Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

Other Common Names
There are four subspecies of the painted turtle, including the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), the midland painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata), the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) and the southern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis).

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Other Common Names

There are four subspecies of the painted turtle, including the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), the midland painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata), the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) and the southern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis).

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Appearance

Painted turtles have long, smooth, ovular shells with little grooves where the large scale-like plates overlap. The top shell, also known as the carapace, varies in color from olive to black. The plastron (which is the bottom shell) is yellow, sometimes red, and may have dark marks in the center.

Their skin is olive to black with red and yellow stripes on their neck, legs, and tail. The face has only yellow stripes, with a large yellow spot and streak behind each eye. Two wide yellow stripes meet at the tip of the jaw.

Painted turtles grow to lengths of 2.5 to 10 inches with females averaging larger lengths than males. Males have elongated front claws that are used during courtship.

Juveniles look similar to adults but with brighter coloration. With age, the color of the plastron fades and the carapace becomes worn.

Habitat

Rivers, lakes, marshes and streams with shallow water, minimal flow and dense vegetation

Diet

Painted turtles are omnivorous generalists, consuming most kinds of plants and animals available in their waters including insects, spiders, earthworms, mollusks, crayfish and fish.

Life History

Painted turtles prefer habitats with muddy sediments and lots of vegetation. They shelter under water at night and begin the day by basking on rocks, logs and the shore. Throughout the day they bask, but are quick to slip into the water when they sense a threat.

Mating occurs in the water during spring and fall. Females lay eggs between late spring and mid-summer. The female turtle leaves the water and may travel as far as 150m before she nests. Using her hind feet the female turtle digs a hole to nest in and lay her eggs. She then fills the hole with soil and uses her feet and body to compress it. Females usually produce two clutches of about 5 to 11 eggs. Each egg is elliptical in shape with a white, smooth shell. Not all females reproduce each year and there is variability between subspecies and individuals. Incubation lasts about 70 days

Male painted turtles reach reproductive maturity at 2 to 4 years old. Females reach reproductive maturity at 6 to 10 years old.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

The eggs of painted turtles are preyed upon by terrestrial predators such as skunks and raccoons. Bullfrogs feed on hatchlings while racoons prey upon both hatchlings and adult painted turtles. In the west, human introduced bass, bullfrogs, and especially snapping turtles have increased the predation of hatchlings.

Painted turtles are found in Canada, the continental United States and northern Mexico, from British Columbia to Nova Scotia to southern Georgia and the upper Colorado River of Utah and Arizona.

The western painted turtle occurs in areas from the Pacific coast through the upper Missouri basin to southwestern Ontario, Wisconsin and Missouri.

The western painted turtle is one of the two native turtle species in Oregon. These painted turtles are found in the Blue Mountains and Willamette Valley ecoregions. In the Columbia Plateau, East Cascades and West Cascades ecoregions, the western painted turtle lives only along the Columbia River. They are an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Blue Mountains, Coast Range, Columbia Plateau. East Cascades, West Cascades, and Willamette Valley. These are a Strategy Species, among the species of greatest conservation need.

The Aquarium’s ambassador painted turtle is named Smudge!

Citations & Other Resources

Van Dijk, P.P. 2011. Chrysemys picta (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011.
Nussbaum, R. A., E.D. Brodie, and R.M. Storm. 1983. Amphibians and reptiles of the Pacific northwest. University Press of Idaho.
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. N.d. Painted turtle. https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/chrysemys-picta#desc-range
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. N.d. Western painted turtle. https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/western-painted-turtle

Painted Turtle

Painted Turtle

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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