Field Vert Herps

Front 1

Class Amphibia
Order Anura:

Back 1

Frogs and Toads

Compact Tailless body
Large Head fused to the trunk
Rear Limbs specialized for jumping.
In our species:
Feed on insects
Eggs develop in water
Males smaller than female
Male attracts female by vocalizations, females lack vocal pouches.

Front 2

Family Bufonidae

Back 2

Toads.
Dry skin, warts, short legs for hopping.
(Frogs have wet skin, long legs for jumping, and no warts)

Front 3

Differences between Bufo Toads and Spadefoot toads

Back 3

Bufo Toads:
Two spade-like tubercles on hind foot
Horizontal pupil
Paratoid glands

Spadefoot toad:
One tubercle on hind foot
Vertical Pupil
No paratoid glands

Front 4

Oak Toad
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 4

Bufo quercicus.
Small toad with light stripe down center of back, separating pairs of dark spots.
Vocal pouch of male sausage shaped.
Fossorial in sandy areas.

Front 5

Southern Toad
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 5

Bufo terrestris
Interorbital crest ending posteriorly in knob-like protuberances.
Post-orbital ridge connected to parotoid gland by backward pointing spur.
Usually reddish or brown.
Often in sandy areas.

Front 6

Fowler's Toad
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 6

Bufo woodhousei fowleri
Outside edge of post orbital ridge touching the parotoid gland.
Largest dorsal spots with 3 or more warts.
Usually grayish

Front 7

Family Pelobatidae

Back 7

Spadefoot Toads

Front 8

Eastern Spadefoot
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 8

Scaphiopus holbrookii
Found in sandy area in burrows.
Comes out at night or rainy days.

Front 9

Family Hylidae.
Three genuses.

Back 9

Small frogs with long legs.
Acris, Hyla, Pseudacris.

Front 10

Genus Acris

Back 10

Cricket frogs.
Small warty frogs
Dark V shape between the eyes
Dark longitudinal stripe on rear surface of thigh
Webbed toes
Tips of digits not expanded as in most treefrogs

Front 11

Northern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 11

Acris crepitans crepitans
Thigh stripe not smooth
First toe on hind foot completely webbed, 1-2 joints of longest toe free

Front 12

Southern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 12

Acris gryllus gryllus
Thigh stripe usually smooth
First toe partly free of webbing
Longest toe has last 3 joints free

Front 13

Genus Hyla:

Back 13

The tree frogs and peepers.

Small to medium sized frogs, with granular belly skin. Long limbs, and adhesive discs on the ends of the toes that make these frogs good climbers. Specimens often change color due to temperature, activity or some other factor.

Front 14

Pine Barrens Treefrog
Scientific name
Characteristics

Back 14

Hyla Andersonii
Discovered in the 60's and 70's.

Front 15

Bird Voiced Treefrog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 15

Hyla avivoca
Green or gray in color with with blotchy darker patterning on back and dark bars on hind limbs.
Similar to Gray Treefrog in that both species have a light spot under the eye. Spaces on rear of thigh between dark areas light green or yellowish green.

Front 16

Copes Gray Treefrog

Back 16

Hyla chrysoscelis.
Usually gray in color, can be green or brown.
Can change color depending on mood or environmental conditions.
Light spot under the eyes.
Light areas on rear of thigh yellow or orange.
Common but not often encountered.

Front 17

Green Tree Frog

Back 17

Hyla cinerea.
Dorsum light green with no dark markings.
Sharp white or yellowish stripe along the side.

Front 18

Pine Woods Treefrog

Back 18

Hyla femoralis.
Dark gray or brown frog, with dark blotches on the dorsum. Back of thighs with rounded or yellow orange spots.

Front 19

Barking Tree Frog

Back 19

Hyla gratiosa
A large stocky treefrog. Dorsum green or brown with many small round spots.

Front 20

Squirrel Tree Frog

Back 20

Hyla squirella.
Highly variable in color.
Final determination is often a process of determination.
Often called the rain frog because they often call before a rain.

Front 21

Genus Pseudacris

Back 21

Chorus Frogs
Similar to Treefrogs, but tips of digits expanded little or none.

Front 22

Northern Spring Peeper
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 22

Pseudacris crucifer crucifer
Light brown or tan frog with a conspicuous dark X marking on the dorsum.

Front 23

Southeastern Chorus Frog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 23

Pseudacris feriarum
A light line along the upp-er lip. A dark stripe from the snouyt to the side, passing through the eye. Dark area on top of the head between thte eyes. Usually three dark lines or lines of spots on the dorsum.

