D'Orbigny's slider 📖 Wikipedia

D'Orbigny's slider
Trachemys dorbigni
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Trachemys
Species:	T. dorbigni
Binomial name
Trachemys dorbigni (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835)
Subspecies
Trachemys dorbigni brasiliensis Trachemys dorbigni dorbigni
Synonyms[1]
Emys dorbigni Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Clemmys (Rhinoclemmys) orbignyi Fitzinger, 1835 Emys dorbignii Gray, 1844 (ex errore) Emys orbignyi — d'Orbignyi & Bibron, 1847 Clemmys dorbignii — Strauch, 1862 Clemmys dorbignyi — Boulenger, 1886 Chrysemys dorbignyi — Boulenger, 1889 Emys dorbignyi — Siebenrock, 1909 Pseudemys dorbigni — Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 Chrysemys (Trachemys) dorbigni — McDowell, 1964 Pseudemys dorbignyi — Pritchard, 1967 Pseudemys dorbignyi brasiliensis Freiberg, 1969 Pseudemys dorbignyi dorbignyi — Freiberg, 1969 Pseudemys scripta dorbigni — Moll & Legler, 1971 Pseudemys dorbigni brasiliensis — Wermuth & Mertens, 1977 Pseudemys dorbigni dorbigni — Wermuth & Mertens, 1977 Pseudemys dorbigny Moll, 1979 (ex errore) Pseudemys scripta dorbignyi — Pritchard, 1979 Pseudemys scripta brasiliensis — Smith & Smith, 1980 Chrysemys scripta dorbignyi — Mittermeier, Medem & Rhodin, 1980 Chrysemys dorbigni brasiliensis — Freiberg, 1981 Chrysemys dorbigni dorbigni — Freiberg, 1981 Chrysemys scripta brasiliensis — Obst, 1983 Chrysemys scripta dorbigni — Obst, 1983 Trachemys scripta brasiliensis — Iverson, 1985 Trachemys scripta dorbigni — Iverson, 1985 Trachemys scripta dorbignyi — Waller & Chebez, 1987 Trachemys dorbignyi — Alderton, 1988 Trachemys dorbigni — Waller, 1988 Trachemys dorbigni brasiliensis — Ernst & Barbour, 1989 Trachemys dorbigni dorbigni — Ernst & Barbour, 1989 Trachemys dorbignii brasiliensis — Bour, 2003 Trachemys dorbignii dorbignii — Bour, 2003 Trachemys dorbigny — Fabius, 2004

D'Orbigny's slider (Trachemys dorbigni) also commonly known as the black-bellied slider, and in Brazil as tartaruga-tigre or tartaruga-tigre-d'água (which mean "tiger turtle" and "water tiger turtle" in Portuguese), is a species of water turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is found in southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Uruguay.^[2]

The specific name, dorbigni, is in honor of French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny.^[3]

Trachemys dorbigni is usually found in bodies of water such as lakes, marshes, streams and rivers. It has a preference for waters with low or moderate currents, soft bottoms and abundant aquatic vegetation.^[4]

The gender of Trachemys dorbigni can be determined by the form of the plastron, which after a few years of life, shows differences between male and female. The males has a penis that is located in the tail and becomes apparent only during the mating season when it is inserted into the female's cloaca.^[4] D'Orbigny's slider has a life span of between 30^[5] and 100 years in captivity.

Hatchlings weigh 11 grams (0.39 oz) with a 3.5 cm (1.4 in) carapace. The average growth rate is about 3 cm (1.2 in) per year in the wild, but in captivity it can grow faster being able to grow over 9 cm (3.5 in) in a year. The female can grow up to 30 cm (12 in) straight-line carapace length and weigh over 2.7 kg (6.0 lb),^[6] while the male can only grow to 25 cm (9.8 in). When the male reaches sexual maturity (after 2 years), it acquires a dark color, while the female keeps the same green after maturity (at 5 years).^[4]

The sex identification is only possible when adult, at 5 or 6 years. The female is bigger and may reach 30 cm (12 in) in length and has the plastron (bottom shell) slightly convex so as to provide more space for eggs. The male reaches 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in) and has a longer and bulkier tail. Furthermore, the male plastron is straight or slightly concave to fit better upon females when mating.

The male's cloaca is located 2/3 the distance between the tail beginning and the shell, while the female is very close to the shell.^[4]

The female Trachemys dorbigni produces an average of 10 eggs per buried nest; usually it buries two nests per season. Incubation ranges from 2 to 4 months. The eggs are laid under approximately 10 cm (3.9 in) of sand. The eggs are white-colored. Each egg on average measures 39.3 mm (1.55 in) in length and 25.8 mm (1.02 in) in width, weighing on average 14.9 g (0.53 oz).^[4]

Only 31% of the female population lays eggs each year.^[4]

The sex of baby turtles is determined by the temperature of the sand during incubation, lower temperatures increase the number of females.

Trachemys dorbigni is susceptible to diseases such as pneumonia, dystocia, bone decalcification, vitamin deficiency, gastroenteritis, and prolapses.

Pet owners must avoid using small objects as decoration in its tank, because it tends to eat everything it can. Ingesting small objects, such as pebbles and plastic decorations, may lead to gut impaction, which is very likely to require surgical intervention.

Despite being very hardy, it may have rachitis, a disease that makes the shell soft due to protein deficiency. This condition may be corrected by adding protein to meals, especially fish.

Placing the turtle on abrasive surfaces can also cause injuries to the plastron, and such injuries can provide an entrance point for fungi and bacteria.

Allowing the animal to maintain its body temperature around an optimal point, between 28 and 34 degrees Celsius (82 and 93 degrees Fahrenheit), is a necessity. Providing the turtle with daily sun light or special UV light so that it can properly metabolize vitamin D will avoid metabolic issues. ^[5]

An omnivorous turtle, Trachemys dorbigni can eat almost anything in nature such as shrimps, vegetables, fruit, carrion, small fishes, snails, and worms.

During the first two years of life this turtle is mainly carnivorous, eating small animals and carrion, but then it switches to being mainly vegetarian, eating more vegetables and algae then meat.

For pet keepers it is recommended that you feed Trachemys dorbigni more than once every day in the first two-years, then shift to feeding once every two days. ^[5]

In Brazil the species Trachemys dorbigni can be owned only with specific documentation. The purchase invoice must contain the popular and scientific name, and designate the number of animals. Also required is a certificate of origin, invoice number, and the number of commercial breeding of wildlife as recorded in the Brazilian IBAMA.

It is forbidden to release the T. dorbigni in nature, and doing so is subject to the penalties provided in laws No. 6.938/81^[7] and No. 9.605/98.^[8]

If the owner can no longer keep it, the store that made the sale is obliged to take the animal back, and the animal will be shipped back to the only farm allowed to breed them in Brazil.^[6]

In Uruguay T. dorbigni can only be owned with specific documentation and, as it is a protected species, commercialization is forbidden.^{[citation needed]}

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Iverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-12-15.

Data related to Trachemys dorbigni at Wikispecies.