{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "painted-turtle",
  "name": "Painted Turtle",
  "scientificName": "Chrysemys picta",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "The painted turtle is a small, colourful freshwater turtle of ponds, lakes, and slow rivers across North America, named for the bright yellow and red markings on its skin and shell edges. It reaches about 18 cm and 0.2 to 0.4 kg, and is often seen basking in rows on logs. An omnivore that eats aquatic plants, insects, and small fish, it swims at up to 5 km/h and can live 25 to 35 years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Testudines",
    "family": "Emydidae",
    "genus": "Chrysemys"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.3,
    "lengthM": 0.18,
    "topSpeedKmh": 5,
    "lifespanYears": 35
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Chrysemys picta"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore — aquatic plants, insects, and small fish"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Ponds, lakes, and slow rivers of North America"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "25–35 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "0.2–0.4 kg (0.4–0.9 lb); colourful stripes"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 5 km/h (3 mph) swimming"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Ponds and slow rivers from southern Canada through the United States to northern Mexico — most widespread North American turtle.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Chrysemys picta.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Chrysemys%20picta&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Chrysemys picta. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chrysemys_picta/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/painted-turtle/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/painted-turtle/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}