Front 24

Southern Chorus Frog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 24

Pseudacris Nigrita nigrita
Similar to P. triseriata but is less robust and more cricket frog like and lacks the dark area on top of the head.

Front 25

Little Grass Frog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 25

Pseudacris ocularis
Smallest land vertebrate in North America. Dark brown stripe extends from snout through the eye and onto the side.

Front 26

Family Microhylidae

Back 26

Narrow mouthed toads

Front 27

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 27

Gastrophryne carolinensis
Small frogs, with a tiny head compared tot he body and a pointed snout. A fold of skin occurs on the back of the head. Ventor heavily mottled.

Front 28

Family Ranidae

Back 28

True frogs.
TYPICAL FROGS.

Front 29

Bullfrog
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 29

Rana catesbeiana
A large frog without dorsolateral ridges.
Tympanum larger than the eye.

Front 30

Bronze Frog

Back 30

Rana clamitans
Has dorsolateral ridges and tympanum about the same size as the eye.

Front 31

Southern Leopard Frog

Back 31

Rana utricularia
Has dorsolateral ridges, tympanum with a light spot in the middle, and dark spots on the body, usually with a light ring.

Front 32

Gopher Frog

Back 32

Rana capito
Endangered
Has dorsolateral ridges
Highly terrestrial and spends most of its time in gopher tortoise burrows

Front 33

Pig Frog

Back 33

Rana grylio
Large, highly aquatic frog of permanent, oen water bodies with emergent vegetation.
NO dorsolateral ridges.

Front 34

Order Caudata

Back 34

Salamanders and Newts
Slendy body, with long tail
Legs set at right angles to body

Front 35

Family Ambystomatidae

Back 35

Mole Salamanders
Have 5 toes on each hind foot and 4 on each front foot. They lack the nasolabial groove found in plethadontid salamanders.

Front 36

Spotted Salamander

Back 36

Ambystoma maculatum
Dark gray or black with round yellow or orange spots from head to tail.

Front 37

Marbled Salamander

Back 37

Ambystoma opacum
Black with blotchy markings in white (males) or gray (females).

Front 38

Mole Salamander

Back 38

Ambystoma talpoideum
Body color dark gray or black, with tiny pale spots of blue. head seems too large for the body.

Front 39

Tiger Salamander

Back 39

Ambystoma tigrinum
Dorsal color black, with irregular blotches and spots of yellow, belly olive-yellow.

Front 40

Family Amphiumidae

Back 40

Amphiumas

Amphiuma means "two toed"
DEY BITE!

Front 41

Family Plethodontidae

Back 41

Woodland Salamanders
Lungless - respiration occurs through the skin.
Naso-labial groove extends from the nostril to the edge of the mouth.

Front 42

Family Plethodontidae - Four genuses

Back 42

Desmognathus - Dusky Salamander

Eurycea - Brook Salamanders

Plethodon -

Pseudotriton - Red and Mud Salamanders

Front 43

Genus Desmognathus

Back 43

Dusky Salamanders
Usually a pale line from the eye to the angle of the jaw, hind legs stouter than front legs

Front 44

Spotted Dusky Salamander
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 44

Desmognathus conanti
Yellowish or reddish brown dorsal marking outlined by a wavy black band.

Front 45

Apalachicola Dusky Salamander

Back 45

Desmognathus apalachicolae
Similar to spotted dusky salamander.
Found in a bunch of places.

Front 46

Southern Dusky Salamander

Back 46

Desmognathus auriculatus
Differes from spotted dusky in that the overall color is darker, with 1 or 2 rows of conspicuous light oval spots on the sides.

Front 47

Genus Eurycea

Back 47

Brook Salamanders
Yellowish in color with dark markings.

Front 48

Southern Two Lined Salamander

Back 48

Eurycea cirrigera
Yellowish dorsum with a dark stripe down both sides

Front 49

Three-lined Salamander

Back 49

Eurycea guttolineata
Yellowish color with a dark stripe down both sides, and a dark dorsal stripe. Tail long in relation to body length.

Front 50

Dwarf Salamander

Back 50

Eurycea quadridigitatus
Resembles two lined salamander but has 4 toes on hind feet instead of five.

Front 51

Four-toed Salamander

Back 51

Hemidactylium scutatum
Four toes on front and hind feet, tail constricted where it meets the body, ventor white with black spots.

Front 52

Genus Plethodon

Back 52

Eggs lain under logs or rocks. No aquatic stage as in most salamanders. Has noso-labial groove, and all four legs are about the same size.

Front 53

Slimy Salamander
Three species in alabama.

