Quantitative assessment of intergradation between two subspecies of painted turtles, Chrysemys picta bellii and C. p. marginata, in the Algoma district of west central Ontario, Canada
Weller WF, Hecnar SJ, Hecnar DR, Casper GS, Dawson FN. 2010. Quantitative assessment of intergradation between two subspecies of painted turtles, Chrysemys picta bellii and C. p. marginata, in the Algoma district of west central Ontario, Canada. Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 5(2):166-173
Four distinct subspecies of the Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta, exist and likely resulted from isolation in southern refugia during the last glacial advance. Plastral patterns differ among subspecies of C. picta and turtles from the Algoma District of Ontario, Canada show plastral figure patterns that appear intermediate between the western (C. p. bellii) and midland (C. p. marginata) subspecies. Plastral patterns in Algoma turtles were very similar to known intergrades from the adjacent Upper Peninsula of Michigan and differed from both western and midland turtles. It was found that pattern length and geometric shape were useful variables to distinguish intergrades from both western and midland subspecies. Comparisons of measurements from west to east suggest that C. p. bellii characteristics entered into the Algoma District of Ontario from the Upper Peninsula during post Pleistocene dispersal.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Weller, Wayne; Hecnar, Stephen; Hecnar, Darlene; Casper, Gary; Dawson, F.
- Units
- PIRO
- Keywords
- Algoma District, Dispersal, intergradation, Ontario, painted turtle (Chrysemys picta)