Painted wood turtle

For the other turtle with this name, see Spot-legged wood turtle.

Not to be confused with Painted turtle.

The ornate or painted wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima) is one of nine turtle species of the genus Rhinoclemmys of the family Geoemydidae. There are four recognized subspecies.

Painted wood turtle
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Genus:	Rhinoclemmys
Species:	R. pulcherrima
Binomial name
Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima (Gray, 1855)
Synonyms
Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima pulcherrima Emys pulcherrimus Gray, 1856 Clemmys pulcherrima Strauch, 1862 Callichelys pulcherrima Gray, 1863 Emys pulcherrima Müller, 1865 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima Gray, 1873 Chelopus pulcherrima Bocourt, 1876 Pseudemys pulcherrima Garman, 1884 Chelopus pulcherrimus Cope, 1887 Nicoria punctularia var. pulcherrima Boulenger, 1889 Geoemyda punctularia pulcherrima Siebenrock, 1909 Geoemyda pulcherrima pulcherrima Wettstein, 1934 Rhinoclemys pulcherrima McDowell, 1964 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima pulcherrima Smith & Taylor, 1966 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrina Fairchild, Kohls & Tipton, 1966 (ex errore) Rhinoclemys pulcherrima pulcherrima Greene, 1972 Callopsis pulcherrima pulcherrima Smith & Smith, 1975 Rhinoclemmys pulcherria Acuña-Mesén, 2006 (ex errore) Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima incisa Emys incisa Bocourt, 1868 Rhinoclemmys frontalis Gray, 1873 Rhinoclemmys bocourti Gray, 1873 Chelopus incisa Bocourt, 1876 Chelopus incisus Sumichrast, 1880 Glyptemys incisa Garman, 1884 Nicoria punctularia var. incisa Boulenger, 1889 Clemmys incisa Strauch, 1890 Chrysemys incisa Gadow, 1905 Geoemyda punctularia incisa Siebenrock, 1909 Rhinoclemmys incisa Schmidt, 1928 Geoemyda pulcherrima incisa Wettstein, 1934 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima incisa Smith & Taylor, 1966 Callopsis pulcherrima incisa Smith & Smith, 1975 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima insica Rogner, 1995 (ex errore) Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni Geoemyda manni Dunn, 1930 Geoemyda pulcherrima manni Wettstein, 1934 Geoemyda punctularia manni Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 Callopsis pulcherrima manni Smith, Smith & Sawin, 1976 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni Pritchard, 1979 Rhinoclemys pulcherrima manni Pritchard, 1979 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima rogerbarbouri Callopsis pulcherrima rogerbarbouri Ernst, 1978 Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima rogerbarbouri Pritchard, 1979 Rhinoclemys pulcherrima rogerbarbouri Pritchard, 1979

Description

Plastron of a painted wood turtle

Painted wood turtles can grow to a maximum length of 20cm.  It has a dome-shaped carapace and the plastron has a continuous ventral line. It has red stripes on its body and it has webbed feet.

Distribution

It is found in Mexico (from Sonora southwards) and Central America, as far south as Costa Rica and Panama.

Habitat

Painted wood turtles live in rainforests, shallow rivers and bushes. Although they are mostly terrestrial, they can occasionally be found in shallow water.

Diet

The painted wood turtle feeds on fruit, insects, and worms. Their diet should consist of 60% leafy greens, 30% protein, and 20% fruits and vegetables. Along with a varied diet, they require additional calcium to insure healthy shell growth. Unlike aquatic turtles, the painted wood turtle doesn't require water in order to swallow its food.

Breeding

Painted wood turtles are oviparous. Females lay 3-5 eggs at a time. Eggs at low temperatures can be dormant early stages, and can sleep for some time at low temperatures, when the temperature returns to normal incubation can proceed.

In captivity

Painted wood turtles can be kept as pets, and it has long been imported into the various parts of Asia, such as Japan, Taiwan and China. The nominate subspecies is the most common subspecies kept in captivity. They will eat commercial turtle food, and will also eat plant matter.

Subspecies

• Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima incisa - Honduras wood turtle - El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and southern Mexico
• Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima pulcherrima - nominate race - southern Nicaragua, Costa Rica
• Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni - Central American wood turtle - Mexico, Guerrero and Oaxaca
• Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima rogerbarbouri - Mexican wood turtle - Mexican endemic subspecies