Alien Freshwater Turtles in Greece: Citizen Science Reveals the Hydra-Headed Issue of the Pet Turtle Trade

Citizen science is emerging as a powerful tool for the early detection of biological invasions. The exotic pet trade has been deemed most significant cause establishment reptiles, and among them, turtles have highest number introduction events. In Europe, at least 13 species alien freshwater recorded in wild. Greece, only two reported, namely American pond slider Trachemys scripta Florida cooter Pseudemys floridana. this study, we provide an updated checklist using citizen science, personal observations, literature. Our results first records country five species, red-bellied nelsoni, Eastern river concinna, Chinese stripe-necked turtle Mauremys sinensis, soft-shelled Pelodiscus Common snapping Chelydra serpentina new localities T. scripta. Similar to myth Lernaean Hydra (i.e., every head chopped off, more would regrow), proven multiple heads.