Posted by:
casichelydia
at Mon Jan 29 22:11:48 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by casichelydia ]
There can be more to spots, than spots, Ms. Lisa. Spots can form certain patterns, and certain patterns can suggest hybridization. Multiple characters (like broken radiating lines - show up as spots - on the carapace, and a radiating plastral pattern on a turtle with a non-ornate-body) together can strongly suggest hybridization. It's dicey to rest a determination on a single character.
Peer reviews on hybrids aren't bulletproof, and even genetic sequencing has caused misinterpretations in the past. Heck, HOW many "new" Asian species were described in the past 15 years based on hybrids?
The turtle that's the subject of this thread, well, it's an eastern. Period. No wait, it's a three-toed. Uh, a cross of the two. Er, the cross it was sold as. Curiosity will probably just have to stew on this one, but who cares if it makes a good pet, eh?
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