The semiaquatic Painted Turtle is characterized by a short tail, a rigid upper and lower shell, an upper shell with smooth rear edge, and a pattern of bright red on the lower shell. The upper shell is gray, brown, or green with red-markings around the edge. The lower shell is yellow with a bold gray and red pattern. Head, limbs, and tail are dark gray or green with yellow lines. Adult males are smaller than females and have very long claws on the front feet.
Adults are normally 90-180 mm (3½-7 inches) in carapace length. The largest specimen from Kansas (sex undetermined) (KU 159983) is from Barton County with a carapace length of 207 mm (81⁄8 inches) collected by William Knighton and Natalie Fayman on 24 June 1989. The maximum carapace length throughout the range is 250.8 mm (97⁄8 inches) (Powell et al., 2016).
This turtle may be found throughout Kansas but is least abundant in the southwest. Populations in the southwest are extant but may be the result of introductions.
Records mapped in Collins (1994) for Dickinson (KU 3191-2, 157811) and Greenwood (MVZ 43719-20) counties are given to county only and are too imprecise to map. The record mapping in Collins (1994) from Morris County is unknown and not mapped.
This species resides in slow-moving shallow streams and rivers and shallow ponds and lakes having soft bottoms with aquatic plants and numerous half-submerged logs and branches on which to bask in the sun. Usually it is active from March to October at preferred air temperatures of 68°F or above. During cold winter months, it may burrow as deep as 1 ½ feet beneath the mud in the bottoms of lakes, streams, and ponds. Clarke (1958) recorded these turtles to be active from April to November in Osage County at an air temperature as low as 50°F. On 24 February, Collins (1982) observed an example of this turtle swimming in a pond in Douglas County. Most of the pond was covered with ice, but the day was sunny with an air temperature of 50°F. Hatchling Painted Turtles are the only known reptiles that can survive winters through natural freezing of up to 54 percent of their body fluids. They apparently produce natural protectants to prevent cell damage during the freeze and thaw process. This ability to tolerate subfreezing temperatures allows hatchlings to overwinter in the nest rather than face the hazards of the winter pond, where they would be an easy meal for predators.
Throughout its active season, the Painted Turtle is diurnal, sleeping at night beneath the water on submerged logs or on the bottom. It divides its daytime hours between basking and feeding. Irwin and Collins (1987) found this species to be the most observably abundant reptile at Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County.
Mating normally occurs from March to June but may continue into the summer. Courtship starts with a slow pursuit of the female by the male. Upon catching up with her, the male faces her and strokes her head and neck with the backs of the long claws on his front feet. The male periodically swims away as if trying to entice the female to follow. Eventually, the female sinks to the bottom, and the male swims down and mounts her back. He secures himself on her upper shell with his claws, curls his tail down under hers until their cloaca) openings meet, and copulation occurs.
The female lays up to 23 elongate white eggs in nests from May to July. The nests are dug in soft soil by the female, who uses her hind limbs to excavate the earth to a depth of 101.6 mm (4 inches). She may release fluid from her cloaca to dampen the soil. The eggs generally hatch in 2-2½ months, and the young turtles dig free of the nest and rapidly crawl to the water. However, the eggs may not hatch, or if they do, the young may not emerge until late fall during cold weather. In the latter case they remain in the nest during the winter and hatch or emerge the following spring.
A female of this species from Lyon County laid seven eggs on 22 June. The eggs hatched on 21 August and the young had an average shell length of 28.6 mm (11⁄8 inches).
The Painted Turtle is omnivorous, but the young are more carnivorous than adults. This species eats plant and animal matter, dead or alive. Irwin and Collins (1987) reported this turtle scavenging on a dead Diamondback Water Snake at Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County.
Predators of adult Painted Turtles are primarily people. The eggs and young are eaten by squirrels, skunks, badgers, raccoons, muskrats, crows, snakes, other turtles, American Bullfrogs, and large fishes (Collins, 1993).
The Painted Turtle was first reported in Kansas by Cragin (1880), although he did not list any specific Kansas localities. Burt (1933) cited a specimen from Ottawa County collected in 1888 that resided in the collection at Kansas State University (no longer in existence). The earliest existing specimen (USNM 45314) was collected at Cairo in Pratt County on 2 August 1892. However, USNM has two specimens (7691-2; "80 mi. from Republican River, Riley"; ~ Republic County, Kansas) affiliated with the Fort Riley to Bridger’s Pass Wagon Road Survey under the command of Lt. Francis T. Bryan which puts their collection year around 1856 or 1857 (although no date is given).
The Painted Turtle lacks sex chromosomes. Their gender is determined by incubation temperature during a critical phase of embryogenesis. Low temperatures (< 26°C) during incubation produce males and high temperatures (>29°C) produce females. Mixed-sex ratios are produced at intermediate temperatures.
