What kind of map turtle?

[crimson_lotus]

Hello,

I've had my map turtle Tama for about a year now, and upon receiving him I was told that he was specifically a Mississippi map turtle. After looking at Mississippi maps, I honestly don't think so. I think he might be a Ouachita, but not sure.

I have attached pictures if anyone can help identify what type of map he is, since there are a ton with slight differences.

Please note he is a rescue that had shell burns I've since treated, leaving crater like holes on the carapace, so it may be hard identifying by shell color or pattern.

I've also included a year old plastron picture as well, from the week I first received him.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Here is a shell pic too, if it helps identifying him with the head markings. I initially took this picture for the vet to show her Tama's shell progress as I cleaned the bacteria out of the crevices. The top of his head still has a scar from a pus filled wound he had when I brought him home, I noticed when it healed his yellow lines stayed where they were.

 

[mike taylor]

Looks like a false map turtle to me . This is my false map turtle.

 

[juli11]

Yes I go with mike. Maybe it could also be G. ouachitensis but your animal don't have the typical orange stripes of this species. So actually it must be G. pseudogeographica

 

[crimson_lotus]

Thank you both for replying. I did initially think he could have been graptemys pseudogeographica but the pupils have a line going through it and the yellow markings on the head are more pronounced. Could he be some sort of subspecies hybrid?

 

[Robber]

Looks like Ouachita to me(I have a pair of them); it can be hard to distinguish intergrades from examples that just differ slightly from the norms, but it could very well be an intergrade. It is certainly not a Mississippi. Enjoy him - I really like mine.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Thank you for the reply! I do enjoy him very much, he's a survivor and a spunky one at that.