History and origin
The European Pond Terrapin was first described by Linnaeus in 1758, the scientific name of this species is Emys orbicularis. Emys from Greek meaning 'fresh water terrapin'. Orbicularis comes from Latin and means 'round' because of their rounded shell.

Characteristics
They are characterised by their yellow spots on their shell and skin.

Description
=Size=
Their eggs are about 30 to 40 mm by 18 to 20 mm in size. The young hatch out measuring around 20 to 25 mm long. They will grow up to 200 to 300 mm long in their 40 year life.
=Morphology=
Their shell is smooth, with the scales blending into one another. It's form is oval and is slightly wider at the behind. The young have a central keel on the shell which adults do not have. The young's plastron or belly as it is more commonly referred to is flexible whereas adults is non-flexible. Their head is rectangular with a sharp beak like jaws, they have an averaged size neck. Their front limbs are robust, quite long and have sharp claws, their hind limbs are more robust and have webbing. They have an averaged sized tail which is quite slim.
=Patterns & colours=
They are usually black, dark brown or olive with many small yellowish spot like markings on the shell as well as on the body (these may also be streaked). Their plastron is yellowish with small darker patches most often found on the sides.

Geographical range
They have a very scattered distribution, they are found in the Balkans, north into Poland and eastern Germany and the Baltic states, Italy, the southern half of France, scattered in Spain and also found in Portugal. They are found on the following islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily. However they have been introduced into central Europe and the UK.

Subspecies
- capulongoi - Found on Sardinia.
- colchica - Found in the south eastern Balkans.
- eiselti - Found in south Germany.
- fritzjuergenobsti -Found along the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
- galloitalica - Found in south and western France.
- hellenica - Found over most of the Balkans and north eastern Italy.
- hispanica - Found Donana (Spain).
- lanzai - Found on Corsica.
- orbicularis - Found in central Europe.

Sexual differences
The males have a larger tail then the females and they have curved claws. Females have yellowish eyes whereas the males eyes are reddish or brownish.

Seasonal variations
None.

Diet
They are mainly carnivorous, they feed on large proportions of invertebrates as juveniles and as they grow their diet becomes more varied with amphibians, fish, insects and even occasionally small vertebrates.

Defensive habits
They will dive into the water and hide in the vegetation or in the mud.

Reproduction
Breeding occurs in April or May, this happens in the water. The males finds the females and climb onto their shell and holds on with his curved claws and uses his cloacae to pass into the females cloacae his sperm. He may stay on the females back for days. Up to 2 or 3 months later, the females find a loose soiled place near the water to lay their eggs. Females lay up to 10 eggs.

Sexual maturity, life span
The average life span for Emys orbicularis is about 40 years, they reach their sexual maturity between their sixth and thirteenth year as males and between the eighteenth and twentieth year as females.

Habits
They are active by day, often seen sunbathing on logs, stones or any other hard surfaces outside of the water, if they are in the water when observed, they tend to float still with only their head visible out of the water.

Habitat
Their ponds may be temporary and dry up in the summer. They are more common in slow moving, deep and large bodied water, much vegetation overhanging and in the water, there must be a loose soil near by in which the females lay their eggs. The juveniles prefer the shallower parts of the water hole (less then 50 cm deep).

Predators
Their eggs are the most affected by predators, many animals dig them up and eat them, such as wild boars, foxes, birds and many more.