Spring 2004

Pennsylvania's Herpetofauna (Translation: Our state’s reptiles & amphibians) Frogs & Toads16 species Salamanders22“ Turtles13“ Lizards 5“ Snakes21“

Learning about Herpetology

Classification of the Northern Spring Peeper Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata sub-phylum Vertebrata Class Amphibia Order Salientia Family Hylidae Genus Pseudacris SpeciesPseudacris crucifer SubspeciesPseudacris c. crucifer

Salamanders

Salamander Topography

Nasolabial Groove

Salamander Teeth

Salamander Life Cycle

Salamander Courtship

Spermataphores

Salamander Eggs

Salamander Larvae

Balancers on larval ambystomid

Texas Blind Salamander

Hellbender

CRYPTOBRANCHIDAE (Giant Salamanders) Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

PROTEIDAE (Mudpuppy Family) Necturus maculosus

SALAMANDRIDAE (Newts) Notophthalums viridescens

AMBYSTOMATIDAE (Mole Salamanders) Ambystoma maculatum

PLETHODONTIDAE (Lungless Salamanders) Plethodon cinereus

Salamandridae Red-spotted Newt Notopthalmus viridescens Red Eft Adult Newt

Ambystomatidae Mole Salamanders Genus Ambystoma

AMBYSTOMATIDAE Jefferson Salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum

Jefferson Salamander

AMBYSTOMATIDAE Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum

Ambystomatidae Marbled Salamander Ambystoma opacum

Ambystomatidae Eastern Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum

Kelley’s Island Salamander

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Desmognathus Dusky Salamanders

Plethodontidae Northern Dusky Salamander Desmognathus fuscus

Plethodontidae Mountain Dusky Salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus

Round Mountain Dusky Salamander Keeled Northern Dusky Salamander

Plethodontidae Northern Seal Salamander Desmognathus monticola

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Plethodon

Plethodontidae Red-backed Salamander Plethodon cinereus

Plethodontidae Slimy Salamander Plethodon glutinosus

Valley and Ridge Salamander

Plethodontidae Ravine Salamander Plethodon richmondi

Plethodontidae Wehrle’s Salamander Plethodon wehrlei

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Hemidactylum

Plethodontidae Four-toed Salamander Hemidactylum scutatum

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Aneides

Plethodontidae Green Salamander Aneides aeneus

Green Salamander

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Eurycea Stream Salamanders

PLETHODONTIDAE Two-lined Salamander Eurycea bislineata

Two-lined Salamander

Plethodontidae Longtail Salamander Eurycea longicauda

Plethodontidae Cave Salamander Eurycea lucifuga

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Gyrinophilus

Plethodontidae Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus

Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders Genus Pseudotriton

Plethodontidae Northern Red Salamander Pseudotriton ruber ruber

Plethodontidae Four-toed Salamander Hemidactylum scutatum

Northern Dusky Salamander

Two-lined Salamander

Slimy Salamander

Tiger Salamander

Jefferson’s Salamander

AMBYSTOMATIDAE Blue-spotted Salamander Ambystoma laterale

AMBYSTOMATIDAE Tremblay’s Salamander Ambystoma tremblayi

AMBYSTOMATIDAE Silvery Salamander Ambystoma platineum

AMBYSTOMATIDAE Smallmouth Salamander Ambystoma texanum

Frogs and Toads

Toad Topography

Frog Topography

Anatomy

Pelobatidae: Spadefoots Eastern Spadefoot Toad Scaphiopus hobrooki

Bufonidae: Toads Warts: one or two in each large spot. Three+ in each large spot.

American Toad Bufo americanus

Fowler’s Toad Bufo foweleri

Hylidae: Tree Frogs

Gray & Cope’s Tree Frog Hyla versicolor and Hyla chrysocelis

Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer Hear Me!

Ranidae: True Frogs

Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana

Green Frog Rana clamitans

Pickerel Frog Rana palustris

Leopard Frog Rana pipiens

Wood Frog Rana sylvatica

Interesting Froggy Websites National Prairie Wildlife Research Center Lang Elliott, NatureSound Studio

Snakes

Scales

Anatomy: Anal Plate

Pennsylvania Snakes belong to two families: Colubridae Viperidae

Colubridae E. Worm Snake Kirtland’s Snake N. Black Racer N. Ringneck Snake Black Rat Snake E. Hognose Snake E. Kingsnake E. Milk Snake N. Water Snake Rough Green Snake E. Smooth Green Snake Queen Snake N. Brown Snake N. Redbelly Snake Shorthead Garter Snake Ribbon Snake E. Garter Snake Earth Snake

Viperidae Northern Copperhead Timber Rattlesnake E. Massasauga

Poisonous or Venomous?

Northern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortix

Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus

Massasauga

Eastern Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorous Not found in Pennsylvania

Worm Snake Carphophis a. amoenus resembles earthworm: unpatterned, smooth, glossy; pointy tail 7-11 inches pinkish belly

Kirtland’s Snake Clonophis kirtlandii PA Endangered; highly aquatic two rows of black spots on back; reddish belly w/marginal spots flattens when frightened

Black Racer Coluber c. constrictor 3-5 ft. “black snake” bites! Diurnal w/yellow eyes

Northern Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsii slender, in yellowish ring around neck; yellowish belly

Black Rat Snake Elaphe o. obsoleta

Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platyrhinos

Eastern Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum

Northern Water Snake Nerodia sipedon

Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus T

Smooth Green Snake Opheodrys vernalis

Queen Snake Regina septemvittata

Northern Brown Snake Storeria dekayi

Northern Redbelly Snake Storeria occipitomaculata

Shorthead Garter Snake Thamnophis brachystoma

Ribbon Snake Thamnophis sauritus

Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis

Smooth Earth Snake Virginia valeriae

Turtles

All lay eggs on land No parental care In PA 10 genera 13 species & subspecies

carapace plastron

Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina

long tail serrate carapace (may be worn) reduced, cross-shaped plastron

Stinkpot or Musk Turtle Sternotherus oderatus domed carapace 3-4 inches in length emit foul musk from upper shell border slow, shallow streams & rivers

E. Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum Extirpated? Removed from PA Endangered list

Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata Yellow spots on dark carapace marshes, bogs, wooded swamps

Wood Turtle Clemmys insculpta sculpted carapace terrestrial formerly a ‘meat turtle’

Bog Turtle Clemmys muhlenbergi E

Blanding’s Turtle Emydoidea blandingi Candidate species

E. Box Turtle Terrapene carolina

Map Turtle Graptemys geographica

Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta

Redbellied Turtle Pseudemys rubriventris T

Spiny Softshell Turtle Apalone spinifera

Smooth Softshell Apalone mutica

Lizards

Northern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus

Northern Coal Skink Eumeces anthracinus

Five-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatus

Broad-headed Skink Eumeces laticeps

Th- That’s All Folks!