Which Exotic turtle is this?

[miguel santos]

I guys,

I saw this nice looking turtle in a park south of Lisbon in Portugal. It was about 15/17 cm I think.
What species is it? I gess one of those american species one can buy as babys...

Miguel

[Jürgen Gebhart]

I`m not a turtle specialist, but it Looks like a Graptemys-Species to me, maybe out of the pseudogeographica-group

[Frédéric Seyffarth]

A colorful Mauremys leprosa perhaps?

[miguel santos]

The thing is that, in this park I counted about as many leprosa as the American Mississippi turtle ( elegans ). About 11-12 of each, but this one is so colorfull and apears to have dents or small elevations alongside the middle of the shield. I'm not sure if it is a (Graptemys pseudogeographica). Somehow I could not yet vind a picture of one adult with a similar pattern in the nek.
I don't think it is a leprosa, I just hope that if it is an American species it does not start to breed in Portugal like the Mississippi does.

Miguel

[Ilian Velikov]

It's definitely Graptemys but it's hard to tell which species exactly from a single photo, especially as you can't see the head pattern very well in this one because of the light. Do you have any other photos of it?

[miguel santos]

well no,
After I took this picture I aproached it from the other side and it swam away.
I'll be going to the same park in a couple of months, maybe I can spot it again. Thanks for the tip.
Miguel

[Ilian Velikov]

If you do have the chance to photograph it again the pattern on the chin/throat is useful feature for identifying Graptemys too.

[miguel santos]

Once more, THANKS, I'll pay attentions to those details.