Animals

Barely Any Red

A confusing male red-eared slider. Just when I learn about older males losing their color with completely dark heads, I find this fellow. He is still quite colorful on his shell & head but has lost almost all of the red ears. Can't really call him melanistic but there is only a teensy hint of red left. Those long toe nails also mark this one as a male. They use the toenails in courtship behaviors with the females by fluttering them in the female's face.
Male Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Trachemys scripta elegansred eared sliderwater turtleturtleaquatic turtlewhite rock lakedallas texassliderscreek between lower spillway steps and lower spillwayreptilemale turtlemale red eared slider