• • Kingdom: animalia

  • Phylum:  chordata

  • Class: reptilia

  • Family: emydidae

  • Order: testudines

  • Genus: chrysemys

  • Species: chrysemys picta

• • All Subspecies

C. p. bellii

C. p. marginata

C. p. picta

• • How long has this species been in existence

about 15 million years

• • Closest living relative to this species

crocodiles and birds

• • 3 ancestors of this species

Most genetic studies over the past 20 years have positioned crocodilians, dinosaurs and modern birds as the turtles' closest evolutionary relatives. But some studies looking at DNA or RNA, as well as analyses of turtle anatomy, have pointed to lizards and snakes as the group's closest relatives. 

• Physical description of the animal 

The turtle's top shell is dark and smooth, without a ridge. Its skin is olive to black with red, orange, or yellow stripes on its extremities. 

• Point key characteristics of species

he adult turtles' hard shells protect them from most predators.  

• Size

The adult painted turtle is 13–25 cm (5–10 in) long 

• Weight

The female weighs around 500 g (18 oz) on average, against the males' average adult weight of roughly 300 g (11 oz). 

• Life Span

can live to over 55 years 

• Differences between Males and Females

the male is smaller than the female. 

 Painted turtles are one of the most common turtles in North America and are found from southern Canada to northern Mexico. This turtle lives in ponds, lakes, marshes, and in slow-moving rivers that have soft, muddy bottoms.

Water should be maintained within the range of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit; ambient air between 80 and 85 degrees, and the basking area should be kept between 85 and 95 degrees. 

Painted turtles are one of the most common turtles in North America and are found from southern Canada to northern Mexico 

they are not an invasive species.

Painted turtles feed mainly on plants, small animals, such as fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, worms, and some carrion. Young painted turtles are mainly carnivorous, acquiring a taste for plants later in life. 

painted turtles are not really in "packs" they will group together for sun bathing in groups as large as 50, they are not territorial and use touch to communicate.

The sex of the turtle is determined during a critical phase of embryogenesis according to the incubation temperature. These temperature-dependent reptiles lack sex chromosomes. Low temperatures during incubation produce males and high temperatures produce females. Hatchlings have two threshold temperatures, 27 to 32 C and 22C. These thresholds may be important to some northern or woodland populations. The availability of water in the nests is more important than temperature in influencing survival, metabolism, and growth of the embryos. 

Males mature at about 70-95 mm plastron (lower shell) length, usually at 3-5 years of age. Females take longer (6-10 years) and are larger at maturity 

predation: Adult painted turtles have few predators but skunks, raccoons, and foxes may eat the eggs from nests. Frogs, snakes, wading birds, predatory fish, and alligators may also eat hatchlings. 

painted turtles do not experience much sexual competition. 

common diseases in painted turtles include; vitamin A deficiency, respiratory diseases, abscesses, shell infections, shell fractures, and parasites. 

painted turtles are also known to drown and get hit by cars.

interspecies: there is little to no competition between any species of aquatic turtles.

intraspecies: besides predator/prey their also is not much competition.

invasive species do not seem to have a large effect on painted turtles.

painted turtles are in the least concern category, Within much of its range, the painted turtle is the most abundant turtle species. Population densities range from 10 to 840 turtles per hectare (2.5 acres) of water surface. The population is stable.

the main impact on turtles (excluding sea turtles) by people is the pet trade. 

due to the population of painted turtles, this isn't much of a threat to their future population.