also: みなみいしがめ
yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica)
Refers to the species Mauremys mutica, a freshwater turtle native to East Asia. In Japanese, typically written in katakana as ミナミイシガメ.
The yellow pond turtle is not a species endemic to Japan.
I saw a yellow pond turtle at the pet shop.
Hiragana spelling, also used but less common than katakana for this species.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana. The reading ミナミイシガメ is not associated with this kanji form.
The Japanese name ミナミイシガメ literally means 'southern stone turtle', likely referring to its habitat and appearance. The exact derivation is uncertain.