Back 53

Plethodon glutinosus complex.
Three species in alabama:
P. glutinosus
P. mississippi
P. grobmani

Front 54

Northern Slimy Salamander

Back 54

P. glutinosus.
north of fall line on the east side of Alabama.

Front 55

Mississippi Slimy Salamander

Back 55

P. Mississippi
West of the alabama river from mobile to montgomery, then due north on the west side of alabama.

Front 56

P. Grobmani

Back 56

P. Grobmani
South of the fall line, east of alabama river.

Front 57

Genus Pseudotriton

Back 57

Red and Mud Salamanders

Red in color with black markings.

Front 58

Gulf Coast Mud Salamander

Back 58

Pseudotriton montanus flavissimus
A red salamander with well separated round black spots and a brown eye.

Front 59

Red Salamander

Back 59

Pseudotriton ruber
A red salamander with irregular black spots, these tned to coalesce in older individuals, and the iris of the eye is yellow.

Front 60

Family Proteidae

Back 60

The Mudpuppies
Large salamders with two pairs of well developed feet, four toes on each foot.
Prominent external gills.
Totally aquatic.

Front 61

Alabama Waterdog

Back 61

Necturus alabamensis
Differs from other species in that the ventor is un-spotted.

Front 62

Family Salamandridae

Back 62

The NEWTS
Adults aer aquatic. No external gills. Olive to yellowish green with black dots and red spots. Tail of males flattened. Has a land dispersal form known as a red eft.

Front 63

Eastern Newt

Back 63

Notophthalmus viridescens

Front 64

Order Trachystomata
Family Sirenidae

Back 64

Sirens.
Eel like, with well developed front legs, with four toes.
Hind limbs lacking.
Permanently aquatic.

Front 65

Eastern Lesser Siren

Back 65

Siren intermedia
Often in aquatic plants, such as hyacinths. Occurs in small bodies of water that dry up. Digs an estivation champer.

Front 66

Class Reptilia
Order Crocodilia

Back 66

Twenty one species in the order occur in most of the warmer parts of the world.
Two native species in North America, one introduced in Florida.
American Crocodile is native southern florida, the spectacled caiman is introduced in dade county florida, where it is reproducing.
American alligator occurs everywere, and is making a comeback.

Front 67

Family Alligatoridae

Back 67

The alligators.

Front 68

American Alligator
Scientific Name
Characteristics

Back 68

Alligator mississippiensis
Differ from crocodiles in that the 4th tooth on the lower jaw in crocodiles is large and visible when mouth is closed, and crocodile snout is pointed. Caimans have a curved bony ridge between the eyes.

Front 69

Order squamata
Suborder Lacertilia
Family Anguidae

Back 69

Lateral fold lizards.
Scales reinforced with bony plates called osteoderms (skinks have this too)
Flexible groove runs along both sides of the body

Front 70

Genus Ophisaurus

Back 70

Glass lizards.
AKA glass snakes.
Differ from snakes in that they hve moveable eyelids and external ear openings. Tail almost three times the length of body. Easily broken.
Tail that is regenerated is sharp pointed and a different color from the rest of the tail - looks like a stinger.
Good burrowers.

Front 71

Eastern Slender Glass Lizard

Back 71

Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus.
1 or 2 rows of dark spots forming lines beneath the lateral fold. Dorsum of some adults with light cross markings.

Front 72

Eastern Glass Lizard

Back 72

Ophisaurus ventralis
No dark markings below the lateral fold, dorsum without light cross markings.

Front 73

Family Iguanidae

Back 73

Iguanid lizards
Subdivided in 8 families, 2 of which occur in our area, each with one species.

Front 74

Family Polychridae

Back 74

The Anoles
The largest genus of lizards.
Males have large colorful throat fans called dewlaps that are used to attract mates and in defense of territory.
Are 'chameleons" - have the ability to change color.
When warm or agitated, green color. When cold or inactive, brown color. Arboreal.

Front 75

Green Anole

Back 75

Anolis carolinensis carolinensis

Front 76

Family Phrynosomatidae

Back 76

Fence, Eared, and Horned Lizard

Front 77

Southern Fence Lizard

Back 77

Sceloporus undulatus undulatus
Scales are keeled, overlapping, with a spine tip. Males with large blue throat patch.

Front 78

Family Scincidae

Back 78

Skinks.
Smooth shiny dorsal scales. Large adults can give painful bites.

Front 79

Northern Mole Skink

Back 79

Eumeces egregius similis
Red or orange tail thoughout life. Limbs small compared to the body. Often found in association with Pocket Gophers

Front 80

Difference between 5 lined and broadhead:

Back 80

Five lined: two postlabials, 7 upper labials. Broad-head: No postlabials, 8 upper labials.

