262 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



mm. (approx. 1-5/32 inches) in carapace length; this is slightly shorter than 

 the smallest one previously reported (page 141). 



Chrysemys picta marginata Agassiz 

 Central Painted Turtle 



(Page 145; maps 35 and 73; plate 19, figs. 1 and 2) 



It is now generally agreed that the genus Chrysemys is monotypic and that 

 there are four well-differentiated races of a single species. The Ohio form, 

 marginata, intergrades with the subspecies bellii to the west (in eastern Illinois 

 and southeastern Wisconsin) and with the subspecies dorsalis in southern Illi- 

 nois. Intergradation with picta, the eastern form, occurs through a wide area, 

 but there is some difference of opinion as to just where one subspecies stops 

 and the other begins. Apparently marginata occurs eastward at least to the 

 Hudson Valley and to east central Pennsylvania. The New England popula- 

 tion, in general, may be considered as intermediate, and there is even some 

 evidence of the influence of marginata southward in the Atlantic coastal plain 

 at least to the Del-Mar-Va Peninsula. The range of this form is appro.xi- 

 mated by the inset map on page 147. New Ohio records are: 



Athens County: Athens (OUVC 557); 6 mi. SW of Athens (OUVC 2053). 

 Butler County: Reily (Fichfer, 1947). Darke CouNri': West of Greenville 

 (WED 165). Defiance County: Sec. 35, Defiance Twp. (OSM 846). Fairfield 

 County: Indianola Lake (OUVC 2051). Fayette County: Paint Creek at slate 

 route #70, Union Twp. (OSM 736); Washington Court House (WED 166). HAM- 

 ILTON County: Mt. Healthy (UC) ; near Shaker Village, Crosby Twp. (OSM 

 732.1-3). Hardin County: Near Mt. Victory (OSM 829). Jackson County: 

 Black Fork Creek (OUVC 122); Jackson (OUVC 559); Jackson Twp. (OUVC 

 560). Lake County: Painesville (OUVC 1562). Loc^n County: Indian Lake 

 (WED 167-9, 171); 21/2 mi. SE of Indian Lake (WED 173-4, 178). Mahoning 

 County: 2 mi. SE of Berlin Center (CM 19071). Montgomery County: Dayton 

 'DPLM 87.44. 315.44, 788-809.44, 811-828.44, 830-3.44; WED 170; USNM 

 129063); Englewood Dam, Randolph Twp. (DPLM 430.44); Northridge. Harrison 

 Twp. (Wood and Duellman, 1947b). Ottawa County: Portage River, near Oak 

 Harbor (SL 388). Paulding County: Antwerp (OEE). Pickaway County: 2 mi. 

 W of Circlevllle (WED 183). Ross Counts-: Willow Branch Camp (DPLM). 

 Stark Counts-: (CA 5821-2). Trumbull County: 2 mi. W of Johnston (CM 

 19070). Warren County: Lebanon (UC). Gier reports two localities from Meigs 

 County — Orange Twp. and Breezy Lake, in Rutland Twp. 



The relative size of the dark plastral blotch among fifty specimens from 

 Lake County has been discussed on page 146. Among a group of thirtv-two 

 painted turtles recently collected near the opposite corner of the state (Day- 

 ton, Montgomery Coimty), 25 had blotches of average size, 3 bad larg" ones, 

 3 had small ones, and a single specimen was unmarked. Although a few of 

 these turtles had dark extensions running out from the central blotch along 

 the sutures between the plastral scutes, such extensions were in no c?5e prom- 

 inent. 



The recent widespread practice of building dams and creating lakes for 

 reservoir or recreation purposes should be a boon for Chrysemys and other 

 turtles that thrive in lacustrine habitats. This is especially true in unglaciated 

 Ohio where natural ponds and bogs are few in number. 



