Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

There are four subspecies of painted turtle: the Eastern Painted Turtle (C.p. picta), the Midland Painted Turtle (C.p. marginata), the Southern Painted Turtle (C.p. dorsalis), and the Western Painted Turtle (C.p. bellii). You can find a good discussion of the distribution and identification of these four subspecies here. The particular subspecies of the Painted Turtles that appear below are often not given. A good general guide is that those turtles found in Michigan’s U.P. are bellii (or hybrid bellii-marginata), while those found in Montgomery County, Indiana are marginata. At the bottom of this page, you find a few photos that emphasize distinguishing features of these two subspecies.

First view, Shades State Park, Montgomery County, Indiana, 4 May 2006

Another view, the Burn, Montgomery County, 28 April 2007.

Another view, laying eggs, on the Peshekee Grade, Michigan, 12 June 2011.

Another view, Shades State Park, Montgomery County, Indiana, 2 May 2006.

Another view, our yard, Lakewood Lane, Marquette, Michigan, 26 May 2010.

Another view, picta, Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, New York, 22 June 2013.

Another view, our yard, S. McClellan, Marquette, Michigan, 3 July 2010.

Another view, the Burn, Montgomery County, 14 April 2006.

Another view, held by Jack, Strawberry Lake, Marquette County, Michigan, 20 April 2012; here is a shot of Evan holding this turtle.

Another view, with a Eastern Box Turtle, Montgomery County, Indiana, 15 May 2009.

Another view, held by Evan, Montgomery County, Indiana, 26 May 2007; here is a shot of Jack holding this turtle.

Another view, 700 S & 100 E, Montgomery County, 17 May 2009.

Another view, laying eggs, Sturgeon River, Houghton County, Michigan, 3 June 2012.

The easiest way to tell a Midland from a Western Painted Turtle is by the plastron, or bottom shell. In Western Painted Turtle, the plastron has a large, darkly-colored splotch that extends to the edges and oftentimes has red hues. In Midland Painted Turtle, the plastron has a symmetrical, dark shadow which varies in size, but is generally smaller than in Western. The differences are visible in the following photos:

Plastron of c.p. bellii, along Highway 28, western Upper Peninsula, Michigan, 29 June 2011.

Plastron of c.p. bellii, perhaps a hybrid marginata, along Highway 28, western Upper Peninsula, Michigan, 29 June 2011.

Plastron of c.p. marginata, Montgomery County, Indiana, 30 April 2009.

Plastron of c.p. marginata, Montgomery County, Indiana, 11 May 2009.

Plastron of c.p. picta, Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, New York, 22 June 2013.