Editing Spotted turtle (section)

== Reproduction ==
A study in Pennsylvania analyzed the reproductive biology of the spotted turtle. Sexual maturity is not reached until age 8,{{sfn|Harding|1997}}{{pn|date=May 2022}} upon which researchers found that courtship and nesting periods typically ranged from March until June. The courtships involved females being frantically chased by one to several males for approximately 15 to 30 minutes. During the chase, females' tails and legs were often bit by males. If two males were present, they occasionally stopped the chase to fight with one another and the losing male retreated. When the female was caught, the male mounted her and placed his tail beneath the female while grasping her carapace tightly. Females later constructed their nest in well-drained areas that were exposed to full sunlight. Clutches can range from 1–8 with an average of 3–4. These animals also exhibit [[temperature-dependent sex determination]], meaning that the outside temperature during the incubation period determines the sex of the hatchling with males resulting from the temperature being lower and females when it's higher. After the eggs were laid, they were arranged in the nest by alternate movements of the hind feet. The hind feet were also used to scrape soil and grass back into the nest cavity. Incubation periods were estimated to range between 70 and 83 days.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ernst |first=Carl, H. |date=1970 |title=Reproduction in Clemmys Guttata |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/3890744 |journal=Herpetologica |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=228–32 |jstor=3890744 }}</ref>

===Population features===
Although the spotted turtle has been observed in Quebec, no permanent population is known to exist there. However, 104 populations have been discovered in Ontario. Most of these concentrated around [[Georgian Bay]], on the north shore of [[Lake Erie]], and southeastern Ontario. Of the original 104 sites noted, 36 are known to no longer have spotted turtles.<ref name='Environment Canada'/>

Despite the seemingly large number of populations in Canada, many are not self-sustaining because of the following reasons: the majority of the populations are small, they all have less than 200 individuals, and the areas are all isolated from one another. All told it is estimated that anywhere from 1000 to 2000 spotted turtles live in Canada however, with individual populations ceasing to exist, this number is declining.<ref name='Environment Canada'/>

The spotted turtle's range overlaps that of many other turtles. It can often be found in the same wetlands as [[wood turtle]]s, [[bog turtle]]s, [[Common snapping turtle|snapping turtle]]s, [[painted turtle]]s, [[Blanding's turtle]]s, [[Terrapene carolina|eastern box turtle]]s, [[Sternotherus odoratus|common musk turtle]]s, and [[eastern mud turtle]]s.<ref name=Ernst72>{{harvnb|Ernst|Barbour|1972|p=72}}</ref>
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