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How to tell apart Cumberland and Yellow-bellied sliders?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by KevinB, 2 Nov 2019.

  1. KevinB

    KevinB Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    11 Apr 2015
    Posts:
    2,291
    Location:
    Flanders
    I have a question for those around here

    My question concerns the Cumberland slider Trachemys scripta troostii and the yellow-bellied slider T. s. scripta and specifically what the key differences are to tell these subspecies apart.

    The two subspecies are sometimes kept in the same enclosures and they closely resemble each other, and I have struggled several times to tell them apart in pictures, especially when ZTL doesn't make things more clear and when I don't have photos of exhibit signage.

    Therefore I would like to know some key differences that are likely to be seen in a typical zoo image.

    I am sorry if this question is too dumb.

    If this is not in the right forum, please move it into the right one.