Western Painted Turtle

Description:

Their lower shell is brightly colored in red with yellow and olive designs. The olive or black top shell is oval, slightly flattened and smooth. They do not have a ridge down the middle of the top shell as young snapping turtles do when they are the same size. Western painted turtles are the largest of the 4 species of painted turtles and the species with the most intricate pattern on their bottom shells. Their length ranges from about 4 to 10 inches (10 - 25 cm). Painted turtles are aquatic with webbed feet for swimming. They can also be identified by the yellow lines of approximately equal width on their necks that continue on to the head

Habitat:

North America