Trachemys scripta elegans

Basic information
Scientific name	Trachemys scripta elegans	Click to magnify
Common names	red-eared slider
Higher taxon	Emydidae, Testudines, Reptilia
Natural range	North America.
Habitat	Brakish, lake or pond, stream, swamp.

Invasion information
Range in Japan
Origin	North America.
Date	1960s.
Route	Deliberate introduction (as pet).
Impact	Predation, competition against native species. harmful to human health . acompaniment of pest. Native organism(s) affected: Reptiles/amphibians, aquatic invertebrates. Agricultural damages: feeding on ornamental lotus (Nelumbonaceae), water shield Brasenia schreberi and water chestnut (Trapaceae).
Regulation in Japan	Release of this species is prohibited in Aichi and Saga Prefs. Distribution of the turtle with 4 inches or less carapace in USA is prohibited for prevention of zoonosis. Australia, South Korea, and South Africa prohibit import of this subspecies. It was designated as a "Designated IAS with conditions" a category newly established in the revised Invasive Alien Species Act, which went into effect in 2023, that excludes for the time being certain applications of some regulations.
Introduced range in other countries	Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, South Pacific island/ocean.

Reference

Notes

Ecol Soc Japan (ed) (2002) Handbook of Alien Species in Japan. Chijin-Shokan. (in Jpn)
Ernst et al. (1989) Turtles of the World. Smithonian Institution Press.
Maenosono & Toda (2007) Distributions of amphibians and terrestrial reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago: A review of published records. Akamata. 18:28-46. (in Jpn)
Nakai et al. (eds) (2003) Alien Species: Their Biology, Impact and Control. Lake Biwa Museum. (in Jpn)
Ota et al. (2004) Feral population of amphibians and reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Global Environmental Research. 8(2):133-143
Sengoku et al. (eds) (1996) Encyclopedia of Animals in Japan 5, Amphibians, Reptiles, Chondrichthyes. Heibonsha. (in Jpn)
Taniguchi & Kamezaki (2011) Captivity and invasion of the red-eared slider tutles (Trachemys scripta elegans) in Japan: analyses of collected turtles at Kobe-Suma Aquarium. Bull Herpetol Soc Jpn. 2011(2), 169-177 (in Jpn)
Arima et al. (2008) Investigation on the damages and extermination of the exotic tortoise (Trchemys scripta elegans). Coastal Bioenvironment. 12, 53-57 (in Jpn)
Uetz et al. (1995-2009) The TIGR Reptile Database. http://www.reptile-database.org.
etc.

100 of the Japan’s Worst Invasive Alien Species (this subspecies), and 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species (entire species).

Although this species exhibits male biased sex ratio in most populations, Japanese populations have strongly female biased sex ration, according to an investigation based on the specimens from Osaka and Hyogo Prefs.)