Front 81

Five lined skink

Back 81

Eumeces fasciatus
five light stripes on the body (fades in older animals). Middle row of scales on the lower side of the tail larger than other rows.
Found in mesic areas. Tip of tail is blue.

Front 82

Southeastern Five-lined skink

Back 82

Eumeces inexpectatus
Same as five line except: scales on lower side of the tail all the same size, found in xeric sites.

Front 83

Broad-headed Skink

Back 83

Eumeces laticeps.
Our largest skink. Males uniformly brown, witha swollen red head. Females similar to five lined skink, Middle row of scales on the lower side of the tial larger than other rows like in five lined skink. Tip of tail blue in juveniles.

Front 84

Ground Skink

Back 84

Scincella laterale
Lower eyelid with a transparent window. A small brown skink found in leaf litterl. A dark dorsolateral stripe.

Front 85

Family Teidae

Back 85

Teid Lizards.
Looks somewhat like a five lined skink. Scales tiny and granular, except for eight rows of large rectangular scales ont he belly. All scales on the skinks belly are the same size. Found in sandy xeric habitats.

Front 86

Eastern Six-lined racerunner

Back 86

Cnemidophorus sexlineatus sexlineatus
Very active, even at mid day in summer. Will dart into burrows.

Front 87

Order Squamata
Suborder Serpentes

Back 87

Snakes.
Have an elongated body, lack limbs, external ear openings, and eyelids.

Front 88

Family Colubridae

Back 88

All of alabama's non-venomous snakes belong to this family.

Front 89

Midwest Worm Snake

Back 89

Carphophis amoenus helenae.
A small brown snake with a pink ventor that extends up one or two scale rows on the side. Found under rocks and logs in mesic woods.

Front 90

Northern Scarlet Snake

Back 90

Cemophora coccinea copei
Coral snake mimic. Snout red, body banded with red, black, yellow, black, red. Belly white. Found in sandy soil.

Front 91

Southern Black Racer

Back 91

Coluber constrictor priapus
A slender, shiny black snake with a white chin.

Front 92

Ringneck Snake

Back 92

Diadophis punctatus
A small dark gray or black dorsum, with a yellow neck ring. Ventor yellow or orange, with black half moons down the center.

Front 93

Corn Snake

Back 93

Elaphe guttata guttata
Dorsum with median dark reddish orange blotches with black borders on a brownish orange ground color. Venter white with black checkered spots.

Cross section is like a loaf of bread.

Front 94

Gray Rat Snake

Back 94

E. obsoleta spiloides
Dorsum gray with median dark gray or black blotches. Venter white with daqrk gray or brown checkered spots. Caled a white oak runner or rattlesnake pilot. Our most common large snake.

Front 95

Mud Snake

Back 95

Farancia abacura
A large shiny black snake. Venter red and extendingup on the sides of the snake. Tail pointed. Foud in swamps where it eats eels, and amphiumas. Hoop snake, stinging snake.

Front 96

Rainbow Snake

Back 96

Farancia erytrogramma
A large shiny black snake with three longitudinal red stripes on the dorsum, venter red. Tail pointed. Found in swamps where it eats eels, and amphiumas. Hoop snake, stinging snake.

Front 97

Hognose Snake

Back 97

Heterodon platyrhinos
Has an upturned snout and keeled scales. Spreading adder, puff adder.

Front 98

Mole Snake

Back 98

Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata

A light brown snake with dark edged reddish brown dorsal spots.

Front 99

Eastern Kingsnake

Back 99

Lampropeltis getulus getulus

A black snake with narrow yellow cross markings on the...back?

Front 100

Speckled Kingsnake

Back 100

Lampropeltis getulus holbrooki

A black snake with a yellow spot in the center of each scale

Front 101

Scarlet Kingsnake

Back 101

Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides

Has red, black, yellow, black rings that continue around the body

Front 102

Eastern Coachwhip

Back 102

Masticophis flagellum flagellum

A large snake, with a black head fading to light brown on the body.

Front 103

Water Snake Description

Back 103

Large chunky snakes found around water. They are often confused with water moccasins. They flatten their bodies when threatened, release large amounts of musk, and bite readily. Heads wider than the body. Scales keeled.

Now placed in genus Nerodia

Front 104

Yellow-bellied water snake

Back 104

Nerodia erythrogaster

Front 105

Midland Water Snake

Back 105

Nerodia sipedon pleuralis

A brownish snake with dark bands anteriorly that become alternating dorsal and lateral blotches toward the tail.

