What are these?

[lori12386]

I have two turtles i have been trying to figurr out what they actually are. They were given to me over thr summer. So i really have no info on them. Besides that they are adults. They live outside in my pond. One is male and one is female... Any ideas? Thanks!
View attachment 32806Male
View attachment 32808Male
View attachment 32809Female
View attachment 32810Female
View attachment 32812Female
Sorry i dont have under shots or measurements. I took these a while back. I will have to find and catch them in the pond! Lol

 

[diaboliqueturtle]

I don't know about the male, but the female is a mississipi map turtle. They're both gorgeous

 

[Yvonne G]

The male looks like a melanistic red ear slider.

 

[theTurtleRoom]

I don't know about the male, but the female is a mississipi map turtle. They're both gorgeous

The male looks like a melanistic red ear slider.

That's exactly what they each are. You can see the Slider shell morphology in the first specimen, and also a hint of the red-ear. Melanism is quite common in older adult male sliders.

The female is a pretty great representation of a Mississippi Map turtle. The skin and shell color fluctuate based on the range of the animal, but the clear pupil without a transverse bar and the post-orbital crescent reaching beneath the eye are trademark signs of a Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii.

 

[lori12386]

I was pretty sure the female was a map... But wasnt quite sure. The male i thought was a red ear but the shell color was throwing me off!

[/align]I don't know about the male, but the female is a mississipi map turtle. They're both gorgeous

The male looks like a melanistic red ear slider.

That's exactly what they each are. You can see the Slider shell morphology in the first specimen, and also a hint of the red-ear. Melanism is quite common in older adult male sliders.

The female is a pretty great representation of a Mississippi Map turtle. The skin and shell color fluctuate based on the range of the animal, but the clear pupil without a transverse bar and the post-orbital crescent reaching beneath the eye are trademark signs of a Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii.

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What is melanism?

I don't know about the male, but the female is a mississipi map turtle. They're both gorgeous

The male looks like a melanistic red ear slider.

That's exactly what they each are. You can see the Slider shell morphology in the first specimen, and also a hint of the red-ear. Melanism is quite common in older adult male sliders.

The female is a pretty great representation of a Mississippi Map turtle. The skin and shell color fluctuate based on the range of the animal, but the clear pupil without a transverse bar and the post-orbital crescent reaching beneath the eye are trademark signs of a Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii.

 

[theTurtleRoom]

Decent explanation on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanism

In sliders, those that have it often don't exhibit it until later in life. It is quite common among older males. Some females will exhibit it, as well.

 

[Gerards]

Decent explanation on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanism

In sliders, those that have it often don't exhibit it until later in life. It is quite common among older males. Some females will exhibit it, as well.

There is also a new morph in the works here and in China. My buddy has a small group of females growing up now and there should be some hatchlings soon. They have already been produced in China.

Not my pics!

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Decent explanation on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanism

In sliders, those that have it often don't exhibit it until later in life. It is quite common among older males. Some females will exhibit it, as well.

This is one I had a few years ago that sadly did not make it. It was different than the charcoal morph in my last post but cool to see.

 

[srod]

so will those melanistic-ish hatchlings eventually turn light green as they age?

 

[Gerards]

so will those melanistic-ish hatchlings eventually turn light green as they age?

No, they stay black.

Not my pics!

 

[lori12386]

Decent explanation on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanism

In sliders, those that have it often don't exhibit it until later in life. It is quite common among older males. Some females will exhibit it, as well.

Ohhh. I never knew that. I was able to get more pics of the male today. He was right at top of the pond when i went out to feed. So i snatched him up! Lol
View attachment 32957
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View attachment 32960

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His shell has actually changed some since the summer.

 

[diaboliqueturtle]

Ohhh. I never knew that. I was able to get more pics of the male today. He was right at top of the pond when i went out to feed. So i snatched him up! Lol

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His shell has actually changed some since the summer.

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Handsome big boy!

 

[theTurtleRoom]

Nice, gerard! Wow, you've really got some things rolling!

 

[srod]

so will those melanistic-ish hatchlings eventually turn light green as they age?

No, they stay black.

Not my pics!

wow! those eyes are piercing. i love it!