(Chrysemys picta)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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NatureServe | N5 - Secure S5 - Secure |
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Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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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. |
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Size |
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Male: 4″ to 7″ Female: 4″ to 9″ |
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Similar Species |
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Painted turtle is the only turtle in Minnesota with orangish-red markings. | ||
Habitat |
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Muddy bottomed ponds and marshes, the margins of small lakes, sluggish streams and river back-waters. |
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Biology |
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Behavior |
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Lifespan |
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5 to 7 years |
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Life Cycle |
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Food |
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Plants, fish, crayfish, aquatic insects, snails, tadpoles, and carrion. |
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Distribution |
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Sources
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5/15/2022 | ||||
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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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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Share your photo of this reptile. |
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This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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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. | ![]() |
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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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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this reptile. |
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This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Leah Starks |
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Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle) Published on Jun 28, 2019 |
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About
filmed in June 2019 in Hennepin County, MN. This painted turtle was digging a nesting hole near the MN river bottoms! |
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Holly Potter |
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painted turtle 01 Published on Jun 29, 2018 |
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painted turtle 02 Published on Jun 29, 2018 |
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painted turtle 03 Published on Jun 29, 2018 |
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Dan W. Andree |
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" Painted Turtles" have character. Published on Aug 12, 2015 |
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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. |
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Other Videos |
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Western Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta bellii - YouTube JCVdude |
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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. |
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Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) Carl Barrentine |
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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). |
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Western Painted Turtles in the Wild Wandering Sole TV |
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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/ |
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Baby Painted Turtle Northwest Herper |
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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! |
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