Limits of supercooling and cold-tolerance in hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta)

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.