Front 106

Brown Water Snake

Back 106

Nerodia taxispilota

Dorsum brown with alternating dorsal and lateral dark blotches.

Front 107

Rough Green Snake

Back 107

Opheodrys aestivus

Front 108

Gulf Glossy Water Snake

Back 108

Regina rigida sinicola

Front 109

Queen Snake

Back 109

Regina septemvittata

Scales keeled. Dorsum brown, a yellow stripe on each side, and a yellowish venter with two brown stripes.

Front 110

Midland Brown Snake

Back 110

Storeria dekayi wrightorum

Scales keeled. A small brown snake with a row of dark spots down each side of the dorsum connected by dark cross bards. Venter pinkish with one or more small black dots on each ventral scale. A dark brown mark on the head behind the eye.

Front 111

Northern Red-Bellied Snake

Back 111

Storeria occipitomaculata

A small brown snake with keeled scales.Venter red. Three pale spots on the neck.

Front 112

Southeastern Crowned Snake

Back 112

Tantilla coronata

A small snake with a black head and a light mark around its neck. Scales smooth.

Front 113

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Back 113

Thamnophis sauritus sauritus

Scales keeled. One dorsal and two lateral yellow stripes. Venter un-marked.

Front 114

Eastern Garter Snake

Back 114

Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Scales keeled. One dorsal and two lateral yellow stripes. Venter with one or two rows of dark spots down each side.

Front 115

Rough Earth Snake

Back 115

Virginia striatula

A small plain brown snake with keeled scales.

Front 116

Eastern Smooth Earth Snake

Back 116

Virginia valeriae valeriae

A small brown snake without keeled scales.

Front 117

Family Elaphidae

Back 117

The Elapid snakes.

Front 118

Eastern Coral Snake

Back 118

Micrurus fulvius fulvius

Venomous. Black snout, black, yellow, red, yellow rings.

Front 119

Family Viperidae

Back 119

Vipers.

Tail scutes not divided behind the anus. A pit on each side of the head in front of the eye. Pupil elliptical not round.

Front 120

Copperhead

Back 120

Agkistrodon cotortrix

Front 121

Cottonmouth

Back 121

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Front 122

Timber Rattlesnake

Back 122

Crotalus horridus

Front 123

Pigmy Rattlesnake

Back 123

Sistrurus miliarius

Front 124

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Back 124

Crotalus adamanteus

Front 125

Order Testudinata

Back 125

The tortoises and turtles.

Front 126

Family Chelydridae

Back 126

Snapping Turtles

Front 127

Common snapping turtle

Back 127

Chelydra serpentina

Front 128

Alligator Snapping turtle

Back 128

Macroclemys temmincki

Has a long tail and hooked beak. Has an extra row of scutes on each side of carapace.

Front 129

Family Emydidae

Back 129

Emydid Turtles

Front 130

Eastern Chicken Turtle

Back 130

Deirochelys reticularia

Very long neck, almost as long as plastron when fully extended.

Front 131

Escambia Bay Map Turtle

Back 131

Graptemys ernsti

Front 132

River Cooter

Back 132

Pseudemys concinna

A light C marking on the second pleural scute. Lower Jaw flat. Marginals behind the bridge with at least some dark pigment.

Front 133

Pond slider

Back 133

Trachemys scripta

Our most common turtle, often seen basking on logs. Head with prominent red or yellow patches on sides. Lower jaw rounded. Plastron with dark markings not following the seams.

Front 134

Box Turtle

Back 134

Terrapene carolina

A land dwelling turtle, able to withdraw into its shell and close it when threatened

Front 135

Family Kinosternidae

Back 135

Mud and Musk Turtles

Small aquatic turtles
Barbels on the chin and neck

Front 136

Eastern Mud Turtle

Back 136

Kinosternon subrubrum

Pectoral scute triangular

Front 137

Loggerhead Musk Turtle

Back 137

Sternotherus minor

Relatively small plastron. Pectoral scute squarish. Head with spots.

Front 138

Common Musk Turtle

Back 138

Sternotherus odoratus

Relatively small plastron. Pectoral scute squarish. Head with two light yellow stripes on each side.

Front 139

Family Testudinidae

Back 139

Tortoises!

Front 140

Gopher Tortoise

Back 140

Gopherus polyphemus

A large land dwelling tortoise found in xeric area. Spade like front feet, elephant hind legs.

Front 141

Family Trionychidae

Back 141

Soft Shelled Turtles

Aquatic turtles with soft shells, long necks, and bad tempers.

Front 142

Smooth Soft-Shelled Turtles

Back 142

Apalone muticus

Front 143

Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell Turtle

Back 143

Apalone spiniferus