international pet trade, the species now can be found over much of the United States, and its introduction has been documented throughout the world (Ernst et al. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington. 578 pp.). There has been speculation as to whether and where introduced Red-eared Sliders can reproduce in the wild in California (Bury and Luckenbach 1976. Biol. Conserv. 10:1-14). Successful nesting or presumed breeding (i.e., gravid females) in northern California were reported by Bury and Luckenbach ( op. cit .) at Clear Lake, by Spinks et al. (2003. Biol. Cons. 113:257-267) at the University of California, Davis, and by Fidenci (2006. Herpetol. Rev. 37:80) in the Mount Tamalpais Watershed, Mann Co. Here, we report additional evidence of reproduction in T. s. elegans in the wild in northern California.