D'Orbigny's slider

D'Orbigny's slider
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Emydidae
Genus:	Trachemys
Species:	T. dorbigni[1]
Binomial name
Trachemys dorbigni (Duméril & Bibron, 1835)
Synonyms[2]
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 slideror black-bellied slider (Trachemys dorbigni) is commonly known in Brazil as Tigre d'Água (which means water tiger in portuguese) is a species of water turtle in the family Emydidae found in southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Uruguay.^[3] One subspecies (in addition to the nominate subspecies) is distinguished, Trachemys dorbigni brasiliensis.^[4]

Description

The form of the plastron determines its gender. After a few years of life, show differences between male and female. Males have a penis that is inserted into the tail. It becomes apparent only during the mating season when it is inserted into the female's cloaca.^[5] D'Orbigny's slider has a life span between 30^[6] to 100 years in captivity.

They are usually found in water bodies such as lakes, marshes, streams and rivers. They have a preference for waters with low or moderate currents, soft bottoms and abundant aquatic vegetation.^[5]

Babies are born weighing 11 grams (0.39 oz) with a 3.5 centimetres (1.4 in) carapace. The avarage growth rate is about 3 centimetres (1.2 in) per year on wild, but in captivity it can grow faster being able to grown over 9 centimetres (3.5 in) in a year. The females can grow up to 30 centimetres (12 in) carapace and weight over 2.7 kilograms (6.0 lb),^[7] while the male can only grow 25 centimetres (9.8 in) carapace. When the males reach sexual maturity (after 2 years), they acquire a dark color while the females keep the same green after maturity (at 5 years).^[5]

Sexual dimorphism

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

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.^[5]

Reproduction

Females produce an average of 10 eggs per buried nest; usually they bury two nests per season. Incubation ranges from 2 to 4 months. The eggs are laid under approximately 10 centimetres (3.9 in) of sand. The eggs are white-colored. Each egg on average measures 39.3 millimetres (1.55 in) in length and 25.8 millimetres (1.02 in) in width, weighing on average 14.9 grams (0.53 oz).^[5]

Only 31% of the female population lays egg each year.^[5]

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

Diseases

Baby D'Orbigny slider with pneumonia.

The turtles can catch diseases such as pneumonia, dystocia, bone decalcification, vitamin deficiency, gastroenteritis, and prolapses.

Pet owners must avoid using small objects as decoration in their tank, because they tend to eat everything they can.

Despite being very resistant may have rachitis, a disease that leaves the shell soft due to protein deficiency. It can be corrected by adding protein to meals, especially through fish.

Placing turtles in rough places can also cause injury under the hull, which provide the entry of fungi and bacteria.

To avoid diseases it is recommended that you utilize a tank with heating system, provide the turtles with daily sun light or special UV light so that they can metabolise the vitamin D. ^[6]

Diet

These omnivorous turtles can eat almost anything in nature shrimps, vegetables, fruit, carrion, small fishes, snails, worms etc.

During the first two years of life these turtles are mainly carnivorous, eating small animals and carrion, but then they switch for being mainly vegetarian eating more vegetables and algae then meat.

Diet in captivity

For pet keepers it is recommended that you feed them more than once every day on the first two year, than you shift to feeding once every two days. Avoid feeding them with lettuce because it gives them diarrhea ^[6]

Protection

D´ Orbigny´s slider in Uruguay

Brazil

This species 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 animals in nature and is subject to the penalties provided in the law No. 6.938/81^[8] and No. 9.605/98.^[9]

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

Uruguay

In Uruguay turtles can only be owned with specific documentation and as they are a protected species commercialization is forbidden.

References

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; Paul van Dijk, Peter; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status". Archived from the original (pdf) on 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2010-12-15. 

Family Emydidae (pond turtles) Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Testudinoidea Family: Emydidae Genus Species of the subfamily Deirochelyinae Chrysemys Painted turtle Deirochelys Chicken turtle Graptemys Alabama map turtle Barbour's map turtle Black-knobbed map turtle Cagle's map turtle Escambia map turtle False map turtle Northern map turtle Ouachita map turtle Pascagoula map turtle Pearl River map turtle Ringed map turtle Texas map turtle Yellow-blotched map turtle Malaclemys Diamondback terrapin Pseudemys Alabama red-bellied cooter Northern red-bellied cooter Florida red-bellied cooter Peninsula cooter Rio Grande cooter River cooter Texas river cooter Trachemys Big bend slider Baja California slider Central Antillean slider Colombian slider Cuatro Cienegas slider Cuban slider D'Orbigny's slider Hispaniolan slider Jamaican slider Maranhão slider Meso-American slider Nicaraguan slider Ornate slider Pond slider Yaqui slider   Species of the subfamily Emydinae Clemmys Spotted turtle Emys Blanding's turtle European pond turtle Sicilian pond turtle Western pond turtle Glyptemys Bog turtle Wood turtle Terrapene Coahuilan box turtle Common box turtle Ornate box turtle Spotted box turtle Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist. Subspecies and the extinct (Gyremys sectabilis) are not included.