Eastern Painted Turtle
by Colin
Scientific name: Chrysemys picta picta
Description: Eastern Painted turtles are water turtles. They can grow up to 9 inches long. They are black with smooth, flattened shells. The top part of a turtle’s shell is called a carapace. The carapace has many small plates called scutes. Eastern painted turtles have thick lines between their scutes. These turtles also have red markings around the edges of their carapaces. The bottom of their shells is called the plastron. The plastron is yellow. These turtles also have red and yellow stripes on their necks, legs, and tails.
Description: Eastern Painted turtles are water turtles. They can grow up to 9 inches long. They are black with smooth, flattened shells. The top part of a turtle’s shell is called a carapace. The carapace has many small plates called scutes. Eastern painted turtles have thick lines between their scutes. These turtles also have red markings around the edges of their carapaces. The bottom of their shells is called the plastron. The plastron is yellow. These turtles also have red and yellow stripes on their necks, legs, and tails.
Habitat: These turtles live in marshes, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. They prefer water with lots of plants and logs that they can climb on. Diet: They eat many plants including duckweed, algae, and water lilies. They also eat earthworms, insects, leeches, snails, crayfish, tadpoles, frogs, fish, and carrion. Carrion is dead animal matter. Predators: Their predators include bullfrogs, herons, raccoons, larger turtles, crows, large fish, snakes, hawks, and foxes. Offspring: The gender of their babies depends on the temperature in the nest that the female digs and buries the eggs in. If it is warm, they are all girls. If it is cold, they are all boys. Mating occurs from March to June. They have 1-2 clumps of 3-9 eggs a year. Fun Facts: They can live to 60 years or more in the wild. They must swallow their food underwater. Sources: Information: eastern painted turtle, http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_painted_turtle.htm Eastern Painted Turtle, http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/turtles/eastern-painted-turtle/eastern_painted_turtle.php Eastern Painted Turtle, http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Turtle-Tortoise-Species/Eastern-Painted-Turtle/ Picture Sources: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Eastern_Painted_Turtle_(Chrysemys_picta_picta).jpg https://nicksnaturepics.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/eastpaintedturtle8june13083e.jpg http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/Reptiles/Eastern%20Painted%20Turtle/0082.jpeg |
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