Identification
The largest and most intricately patterned of the painted turtles, the Western
Painted Turtle has a smooth olive to brown carapace with light irregular lines,
sometimes extending into a netlike pattern. There is less red on the margin
of its shell, and the plastron is covered with a large dark figure with dark
seams. All painted turtles have black or olive skin with yellow stripes on the
upper neck, legs, and tail. Also, the upper jaw is notched and has two tooth-like
projections.
Distribution and Status
The Western Painted Turtle ranges naturally from southwest Ontario and southern
Missouri, through the Pacific Northwest, but they are nearly absent from Montana.
Isolated populations also survive in the Southwest. This species is distributed
through most of the Midwest states, specifically Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Iowa and Missouri. (US
distribution map; Midwest
distribution map).
Ecology
Painted Turtles live in slow-moving permanent bodies of water, preferring a
soft bottom, abundant aquatic plant life, and places to bask such as rocks,
logs, or floating vegetation. They have been known to occupy other bodies of
water such as ditches, and on occasion moderately moving streams or rivers.
Painted turtles are not afraid to move about on land to move to and from water
sources.
Threats and Management Issues
In the wild, many predators prey upon Painted Turtles of all life stages, raccoons
being chief among them. Human interaction such as habitat destruction, use of
pesticides, exploitation in the pet trade, as well as death by firearms and
automobiles are the turtle’s biggest threats.
Resources
Ernst. C. H., J. E. Lovich and R. W. Barbour. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, USA.
General reference guides and websites.
Links to more information on the Western Painted Turtle outside the Herp Center
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499