painted turtle
(Chrysemys picta)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
The upper shell (carapace) is relatively flat and has orangish-red markings around the margin. The neck, legs, and tail have bold yellow and orangish-red stripes. |
Size |
Male: 4″ to 7″ Female: 4″ to 9″ |
Similar Species |
Painted turtle is the only turtle in Minnesota with orangish-red markings. |
Habitat |
Muddy bottomed ponds and marshes, the margins of small lakes, sluggish streams and river back-waters. |
Biology |
Behavior |
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Lifespan |
5 to 7 years |
Life Cycle |
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Food |
Plants, fish, crayfish, aquatic insects, snails, tadpoles, and carrion. |
Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 5/20/2024 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, painted turtle is the most common turtle in the region. |
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Taxonomy |
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Class |
Reptilia (reptiles) |
Order |
Testudines (turtles and tortoises) |
Suborder |
Cryptodira (hidden-necked turtles) |
Superfamily |
Testudinoidea |
Family |
Emydidae (pond and box turtles) |
Subfamily |
Deirochelyinae |
Genus |
Chrysemys (painted turtles) |
Subordinate Taxa |
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eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) midland painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) southern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis) western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) |
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Synonyms |
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Chrysemys marginata Chrysemys nuttallii Chrysemys pulchra Chrysemys treleasei Emys bellii Emys oregoniensis Hydrochelys picta Testudo cinerea Testudo picta |
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Common Names |
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painted turtle |
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Glossary
Brumation
Winter dormancy in reptiles. A cold-induced period of sluggishness, inactivity, and torpor in reptiles, akin to hibernation in mammals, but they stir occasionally to drink water.
Carapace
The hard, upper (dorsal), shell-like covering (exoskeleton) of the body or at least the thorax of many arthropods and of turtles and tortoises. On crustaceans, it covers the cephalothorax. On spiders, the top of the cephalothorax made from a series of fused sclerites.
Visitor Photos |
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Monica Pena |
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Julie Martin |
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Lane Keller |
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Found this at Prairie Lake where the population is slowly increasing every year. |
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Chelsea H. |
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Molly and Robert Power |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Margot Avey |
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Dan W. Andree |
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Little Painted Turtle that was on the road... Sept. 5, 2018 while driving West along a backroad that ran along the North side of Sandpiper Prairie SNA in rural Norman co. Mn. I noticed a small turtle that almost looked like a rock on the gravel/dirt road so decided to stop and take a look. At the same time I noticed a vehicle coming from the West at a good clip with dust trailing behind. It was about a half mile away but getting closer quickly. The little turtle was sitting and not moving much so I thought I would pick it up and I put it in my large camera bag and got into my pickup. The little turtle got out of my camera bag and was crawling around inside my vehicle but I didn't mind. Soon as the emerging vehicle passed I caught the turtle and took it back to where it was - taking a few photos first. There were no other vehicles in sight so I put it down to see which direction it wanted to go. It quickly crawled off the road and into the tall grass and kept going. Knowing it was safe I left. Would hate to see the cute little turtle get ran over. |
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Wayne Rasmussen |
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Painted turtles in Keller Lake at Hwy 61 & 36. They have a nature walkway here where you may also see the eagles which nest next to Hwy 36. |
Painted turtles at Deep Portage Reserve in 2010 |
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John Shier |
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| I found I had the wrong name for this turtle. Your site and the MN DNR site agree. I thought, however, that there might be room for one more photo. This one was taken today in Lebanon Hills Regional Park here. |  |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) |
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About
Eastern PaintedTurtle NH Conservation Status: Not listed State Rank Status: Widespread and abundant. Distribution: Throughout state, less common in northern New Hampshire. Description:A 4-6 inch turtle with a smooth carapace and light lines running across the back (created from the straight rows of the large scutes on the back). The head and neck streaked with red and yellow stripes. There are two yellow spots behind each eye. Commonly Confused Species: None Habitat: Wetland areas with an abundance of vegetation and basking areas such as shallow ponds, marshes, bogs, slow-moving streams, and lakeshores. Often seen basking on partially submerged logs or rocks in large groups. Life History: Nest usually close to water’s edge in sandy or loamy area with open canopy. Typically 5-8 eggs are deposited in shallow, excavated depressions. Up to 2 clutches may be laid in a year. Hibernate in mud bottoms or under submerged logs. Conservation Threats: Road mortality, increased abundance of subsidized predators (e.g., raccoons), collection, and habitat loss & degradation. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/turtles/painted_turtle.htm |
Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle) |
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Chrysemys picta belli (Western Painted Turtle) |
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Visitor Videos |
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Leah Starks |
Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle) |
About
filmed in June 2019 in Hennepin County, MN. This painted turtle was digging a nesting hole near the MN river bottoms! |
Holly Potter |
painted turtle 01 |
