The first marginal scute extends beyond the suture between the first costal and the first vertebral scutes. The carapace usually consists of a dark green background with light and dark highly variable markings. The plastron is yellow with dark paired irregular markings in the center of most scutes. The plastron is highly variable, with some older individual's essentially dark with only a little remaining yellow. The head, legs, and tail are green with fine yellow irregular lines.
Older males are sometimes so melanistic that the markings are lost.
The lower jaw, when viewed from the front, is rounded, not flattened as with other similar turtles. Habitat Red ears prefer quiet bodies of water with a soft bottom and heavy vegetation. They are found in slow moving rivers, streams, swamps, ponds, creeks, and stock tanks. Currents are avoided. This turtle loves to bask.