Young specimens of this turtle are sometimes caught, kept as pets, and released in Kansas in areas where they cannot survive.
Gibbons (1987) reported a minimum natural life span of over 25 years for this turtle. Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for this species of twenty years, six months, and 24 days.
References
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Miller, Larry L. 1985. KHS 1985 field trip to Kirwin Reservoir. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (61):11-12.
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Miller, Larry L. 1988. Harper County KHS field trip well attended. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (72):5-6.
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Collins, Joseph T. 1992. Results of the fourth Kansas herp count held during April-May 1992. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (89):10-.
Taggart, Travis W. 1992. Results of the KHS annual field trip to Sheridan County State Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (90):3-4.
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Riedle, J. Daren. 1994. A survey of reptiles and amphibians at Montgomery County State Fishing Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (98):11-13.
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Rundquist, Eric M. 1995. Additional KHS herp counts for 1995. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (102):11-.
Maurer, Eric. F. 1995. Chrysemys picta belli. Feeding behavior. Herpetological Review 26(1):34.
Miller, Larry L. 1996. Results of the KHS 1995 fall field trip. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (103):3.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1996. Results of the eighth annual KHS herp counts Held 1 April-31 May 1996. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (104):6-17.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1996. Notes on the natural history of some Kansas amphibians and reptiles: Parasites. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (105):16-17.
Moriarty, Emily C. 1996. A preliminary report on number, seasonal and daily activity, and growth rate of a population of Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) in northeastern Kansas: A three year study . Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (105):5-.
Miller, Larry L. 1996. Third graders conduct amphibian and reptile field study. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (106):15.
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Rundquist, Eric M. 1997. Addendum to 1997 KHS herp counts. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (109):14-15.
Collins, Joseph T. 1997. A report on the KHS fall field trip to the Marais des Cygnes wildlife refuges. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (110):2-3.
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Gamble, Jerre. 1998. Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hartford, Kansas. 91 pp.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1998. Results of the tenth annual KHS herp counts for 1998, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (112):11-18.
Collins, Joseph T. 1998. Results of the KHS silver anniversary fall field trip. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (114):6-.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1999. Kansas Herpetological Society herp counts: A 10 year summary and evaluation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (115):42962.
Collins, Joseph T. 1999. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1998. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (116):14-15.
Miller, Larry L. 2000. February amphibian and turtle observations in Shawnee County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (119):11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. KHS spring field trip sets record for attendance. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):5-5.
Doren, Van, Mark D., and Curtis J. Schmidt. 2000. A herpetological survey of the Fort Larned National Historic Site, Pawnee County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):8-11.
Vitt, Christopher G. 2000. New records for aquatic turtles in Brown County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (121):17-18.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2000. Results of the eleventh and twelfth annual KHS herpetofaunal counts for 1999-2000, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):11-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. Results of the KHS 2000 fall field trip. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):6-8.
Vitt, Christopher G. 2000. Geographic distribution. Chrysemys picta. Herpetological Review 31(4):252.
Taggart, Travis W. 2001. The KHS 2001 spring field trip: A rainy rendezvous. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):12-14.
Collins, Joseph T. 2001. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 2000. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):6-8.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2001. The amphibians, turtles, and reptiles of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):9-11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2001. Results of the KHS spring field trip west. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):10.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2001. Results of the thirteenth annual KHS herp counts for 2001, held 1 April-30 June. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):13-16.
Kingsbury, Bruce and Joanna Gibson. 2002. Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest. Publication of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Address not given. 152 pp.
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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of
America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory
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Collins, Joseph T. 2002. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 2001. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (1):10-11.
Riedle, J. Daren and A. Hynek. 2002. Amphibian and reptile inventory of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, Labette County, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (2):18-20.
Taggart, Travis W. 2002. Results of the KHS 2002 fall field Trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):11-13.
Miller, Larry L. 2002. Osage County herp count II. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):15.
Fogell, Daniel D. 2003. A herpetofaunal inventory of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory
and Monitoring Network. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 59 pp.
Suleiman, G. 2003. Fort Riley herpetofaunal count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):11-12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. KHS conducts first systematic road survey. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):11-12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Results of the 2003 KHS spring field trip to Wilson County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):2-5.
Collins, Joseph T. 2003. Douglas County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):8.
Gubanyi, James E. 2003. Osage County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):8.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Logan County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):8.
Suleiman, Gibran. 2003. Fort Riley herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):9.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Results of the KHS 2003 fall field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (8):14-15.
Starkey, D. E., H. B. Shaffer, R. L. Burke, M. R. J. Forstner, J. B. Iverson, F. J. Janzen, A. G. J. Rhodin, and G. R. Ultsch. 2003. Molecular systematics, phylogeography, and the effects of Pleistocene glaciation in the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) complex. Evolution 57:119-128.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2004. Natural history and status of the exploited Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) in western Kansas and a herpetofaunal inventory of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 170 pp.