painted turtle 02 |
painted turtle 03 |
Dan W. Andree |
" Painted Turtles" have character. |
About
Turtles have character. An observation of a Painted turtle stretching out its back legs just chilling along a pond in Norman county-Mn. It is also shedding a layer of its shell. Also contains some mating dragonflies bobbing up and down touching the water by the turtle. Music and text is added in the video. Shows distant and up close images. This observation made me like turtles a lot more. |
Other Videos |
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Western Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta bellii - YouTube |
About
Published on May 4, 2012 We found these turtles sunning themselves on a small pond. The Western Painted Turtle is named after the bright yellow stripes on its head, neck, tail and legs, and the glowing red on its plastron (shell covering the belly) and under-edge of its carapace (shell covering the back). Most adult Painted Turtles spend the winter hibernating in the mud at the bottom of ponds and lakes. Once temperatures warm up and the ice leaves the water, Painted Turtle courtship begins. In B.C., Painted Turtles are found in pockets throughout the southern interior, as far north as Golden. This includes the Okanagan Valley, Kamloops Lake, Shuswap Lake, and the Creston and Nelson Area. At present, the Western Painted Turtle is on the provincial blue list. This means they are considered vulnerable to habitat loss, and susceptible to human and natural disturbances. Habitat is being lost because of pollution and waterway interference due to damming, agriculture, and urbanization of waterfronts. |
Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) |
About
Published on Jun 12, 2013 A thoroughly multi-perspective, educational look at an exceedingly patient Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli). Photographed at the Rydell NWR, Minnesota (11 June 2013). |
Western Painted Turtles in the Wild |
About
Published on Jan 3, 2014 Western Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) swimming and sunning themselves. Any camera shake comes from the fact that all this footage was taken from a distance while in a boat. The western painted turtle is the largest subspecies of painted turtle and perhaps the most colorful with an ornamented bottom shell with red hues in it. Music: "Old Man Blanchard" by Josh Woodward ~ http://www.joshwoodward.com/ |
Baby Painted Turtle |
About
Published on Nov 16, 2012 This video is of the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) This a juvenile was found in south-central BC. Relatively common speices throughout it's range: in canada it's found through southern british columbia, alberta, saskatchewan, manitoba, and ontario. Watch in HD! |
Visitor Sightings |
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Julie Martin |
Location: Battle Creek Regional Park, Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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| Lane Keller 9/3/2022 |
Location: Bear Head Lake State Park |
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| Lydia & Lindsay 6/22/2022 |
Location: Andover, MN Digging a hole and laying eggs in backyard across from pond/marsh. |
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| Lane Keller 5/14/2022 |
Location: Crow-Hassan Park Reserve Found this at Prairie Lake where the population is slowly increasing every year. |
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Chelsea H. |
Location: Clear Lake, Waseca, Mn |
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| Molly and Robert Power 6/2/2021 |
Location: Albany MN |
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| Ramona Abrego | Location: Washington County |
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| Margot Avey 4/19/2019 |
Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center |
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| Dan W. Andree 9/5/2018 |
Location: rural Norman County MN Sept. 5, 2018 while driving West along a backroad that ran along the North side of Sandpiper Prairie SNA in rural Norman co. Mn. I noticed a small turtle that almost looked like a rock on the gravel/dirt road so decided to stop and take a look. At the same time I noticed a vehicle coming from the West at a good clip with dust trailing behind. It was about a half mile away but getting closer quickly. The little turtle was sitting and not moving much so I thought I would pick it up and I put it in my large camera bag and got into my pickup. The little turtle got out of my camera bag and was crawling around inside my vehicle but I didn't mind. Soon as the emerging vehicle passed I caught the turtle and took it back to where it was - taking a few photos first. There were no other vehicles in sight so I put it down to see which direction it wanted to go. It quickly crawled off the road and into the tall grass and kept going. Knowing it was safe I left. Would hate to see the cute little turtle get ran over. |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 5/13/2018 |
Location: Maplewood Heights Park |
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| John Shier 5/12/2017 |
Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park I found I had the wrong name for this turtle. Your site and the MN DNR site agree. I thought, however, that there might be room for one more photo. |
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| John Valo 5/13/2017 |
There’s always room for more photos. |
| Wayne Rasmussen 6/28/2014 |
Location: Maplewood, MN Painted turtles in Keller Lake at Hwy 61 & 36. They have a nature walkway here where you may also see the eagles which nest next to Hwy 36. |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 4/27/2010 |
Location: Hackensack, MN Painted turtles at Deep Portage Reserve in 2010 |
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| Patty Austvold May 2, 2014 |
Location: What used to be called Meadow Lake on Hassan Pkwy in Rogers, MN Have seen 3-4 live ones since snow melted and we had a couple nice days (specific sightings on Easter Sunday). They were crawling in cattail rushes and swimming along shoreline. They were docile and let you pick them up right out of the water or rushes. Today I am finding dead ones floating along the shoreline--2 recently dead full grown size..and one smaller decomposing. Is something killing them but not eating them? We have lots of muskrats and Herons and Garter Snakes on the lake. Or is there a disease...or did they come out too soon from hibernation and it is too cold for them? I would hate to see them disappear. Do you have any idea why they might be dying? |
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