1. Amphibians and Reptiles: An Introduction to Herpetofauna
Edited for Virginia by Mike Clifford, Virginia Herpetological Society
Snake: Hognose (photo by Pierson Hill)
Frog: Green Treefrog (Photo by Aubrey Heupel)
Hognose Snake
Green Tree Frog

2. Painted Turtle hatchlings
Herpetofauna
Amphibians (51 salamander s & 27 frogs & toads in VA)
Reptiles (30 snakes, 10 lizards, & 22 turtles in VA)
Important to their environment
Why?
Ringneck Snake
Green Salamander, Ringneck Snake (photos by J.D. Willson), Painted Turtle Hatchlings (Photo by Kristine Greyson), Creek – photo by K. Cecala
Important to the environment because they eat a lot of things such as mice and insects, and are food for a lot of other animals. Highly abundant
Predator: They eat lots of other things
Prey: They are food for lots of things
Painted Turtle hatchlings
Green Salamander

3. Amphibians Skin Good sense of smell Food: Breathe through their skin
Must stay moist
Good sense of smell
Food:
Insects
Anything that will fit into their mouths
Bullfrog
Spotted Salamander
Photos by J.D. Willson
Spotted Salamander : Bullfrog: Grey Tree Frog
Must stay moist in order to breathe through skin and not dry out
Grey Tree Frog

4. Amphibian Life Cycle
Upland Chrous Frog
Frog Eggs
Spring Peeper
Cricket Frog
Spring Peeper Metamorph
Pine Woods Tree Frog Tadpole
Frog Eggs (J.D. Willson), Pine Woods Tree Frog Tadpole (J. D. Willson), Spring Peeper tadpole/metamorph (K Cecala), Cricket Frog (K. Cecala), Spring peeper(Aubrey Heupel), Upland Chorus Frog (J. D. Willson)

5. Frogs Good jumpers Tadpoles as babies Lose their tails as adults
Spring Peeper
Spring Peeper tadpole
Southern Leopard Frog
Spring peeper (photo by j. D. Willson), Spring Peeper Tadpole/metamorph (Photo by K. Cecala), Upland Chorus Frog, Southern Leopard Frog (both photos by J. D. Willson)
Upland Chorus Frog

6. Toads Similar to frogs Warty skin
Gland behind their eye secretes poison
Fowler’s Toad, American Toad (L-R)
Photos by J.D. Willson
American Toad
Fowler’s Toad

7. Salamanders Some have lungs Some don’t have lungs
Dusky Salamander
Some have lungs
Some don’t have lungs
Breathe entirely through their skin
Lay eggs in a variety of habitats
Land
Stream
Wetland
Spotted Salamander
Photos by J.D. Willson
Dusky Salamander, Spotted Salamander, Red Salamander, Slimy Salamander (Top-Bottom)
Red Salamander
Slimy Salamander

8. Reptiles Alligator (not in VA) Turtles (22 VA species)
Copperhead
Alligator (not in VA)
Turtles (22 VA species)
Lizards (10 VA species)
Snakes (30 VA species)
Give birth to live young or lay terrestrial
eggs with leathery shells
Have scales or scutes
River Cooters
Copperhead, Green Anole (Photos by J.D. Willson0, Ringneck Snake, American Alligator (Photos by M.E. Dorcas), River Cooters (Photos by J.D. Willson)
Ringneck Snake

9. Crocodilians
American Alligator – not native to Virginia but is found just to the south in North Carolina
Photo by J. D. Willson
American Alligator
American Alligators

10. Yellow-bellied Sliders
Turtles
Backbone attached to shell
Omnivorous: Will eat plants or animals
Particularly likes insects and worms
Found in 3 habitats: freshwater, saltwater, on land
Yellowbelly Sliders, Eastern Painted Turtle
Photos by J.D. Willson
Yellow-bellied Sliders
Eastern Painted Turtle

11. What type of turtle would you find in the ocean?
Sea Turtles
All species are endangered.
Crush from Finding Nemo
Olive Ridley Sea Turtles
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (top and bottom photos – Michael Jenson, Middle – J.D. Willson)

12. Ponds and Rivers
Snapping Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle
Bog Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle (Photo by J.D. Willson), Eastern Mud Turtle (Photo by J.D. Willson), Snapping Turtle (Photo by M.E. Dorcas, Common Musk Turtle (Photo by J.D. Willson), Bog Turtle (Photo by M.E. Dorcas)
Common Musk Turtle

13. Your Backyard
Box Turtle!

14. Lizards Many different species
A lot of islands have species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth
Five-Lined Skink
Broadhead Skink, Ground Skink, Five-Lined Skink (All photos by J.D. Willson), Fence Lizard (Photo by K. Cecala)
Broadhead Skink
Fence Lizard
Ground Skink

15. Snakes
Snakes can be venomous and dangerous, but most are not going to hurt you.
Snakes don’t have legs.
Shed their skin.
PHOTOS by J.D. Willson
Black Racer, Scarlet Kingsnake, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Ringneck Snake
Scarlet Kingsnake
Black Racer
Ringneck Snake

16. Snake Feeding Eat only animals Swallow their food whole
Can eat animals bigger than themselves
3 main methods
Constriction
Venom
Swallow live prey
Eastern Cottonmouth eating a mouse
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake and Cottontail Rabbit (Photo by Drew Sanders); Scarlet Kingsnake and Green Anole (Photo by J.D. Willson)
Northern Watersnake eating a fish

17. Conservation Problem:
Fewer amphibians and reptiles exist today than did in the past
More amphibians are endangered than any birds or mammals
Bog Turtle
Spring Salamander
Spring Peeper
Timber Rattlesnake
Bog Turtle (photo by M.E. Dorcas), Spring Salamander (Photo by K. Cecala), Spring Peeper (Photo by A. Heupel), Timber Rattlesnake (Canebrake) (Photo by J.D. Willson)

18. What can you do to help?
Watch, but don’t touch or keep any amphibians or reptiles you find.
If you find an amphibian or reptile, let your parents know.
Don’t kill snakes
Don’t release any amphibian or reptile pet into the wild

19. Questions?
Corn Snake
Corn Snake