Transcript Amphibians and Reptiles: An Introduction to Herpetofauna

Amphibians and Reptiles:
An Introduction to
Herpetofauna
Compiled by the Davidson College
Herpetology Laboratory
Edited for Virginia by Mike Clifford, Virginia Herpetological Society
Eastern Hognose Snake
Green Tree Frog
Amphibians and Reptiles
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Regulate temperature from outside sources
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Ectothermic
Yellow-bellied Sliders
Northern Watersnake
Amphibians and Reptiles
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Secretive
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Can be very difficult to find
Northern Copperhead
Green Frog
Amphibians and Reptiles
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Important to their ecosystem
Food for many other animals such as raccoons,
opossums, and birds
 Control abundance of mice, rats, and bugs
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Spotted Salamander
Green Salamander
Worm Snake
Ringneck Snake
Amphibians
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78 species in Virginia (51 salamanders & 27 frogs & toads)
SE U.S.A. has the highest diversity of
salamanders in the world!
Three-Lined Salamander
Grey Tree Frog
Spring Salamander
Amphibian Characteristics
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Skin:
Moist
 Breathe through their skin
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Good sense of smell
Amphibians eat:
Four Toed Salamander
Insects
 Anything that will fit into their mouths: including
other amphibians
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Southern Leopard Frog
Green Tree Frog
Frogs
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Tadpoles when they are born
Lose their tails as adults
Two main types:
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Spring Peeper Metamorph
True Frogs
Bronze Frog
Upland Chrous Frog
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Pickerel Frog
Tree Frogs
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Toe-pads
Green Tree Frog
Grey Tree Frog
Toads
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Similar to frogs
Tail-less as adults
Warty skin
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Have large glands behind
each eye that produce
poison
American Toad
Fowler’s Toad
Salamanders
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Plethodontids: Don’t have lungs
and must breathe entirely through
their skin
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Ambystomatids: Have lungs, but
can also breathe through their skin
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Salamanders can lay eggs in:
 Streams
 Wetlands
 Soil
Spring
Salamander
Marbled Salamander
Two-lined Salamander
Amphibian Life Cycle
Upland Chrous Frog
Frog Eggs
Pine Woods Tree Frog Tadpole
Spring Peeper
Cricket Frog
Spring Peeper Metamorph
Amphibian Defense Methods
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Poison in skin
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Toads and Newts
Producing large
numbers of offspring
Producing noisy
squawks when
attacked
Red-Spotted Newt
American Toad
Green Frog Tadpole
Reptiles
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62 reptile species in Virginia
3 groups: 30 snakes, 10 lizards
including one introduced, 22 turtles.
Antarctica only continent
without reptiles
First animal with a backbone
to become independent of
water for breeding
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Green Anole
Bog Turtle
Lays terrestrial eggs or gives
birth to live young
Copperhead
Crocodilians
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American Alligator – not native to Virginia but
is found just to the south in North Carolina
American Alligators
Turtles
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Backbone incorporated into
their shell
Lack teeth
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Has a beak similar to a bird
Omnivorous: Eats plants
and animals
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Particularly enjoys insects and
worms
Eastern Painted Turtles
What turtles are found in the ocean?
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Sea Turtles
All are endangered
Crush in Finding Nemo
Olive Ridley Sea
Turtles
What turtles are found in ponds and
rivers?
Common Musk Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle
River Cooter
What turtles can you find in your
backyard?
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Box turtles!
Photo by J.D. Willson
Lizards
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Ears
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Variable and diverse
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Distinguishing
characteristic from snakes
Many islands have species
that cannot be found
anywhere else on earth.
Slender Glass Lizard
Fence Lizard
One group has lost their
legs
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Five-Lined Skink
Called Glass Lizards
Broadhead Skink
Slender Glass Lizard
Snakes
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30 species in Virginia
3 venomous species
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Copperhead, Cottonmouth,
Timber Rattlesnake.
Scarlet Kingsnake –
non-venomous
Most species are nonvenomous
Ringneck Snake – non-venomous
Copperhead - venomous
Black Rat Snake – non-venomous
Snakes
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All lack legs
Lack ear openings
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Hear vibrations through the
ground
Timber Rattlesnake
Shed their skin to grow
Ringneck Snake
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Black Rat Snake
Snake Feeding
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Entirely carnivorous
Swallow prey whole
2 methods to capture
prey for consumption
Eastern Cottonmouth eating a mouse
Constriction
 Poison
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Northern Watersnake eating a fish
Conservation
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Many species are in decline
More amphibian species are endangered than
birds or mammals
Few species are becoming more abundant
Spotted Salamander
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Six-lined Racerunner
Can you think of any reasons?
Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Causes of Declines
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Habitat destruction
Building houses, parking lots,
shopping centers
 Cutting down trees
 Filling in wetlands and ponds
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Photo by Steve Price
Pollution
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Trash and chemicals that are
harmful to wild animals
Photos by Steve Price
What can you do?
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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
Questions?
Corn Snake