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Home > Turtles > Southern Painted Turtle

Southern Painted Turtle

Southern painted turtles are one of the four subspecies of painted turtles found in large parts of the United States. They are the smallest and also happen to be the most attractive among the four subspecies. They are semi-aquatic and omnivorous.



    Kingdom Animalia
    Phylum Chordata
    Subphylum Vertebrata
    Class Reptilia
    Order Testudines
    Family Emydidae
    Subfamily Deirochelyinae
    Genus Chrysemys
    Species Chrysemys picta
    Scientific Name Chrysemys picta dorsalis


    Size 10 – 14 cm
    Color Dark green outer shell with a thin red, orange or yellow stripe running down the middle from the top to the bottom; head contains wavy uneven yellow stripes; black or dark green legs with colored stripes; underside is tan or yellow without any pattern
    Distribution Southern Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, northeastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, Louisiana, western Tennessee, northern Mississippi, Alabama
    Habitat Rivers, swamps, ponds, lakes
    Diet Fish, crayfish, dragonfly larvae, aquatic invertebrates, aquatic plants such as duckweed and algae
    Hibernation Fact Hibernate during winter in the mud at the bottom of water bodies
    Predators Juveniles fall prey to water bugs, bass, bullfrogs, catfish, snapping turtles, snakes , herons, rice rats,  muskrats, minks, weasels, raccoons while the adults are preyed upon by alligators, ospreys, red-shouldered hawks, crows, bald eagles, raccoons
    Breeding Season Spring and fall
    Mode of Reproduction Oviparous (egg laying)
    Clutch Size 4.2 eggs
    Incubation Period 72 – 80 days
    Average Lifespan 25 to 50 years
    IUCN Conservation Status Not Assessed

    Southern Painted Turtle  Pictures Gallery

    Published on November 2nd 2016 by under Turtles. Article was last reviewed on 7th June 2019.

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