Gc. Packard et Mj. Packard, Limits of supercooling and cold-tolerance in hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), CRYO-LETT, 20(1), 1999, pp. 55-60
Hatchling painted turtles from a population in northcentral Nebraska (USA)
reach their limit of supercooling at temperatures near -17 degrees C. Howev
er, animals usually die without freezing at temperatures between -10 degree
s C and -15 degrees C, so turtles already are dead by the time they reach t
heir limit of supercooling. Although hatchlings may exploit a capacity for
supercooling to overwinter successfully in the field, remaining unfrozen do
es not by itself assure that they will survive until spring.