Emys orbicularis

The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis), also called commonly the European pond terrapin and the European pond tortoise, is a species of long-living freshwater turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is endemic to the Western Palearctic. The following 14 subspecies are recognized as being valid. Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Emys. The subspecific name, eiselti, is in honor of Viennese herpetologist Josef Eiselt (1912–2001). The subspecific name, fritzjuergenobsti, is in honor of German herpetologist Fritz Jürgen Obst (1939–2018). The subspecific name, lanzai, is in honor of Italian herpetologist Benedetto Lanza. E. orbicularis is found in southern and central Europe, West Asia and North Africa. In the early post-glacial period, the European pond turtle had a much wider distribution, being found as far north as southern Sweden. It became extinct in Great Britain due to climate change. In France, there are six large remaining populations, all deteriorating; it is the most endangered reptile of the country.