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Alexander River, Israel, a couple of weeks ago:



Alongside Trionyx triunguis, Mauremys rivulata and - sadly but unsurprisingly - Trachemys scripta this odd looking specimen swam about.

It can't be Mauremys and it certainly isn't a typical Trachemys either, so what is it?

Some other species of released pet?

...or an old Trachemys with a darkened head and bleached carapace?

Kristian Munkholm wrote:...or an old Trachemys with a darkened head and bleached carapace?

Yes, that's it.

Ilian Velikov wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:...or an old Trachemys with a darkened head and bleached carapace?

Yes, that's it.

Thanks, Ilian

I suspected as much - because old Trachemys tend to end up looking sort of weird and nondescript and they're always the answer to these types of questions

It was the color of the carapace that threw me off, everything else seemed to fit.

I think I've seen thousands of Trachemys - including several old males with black heads and no discernible markings on the carapace, but I can't recall ever seeing one with a carapace quite so pale before.

Ilian Velikov wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:...or an old Trachemys with a darkened head and bleached carapace?

Yes, that's it.

+1

There is a lot of dust on your camera sensor!
You should clean that poor thing

Kristian Munkholm wrote:I think I've seen thousands of Trachemys - including several old males with black heads and no discernible markings on the carapace, but I can't recall ever seeing one with a plastron quite so pale before.

I wouldn't rely too much on carapace colour for ID because it is often affected by too many factors, e.g. water chemistry, algal growth, age, etc. So it doesn't surprise me when I find odd coloured turtles. Some years ago I found an Emys orbicularis with very similar looking pale (but slightly more reddish) plastron.

Kristian Munkholm wrote:I think I've seen thousands of Trachemys - including several old males with black heads and no discernible markings on the carapace, but I can't recall ever seeing one with a plastron quite so pale before.

Near Lyon we have some with really pale carapace ( ) so I'm not that surprised

Ilian Velikov wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:I think I've seen thousands of Trachemys - including several old males with black heads and no discernible markings on the carapace, but I can't recall ever seeing one with a plastron quite so pale before.

I wouldn't rely too much on plastron colour for ID because it is often affected by too many factors, e.g. water chemistry, algal growth, age, etc. So it doesn't surprise me when I find odd coloured turtles. Some years ago I found an Emys orbicularis with very similar looking pale (but slightly more reddish) plastron.

Alexandre Roux wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:I think I've seen thousands of Trachemys - including several old males with black heads and no discernible markings on the carapace, but I can't recall ever seeing one with a plastron quite so pale before.

Near Lyon we have some with really pale plastron so I'm not that surprised

I hear you.

...but don't write plastron when you mean carapace just because I did...

Kristian Munkholm wrote:...but don't write plastron when you mean carapace just because I did...

Damn! You did trick me there.

Ilian Velikov wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:...but don't write plastron when you mean carapace just because I did...

Damn! You did trick me there.

Not on purpose, I'm afraid