Delisle, Jennifer M. and William H. Busby. 2004. Biological inventory for vertebrates at Fort Larned National Historic Site of the southern plains network. Natural Heritage Inventory, Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 61 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Kansas Herpetological Society 2004 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (9):2.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2004. Geographic distribution: Chrysemys picta. Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (10):10.
Volkmann, Al. 2004. Cowley County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (11):10.
Miller, Larry L. 2004. Sumner County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (11):11-12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Results of the KHS 2004 fall feld trip . Journal of Kansas Herpetology (12):15-16.
Taggart, Travis W., Curtis J. Schmidt, and Richard S. Hayes. 2005. Geographic distribution: Chrysemys picta. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (13):10.
Taggart, Travis W. 2005. Results of the KHS 2005 fall field trip [to Crawford County]. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (16):19-21.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Addendum report to biological inventory of the sandsage prairie near Holcomb, Kansas. Sunflower Electric Cooperative, Hays, Kansas. 31 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Distribution and status of Kansas herpetofauna in need of information. State Wildlife Grant T7. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. vii + 106 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Results of the KHS spring field trip to Kiowa County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (18):2-5.
Wilgers, Dustin J., Eva A. Horne, Brett K. Sandercock, and Allan W. Volkmann. 2006. Effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the tallgrass prairie. 62:378-388.
Taggart, Travis W., Joseph T. Collins, and Curtis J. Schmidt. 2007. Estimates of amphibian, reptile, and turtle mortality if Phostoxin is applied to 10,000 acres of prairie dog burrows in Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. 5 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2007. A biological inventory of the Sunflower Electric Site near Holcomb, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology 23:11-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2008. KHS 2008 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (25):2-3.
Thomas, R. Brent, Ian M. Nall, and William J. House. 2008. Relative efficacy of three different baits for trapping pond-dwelling turtles in east-central Kansas. Herpetological Review 39(2):186-188.
Nall, Matthew I. 2009. Validity and efficacy of different sampling methods for estimating population level parameters in freshwater turtles. Thesis. Emporia State Univeristy, Emporia, Kansas. 48 pp.
House, William J. 2009. Selected aspects of the ecology of semi-aquatic turtles inhabiting ponds in east-central Kansas. Thesis. Emporia State Univeristy, Emporia, Kansas.. 69 pp.
Murrow, Daniel G. 2009. KHS 2009 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (29):42769.
Nall, Ian M. and R. Brent Thomas. 2009. Does method of bait presentation within funnel traps influence capture rates of semi-aquatic turtles? Herpetological Conservation and Biology 4(2):161-163.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2010. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. 400 pp.
Murrow, Daniel G. 2010. Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):2-3.
House, William J., Ian M. Nall, and R. Brent Thomas. 2010. Interpond movements of Western Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) in east-central Kansas. Southwestern Naturalist 55(3):403-410.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2011. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of the Cimarron National Grassland, Kansas. Second (Revised) Edition. U. S. Forest Service.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 spring field trip to be held in Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (37):5-7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Results of the Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 Summer Field Trip to Scott State Park. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (39):2.
Houck, Mike. 2011. Fort Riley Herpetofaunal Survey for 2011. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (39):9.
House, William J., Ian M. Nall, and R. Brent Thomas. 2011. Selected aspects of semi-aquatic turtle assemblages in east-central
Kansas ponds. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 114(3-4):239-244.
Rohweder, Megan R. 2012. Spatial conservation prioritization of Kansas for terrestrial vertebrates. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 151 pp.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2012. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada: Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 152 pp.
Singleton, Jennifer. 2012. Selected aspects of the biology of semi-aquatic turtles in east-central Kansas: Winter thermal profiles and escape behavior. Thesis. Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas. 58 pp.
Kauffman, Greg Lee. 2013. Stable isotope analysis of a middle woodland population from north central Kansas. Thesis. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 110 pp.
Bass, Neil. 2013. The Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Project: For the river, for you, and for herps. Collinsorum 2(1/2):10-11.
Miller, Larry L. 2013. Wellington Lake Herpetological Survey. Collinsorum 2(1/2):12.
Mardis, Dexter. 2013. Quivira National Wildlife Refuge herpetological outing. Collinsorum 2(1/2):13.
Baldwin, Mary Kate. 2013. “Herps in Havensville” Herp Surveys. Collinsorum 2(3/4):10.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Spring Field Trip to Bourbon County State Lake. Collinsorum 2(3/4):3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Summer Field Trip to Meade County State Park. Collinsorum 2(3/4):3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Fall Field Trip to Atchison County State Lake. Collinsorum 2(3/4):4.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2013 Fall Field Trip to Butler County State Lake. Collinsorum 2(3/4):6.
