Iberian Pond Turtle

Fascinating facts about the Iberian Pond Turtle

• When Schweigger described the Iberian pond turtle in 1812, he gave it the name Mauremys leprosa leprosa, a label that still marks the nominate subspecies across Portugal and Spain today. This historic naming shows how long scientists have been tracking the turtle’s distinct range in the western Mediterranean.
• A second line was added in 1996 when Schleich identified the Saharan pond turtle, Mauremys leprosa saharica, extending the species’ family tree into the arid Maghreb. The split highlights how a single species can adapt to both lush riverbanks and desert oases.
• The most recent global checklist of turtles, published on December 14, 2010 and archived in July 2011, still lists Mauremys leprosa as native from southern France across northwestern Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya).

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