Spanish pond turtle

Moorish terrapin ( Mauremys leprosa )

The Moorish or Spanish terrapin turtle ( Mauremys leprosa ) is a species of terrapins ( Mauremys ). Temporarily it was regarded as a subspecies of the Caspian terrapin ( Mauremys caspica ).

Description

The long and 25 centimeters carapace of this turtle is in youth intensive olive green with orange-red, black -lined spots. Over time it becomes dirty olive color to monochrome brownish yellow. The plastron is dark brown in the pups with a broad yellow border and is yellowish brown later. On the neck are yellow to orange longitudinal stripes on olive background.

Occurrence

They inhabited the Iberian peninsula, the most southern France and north-west Africa. In North Africa, it is at least widespread in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. In their life claims, these diurnal species is not very picky, she also lives in ponds with brackish water in irrigation ditches and even cesspits. Except for animal food, they also take herbal diet that.

Subspecies

From Morocco were in addition to the nominate subspecies M. l leprosa (1812 Schweigger, ) described several heavy distinct subspecies:

• M. L. atlantica ( Schleich, 1996)
• M. l erhardi ( Schleich, 1996)
• M. l marokkensis ( Schleich, 1996)
• M. l saharica ( Schleich, 1996)
• M. l vanmeerhaeghei ( Bour & Maran, 1998)
• M. l wernerkaestlei ( Schleich, 1996)
• M. l zizi ( Schleich, 1996)