Meso-American slider facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meso-American slider
T. v. venusta in Belize
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Trachemys
Species:	venusta
Synonyms
Trachemys venusta venusta Emys venusta Gray, 1856 Emys valida LeConte, 1860 Clemmys valida — Strauch, 1862 Callichelys venusta — Gray, 1863 Emys (Clemmys) salvini Günther, 1885 Pseudemys salvini — Cope, 1887 Emys valida — Malnate, 1971 Pseudemys scripta venusta — Moll & Legler, 1971 Chrysemys scripta venusta — Henderson & Hoevers, 1975 Trachemys scripta venusta — Iverson, 1985 Trachemys ornata venusta — Walls, 1996 Trachemys venusta venusta — Seidel, 2002 Trachemys venusta cataspila Emys ventricosa Gray, 1856 Pseudemys ventricosa — Gray, 1870 Emys (Clemmys) cataspila Günther, 1885 Pseudemys cataspila — Cope, 1887 Chrysemys ornata var. cataspila — Boulenger, 1889 Pseudemys scripta cataspila — Carr, 1938 Pseudemys ornata cataspila — Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Chrysemys scripta cataspila — H.M. Smith & R.B. Smith, 1975 Trachemys scripta cataspila — Iverson, 1985 Trachemys ornata cataspila — Fritz, 1995 Trachemys venusta cataspila — Seidel, 2002 Trachemys venusta grayi Emys grayi Bocourt, 1868 Callichelys grayii — Gray, 1870 (ex errore) Emys umbra Bocourt, 1876 Pseudemys umbra — Cope, 1887 Callichelys grayi — Boulenger, 1889 Chrysemys grayi — Boulenger, 1889 Clemmys umbra — Strauch, 1890 Chrysemys umbra — Lindholm, 1929 Pseudemys grayi — Carr, 1938 Pseudemys ornata grayi — Stuart, 1963 Pseudemys scripta grayi — Legler & Webb, 1970 Chrysemys scripta grayi — H.M. Smith & R.B. Smith, 1975 Pseudemys scripta umbra — Pritchard, 1979 Trachemys scripta grayi — Iverson, 1985 Trachemys grayi — King & Burke, 1989 Trachemys ornata grayi — Walls, 1996 Trachemys venusta grayi — Seidel, 2002

Mesoamerican Slider (Trachemys venusta cataspila) in Tamaulipas, Mexico.

The Meso-American slider (Trachemys venusta) is a type of turtle that belongs to the family called Emydidae. These turtles live in a wide area, from Mexico all the way down to Colombia. They are known for their colorful shells and markings.

Where These Turtles Live

The Trachemys venusta species of turtle can be found across a large part of Central and South America. Their habitat stretches from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Colombia.

Specific Locations for Each Subspecies

Different types, or subspecies, of the Meso-American slider live in various regions:

• Trachemys venusta venusta is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and several states in Mexico, including Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz, and Yucatán.
• Trachemys venusta cataspila lives in the Mexican states of San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz.
• Trachemys venusta grayi can be seen in El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca.

Newer Discoveries

In 2010, scientists described three new subspecies of the Meso-American slider:

• Trachemys venusta iversoni is found in the Mexican state of Yucatán.
• Trachemys venusta panamensis lives in Panama.
• Trachemys venusta uhrigi is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Colombian regions of Antioquia and Chocó.

Types of Meso-American Sliders

There are several recognized subspecies of the Meso-American slider, each with its own unique features and home range:

• Trachemys venusta venusta (Gray, 1856) – This one is often called the Belize slider.
• Trachemys venusta cataspila (Günther, 1885) – Known as the Huastecan slider.
• Trachemys venusta grayi (Bocourt, 1868) – This subspecies is called Gray's slider.
• Trachemys venusta iversoni McCord, Joseph-Ouni, Hagen & Blanck, 2010 – Also known as the Yucatán slider.
• Trachemys venusta panamensis McCord, Joseph-Ouni, Hagen & Blanck, 2010 – This is the Panamanian slider.
• Trachemys venusta uhrigi McCord, Joseph-Ouni, Hagen & Blanck, 2010 – Called Uhrig's slider.

Nota bene: If you see a name in parentheses after a subspecies name, like (Gray, 1856), it means that the subspecies was first described under a different genus (a larger group of animals) than Trachemys.

Naming the Turtles

The subspecific name grayi was chosen to honor a British scientist who studied reptiles, John Edward Gray.

See also

In Spanish: Hicotea mesoamericana para niños