Here I am holding a large adult Black Ratsnake at an outreach event in Charleston   (Photo by Adam Mann)

Undergraduate degree: Thomas More College

Thesis topic:

A Taxonomic Study of the Morphological Variation and Intergradation of Chrysemys picta (Schneider) (Emydidae, Testudines) in West Virginia

Introduction

Two subspecies of Chrysemys picta: C. p. marginata and C. p. picta, occur in West Virginia.  The Allegheny Mountains have historically separated the distribution of C. p. marginata and C. p. picta; however, intergrades occur where the ranges overlap that display morphological characteristics that are often intermediate to the original subspecies.  Because the distribution of C. picta is widespread and complex with extensive morphological variation across its range, areas of intergradation must be identified and studied for a more complete understanding of the distribution patterns and morphology of the species.

Methods

Morphological variation of Chrysemys picta was examined by comparing specimens from possible areas of C. p. picta x C. p. marginata intergradation in West Virginia to geographic areas with no subspecies distribution overlap.  Characters traditionally used to separate C. p. picta and C. p. marginata were measured on preserved specimens from museum collections including the Carnegie Museum and the West Virginia Biological Survey.  Character measurements were then subject to several statistical analyses performed by SAS version 8 including CDA, PCA, ANOVA and LSD.  

Typical Chrysemys p. marginata specimen	Typical Chrysemys p. picta specimen

Initial Results and Conclusions

Statistical analyses revealed the following:  1) the high degree of morphological variation of C. picta  was confirmed; 2) turtles from areas where distributions overlap were morphologically intermediate between the two subspecies, revealing the "hybrid" or intergrade feature of the turtles; and 3) West Virginia intergrade populations examined in the study more closely resemble C. p. picta based on the morphological characters measured in the study.  This supports the suggestion (Seidel, 1981; Green and Pauley, 1987) that C. p. picta from Virginia may have entered the New River system and formed areas of intergradation in West Virginia when the populations contacted C. p. marginata from the Ohio River Valley.

Click the name below for more pictures of each turtle:

Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta)

Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)

	Showing an Eastern Black Kingsnake to a group of elementary school children on Earth Day at the Capital
Getting dirty and wet trying to find aquatic salamanders on New Creek in Mineral County, WV
	Holding a very tame opossum belonging to Oglebay's Good Zoo in Wheeling