Identification- 4-7" (10-18 cm) A medium sized pond turtle with a smooth, oval or circular carapace. The ground color is olive to black and the carapace scutes have narrow yellow edges. The marginals have red spirals or crescents. The head is marked with 2 pairs of yellow spots and several yellow or red stripes which extend onto the legs and soft tissues. The plastron is yellow to orange with a large dark blotch in the center. The scutes are alternate and do not run across the back in a straight line such as the Eastern Painted Turtle.
    Similar Species- Eastern Painted Turtle has an unmarked venter and scutes that lie in a straight row.  Map Turtles and Red Eared Sliders may show yellow spots on the head, but both of these species have a net-like pattern on each scute.

Range- Western New England, upstate and western New York, south into Pennsylvania. Integrates with the Eastern Painted Turtle throughout much of our range.
 

Habitat- Varied, but it prefers mud bottomed portions of slow moving streams and rivers, small to medium sized ponds, marshes, and lakes. Likes places with an abundance of half submerged logs and aquatic vegetation.

Reproduction- Male has long claws on front feet. Courtship begins with the male chasing the female and stroking her head and face with the back of his of his long foreclaws. If the female is receptive she will stroke his forelimbs with the bottom of her claws, and then sink to the bottom of the water where copulation takes place. Nesting takes place in June or July in loamy or sandy soil. Three to 12 (usually 4-6) eggs hatch in mid-August. Female may lay 2 clutches in a season.

General Characteristics-
One of the most common of our turtles. The Painted Turtles of both subspecies are often seen basking in large groups. They are diurnal, and feed on a wide variety of aquatic organisms including crustaceans, insects, carrion, and plant matter. Young are virtually carnivorous at hatching, but become omnivorous with age. Sexual maturity is reached in 3-5 years for males and 4-8 years for females.  Females average larger than males.  Integrates show a blending of characteristics. They may have either alternating or opposite scutes and a pale ventral blotch. It is hardy and adaptable, it may even be found in crowded city parks. They will bite when first captured, but soon calm down and make decent captives.