Baja California Slider

About the Baja California Slider

The Baja California slider (Trachemys nebulosa), also known as the black-bellied slider, is turtle in the family Emydidae. It is native to Baja California, Sinaloa and Sonora in Mexico. There are two subspecies recognised:

Trachemys nebulosa nebulosa – from Baja California. Trachemys nebulosa hiltoni Fuerte slider – from Sinaloa and Sonoro. The Baja California slider is a medium-sized turtle and identified for their clawed digits, non-elephantine hind limbs and a wide-colored suborbital patch. They have smooth shells, rounded posteriorly and straight interiorly. These shells are longer than they are wide, have a low later profile and can reach up to 37 cm (14.5 inches) in length. On the ventral side of the shell is yellow with symmetrical black markings. Dorsally the shell is dark in color with the vertebral, costal and marginal scutes having dark black spots surrounded by lighter margins. The Baja California slider has a large, triangular shaped head which is covered by smooth skin. They have protruding non-hooked snouts where the nostrils are located decently high and large eyes. The top of the head is olive colored with indistinct pale lines while... Wikipedia →