Both sides of shell of the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) is a reptile that is common in southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. This turtle lives in ponds, lakes, marshes, and in slow-moving rivers that have soft, muddy bottoms. The maximum carapace size, or shell length, for painted turtles is 10 inches ( 25 cm). Its shell is used to protect it from its predators. Kettle River, Sandstone, Minnesota, North America, U.S.A.