Caspian Turtle
Mauremys caspica
A native freshwater turtle of southeastern Georgia — not a land tortoise and not the slider.
Overview
What is Caspian Turtle
The Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica) is a native freshwater turtle. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as biologically confirmed and found in southeastern Georgia. The checklist form is M. c. caspica; the western form M. c. rivulata is treated as a separate species. The figure specimen is from Tbilisi — Lisi Lake; that is a locality, not a city-wide map.
Last updated
Identification
How to identify Caspian Turtle
A native water turtle of the southeast. A domed shell is the land tortoise; a red ear stripe is the introduced slider.
- 01
Flatter shell than a land tortoise’s dome.
- 02
Pale lengthwise stripes often on the neck.
- 03
Webbed feet; often basks on the bank.
- 04
No red stripe behind the eye — that mark belongs to the slider.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Caspian Turtle.
No. Mauremys caspica is a freshwater turtle. Georgia’s only land tortoise is Testudo graeca.
Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026: southeastern Georgia. The figure specimen is from Tbilisi — Lisi Lake; that is a locality, not a complete map.
The slider (Trachemys scripta) is introduced; T. s. elegans has a broad red stripe behind the eye. The Caspian turtle is native and lacks that stripe.
The pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) occurs in western and eastern Georgia; its shell is often darker with yellow speckling. The Caspian turtle is recorded from the southeast and often has lengthwise neck stripes.
Site classification: Harmless. It has no venom.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Georgian herpetofauna records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Related guides
