Gender: Male Trachemys scripta elegans • Scientific name: Trachemys scripta elegans • Classification: Testudines, Emydidae • Origin: Southern North America • Features: Named for the red to orange markings behind the eyes. • Diet: Omnivorous. Juveniles consume more animal matter, while adults eat significant amounts of plant matter. • Lifespan: Can live over 20 years with proper care. • Size: Carapace length 25cm. In Japan, juveniles were once sold in large quantities as "Green Turtles." Later, individuals released into the wild bred across various regions, becoming known as an invasive species that impacts native ecosystems. As of June 2023, they are designated as a "Classified Invasive Alien Species" in Japan, meaning release into the wild and unauthorized sales are regulated. Keeping them as pets is allowed under specific conditions.

Gender: Male • Scientific name: Mauremys reevesii • Classification: Testudines, Geoemydidae • Distribution: Japan, China, Korean Peninsula, etc. • Size: Carapace length around 20cm. • Diet: Omnivorous • Lifespan: Can live 20 to 30 years or more. • Features: Three longitudinal ridges (keels) on the shell. • Etymology: Known as the "Stink Turtle" because it can emit a unique odor when it feels threatened. While long considered a native species in Japan, recent debates suggest the Japanese population may actually be of foreign origin.

A freshwater turtle. • Scientific name: Chelydra serpentina • Classification: Testudines, Chelydridae • Origin: North America to Northern Central America • Size: A large species reaching a carapace length of about 40cm. • Diet: Omnivorous, eating fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. • Features: The rear edge of the shell is serrated, and it has a long tail. • Personality: Relatively calm in water, but highly cautious on land, often threatening by opening its mouth wide. Quite a special case in Japan. Designated as an Invasive Alien Species in Japan; keeping, transporting, selling, or releasing them without a permit is prohibited.

A massive freshwater turtle native to North America. A relative of the snapping turtle but a different species. • Scientific name: Macrochelys temminckii • Classification: Testudines, Chelydridae • Origin: Southeastern United States • Size: Quite massive, with a carapace length of about 70cm. • Weight: Large individuals can exceed 50kg. • Diet: Primarily carnivorous omnivore, eating fish, frogs, snakes, and crustaceans. • Features: Three large ridges on the shell give it a rugged, alligator-like appearance. • Tongue: Has a worm-like appendage on its tongue used to lure prey. Designated as an Invasive Alien Species in Japan; like the common snapping turtle, it cannot be kept or released without a permit. Ecology: • Hardly moves, as it lures prey with its worm-like tongue. Because it stays so still, moss often grows on its shell. • Its movements are slow and sluggish.

A large freshwater turtle that also inhabits Japan. Its appearance is quite different from typical turtles. • Scientific name: Pelodiscus sinensis • Classification: Testudines, Trionychidae • Distribution: Japan, China, Korean Peninsula, etc. • Size: Carapace length about 20–35cm. • Shell: Not a hard shell, but covered in soft skin. • Nose: Has a long, slender snout like a snorkel. • Diet: Primarily carnivorous, eating fish, frogs, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. • Features: Adapted for aquatic life and skilled at burying itself in sand or mud. One of its most prominent features is its long neck and powerful bite. When wary, it may stretch its neck significantly to try and bite. While the shell is described as "soft," it doesn't mean it's completely squishy; the skeletal structure of the shell exists, but the surface is covered with skin rather than hard scutes.