Variation in the Shell of Chrysemys picta belli from Southern Saskatchewan

Painted turtles sampled from the northern limit of their range exhibited a high average number of shell abnormalities per individual. Distribution of abnormalities on the shell is described. Females had a significantly higher incidence of abnormalities than did males or juveniles. Neither incidence nor number of abnormalities were correlated with size. Reticulate melanism occurred in 19 of the males in the sample.