Mardis, Dexter and Kevin Scott. 2013. 2013 Kansas Herpetofaunal Counts. Collinsorum 2(3/4):7.
McMartin, D. Chris. 2014. Fort Leavenworth Heretofaunal Survey for 2013. Collinsorum 3(1):10.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Results of the 2014 KHS Fall Field Trip to Woodson County. Collinsorum 3(2-4):12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Recent scientific and standard English name changes effecting the Kansas herpetofauna. Collinsorum 3(2-4):9-10.
Seim, Jeffery. 2015. Population Structure and Habitat Association of Aquatic Testudines in Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 66 pp.
Bass, Neil. 2015. Herpetological (Frog and Turtle) Inventories along the Missouri River in Kansas. Collinsorum 4(1):5-9.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Spring Field Trip to the Greenhorn Limestone of Russell County. Collinsorum 4(3):2.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Summer Field Trip In The Harvey County Sandhills. Collinsorum 4(3):3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Fall Field Trip Held In Washington County. Collinsorum 4(3):4.
Jensen, E. L., P. Govindarajulu, and M. A. Russello. 2015. Genetic assessment of taxonomic uncertainty in Painted Turtles. Journal of Herpetology 49:314-324..
Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. 494 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. and J. Daren Riedle. 2017. A Pocket Guide to
Kansas Amphibians,
Turtles and Lizards. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, Kansas. 69 pp.
Crother, Brian I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102.
Taggart, Travis W. 2017. Results of the 2017 KHS Spring Field Trip to Elk County, Kansas. Collinsorum 6(2-3):6-8.
Houck, Mike. 2018. Herp Count: Fort Riley Military Installation. Collinsorum 7(1):17.
Reid, Brendan N., J. M. Kass, S. Wollney, E. L. Jensen, M. A. Russello, E. M. Viola, J. Pantophlet, J. B. Iverson, M. Z. Peery, C. J. Raxworthy, and E. Naro-Maciel. 2018. Disentangling the genetic effects of refugial isolation and range expansion in a trans-continentally distributed species. Heredity 122:441–457.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2019. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. Third Edition. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 192 pp.
Hollender, Ethan C. 2019. Freshwater turtle community composition in mined land strip pit lakes and the effects of learned trap avoidance on capture rates of Sternotherus odoratus and Trachemys scripta. Thesis. Missouri State University, Springfield. 61 pp.
Mahr, Michael S. 2020. Distributions and statuses of map turtles (Graptemys sp.) in Kansas. Thesis. Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas.. 131 pp.
Daniel, Richard E. and Brian S. Edmond. 2020. Atlas of Missouri Amphibians and Reptiles for 2019. Privately printed, Columbia, Missouri. 86 pp.
Fischer, Annie. 2020. Species profile: Painted Turtle. Kansas Wildlife & Parks Magazine (November-December):44.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2020. Revisiting Kansas Herpetological Society field trip and Herp Count data:
Distributional patterns and trend data of Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Collinsorum 9(1):7-16.
Hullinger, Allison, Zackary Cordes, Daren Riedle, and William Stark. 2020. Habitat assessment of the Broad-headed Skink (Plestiodon laticeps)
and the associated squamate community in eastern Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 123(1-2):137-150.
Becker, Justine T. and R. Brent Thomas. 2020. Male response to female chemical signals in Painted
Turtles (Chrysemys picta). Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 123(3-4):453-459.
Rhodin, Anders G. J., John B. Iverson, Roger Bour, Uwe Fritz, Arthur Georges, H. Bradley Shaffer, and Peter Paul van Dijk. 2021. Turtles and tortoises of the world during the rise and global spread of humanity: First checklist and review of extinct pleistocene and holocene chelonians. Chelonian Research Monographs (8):1-472.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2021. Herp Count: Pratt County: KHS-2020-33. Collinsorum 9(3):16.
Hollender, Ethan C. and Day B. Ligon. 2021. Freshwater turtle community composition in strip pit lakes on mined lands. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 16(1):183–193.
Powell, Alexis F. L. A., Michael S. Mahr, Jennifer L. Buchanan, Justin J. Autz, and Greg Sievert. 2021. New county and drainage records of turtles in
waterways of eastern Kansas, USA. Herpetological Review 52(3):584–587.
Thomson, Robert C., Phillip Q. Spinks, and H. Bradley Shaffer. 2021. A global phylogeny of turtles reveals a burst of climate-associated diversification on continental margins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118(7):1-10.
Powell, Alexis F. L. A. and Greg Sievert. 2022. New distributional records of turtles in eastern Kansas and western Missouri, USA. Herpetological Review 53(2):265–271.