Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,
I am a naturalist at a nature center in Arlington, VA and the other naturalists and I are stumped as to what this hatchling is. It's definitely not a red eared which is found around here (not native!) or a yellow bellied. A woman brought it in and said she found it crawling just outside our pond. Maybe it's a south American species?

Please help.

Maybe a Pseudemys concinna concinna Eastern River Cooter. Or a Deirochelys reticularia Eastern chicken turtle. No expert here, just looks close to those.
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2 tham radix
1 Chicago Tham s. semifasciatus
2 elaphe vulpina
1 gray tiger salamander
4 Aphonopelma hentzi
1 G rosea
1 Haplo minax
1 Brachy angustum
1 Brachy sabulosum
1 Brachy vagans
1 Cent. hentzi scorp

I think it is possibly some type of Map Turtle it is hard to tell at such a small size. It is the best match with my National Audubon Field Guide. If it has raised ridges in the middle of the the carapace it is probably some type of map turtle.

Its a cooter Pseudemys concinna concinna,P.Rubriventris have less pattern on carapace. Deirochelys Reticularia(Chicken turtles) also have less pattern & have much longer necks.

yep,definately a cooter.personally,i have never seen a green map turtle,but that's just my experiance
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 cb baby razorback musks (way too cute)
0.0.1 cb baby eastern mud (also ridiculously cute)
0.0.1 cb reeve's turtle (george)
0.1 cb '09 eastern box (bella)
3.6 ltc eastern box breeders
0.1 cb'06 eastern box(nanners)
1.2 cb'08 kenyan sand boas(1 albino,1 anery,1 normal)
1.0 cb'08 jungle carpet
1.1 stenodactylus geckos
0.1 redeye croc skink
1.0 cb '03 homo sapien(kaelan,6)
"jesus is coming-when i count to 3,everyone jump out and yell SURPRISE!!"

Eastern River Cooter -- native to about half of VA.

I'm afraid Eastern river cooters, Pseudemys concinna concinna don't get up as far as Arlington, VA.
It is though a Northern Red-bellied cooter, P.rubriventris, which is native to Arlington, VA

Danny

It's a northern red belly though I think somebody alreasy said that.
Have a Great Day!!!
Spawn