Peruvian turtle of some sort?

[DoctorCosmonaut]

My friends have been backpacking in Peru, and I saw this picture that they took... What type of turtle is this?[/align]

 

[Laura]

rare peruvian' Leafback" turtle..
Actually I have no clue.. but thanks for posting..
hopefully someone will know

 

[zzzdanz]

maybe a scorpian mud?

 

[terryo]

Backpacking in Peru? I didn't sleep for three weeks when my son went to Italy to study in Florence. He stayed in the dorm, and was with his cousin, but I was a nervous mess until he came home.
Nice turtle!

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Yeah, it looks like they have been having an amazing trip. They have pictures of all different rain forest creatures. I'm so jealous of them! ^_^

 

[cdmay]

WOW! What a great find your friend made! That is a Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides, or scorpion mud turtle. While they are recorded from Peru they are rarely found in that country. A good friend of mine who has traveled to Peru many times since the 60s has only found a handful of scorpion mud turtles there.
Looks like a perfect specimen too. Do you have more photos?

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

I have one more with one of my friends in it.

 

[cdmay]

Oh man, do I envy your friend! While I am a tortoise person, my first love (in turtles) is the Kinosternids. The tropical mud turtles are especially interesting.
Thanks.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

No problem, glad I could I.D. the little guy