Missouri Animal Species Identification

1
Missouri Animal Species Identification

• Zoology students are expected to recognize by
  common name all of the following animals.
• Missouri Department of Conservation Online.
  (2010). Retrieved August 4, 2010, from Missouri
  Department of Conservation Web site
  http//mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide

2

• Mammals

State Animal Missouri Mule

• Class Mammalia

3

• Badger

• Taxidea taxus
• Family 
• Mustelidae (weasels) in the order Carnivora
• Description 
• Badgers are heavy-bodied, medium-sized mammals
  with a broad head, short neck, short legs and a
  short bushy tail. The ears are low and rounded.
  The claws, generally gray with a slight yellowish
  tinge, on the front feet are very long. The brown
  face is marked with a white stripe, white patches
  and vertical black bars. Males and females look
  alike, although males are heavier.
• Size 
• Total length 2635 inches tail length 47
  inches weight 1330 pounds

4

• Beaver

• Castor canadensis
• Family 
• Castoridae (beavers) in the order Rodentia
• Description 
• A large rodent associated with waterways and
  wetlands, the beaver has webbed hind feet a
  large, relatively hairless, horizontally
  flattened tail a blunt head small eyes and
  ears a short neck and a stout body. The color is
  a uniform dark brown above with lighter
  underparts and a blackish tail.
• Size 
• Total length 3454 inches tail length 917
  inches weight 2690 pounds.

5

• Black Bear

• Black Bear yearling sow sniffs an air for danger
  in Forsyth, MO
• Ursus americanus
• Family 
• Ursidae (bears) in the order Carnivora
• Description The black bear is the largest and
  heaviest wild mammal in the state. It has a long
  muzzle with a straight facial profile rounded,
  erect ears rather short, stout legs and a very
  short tail practically concealed in the long,
  heavy fur. For black bears in Missouri, the fur
  is predominantly glossy black the muzzle is
  brown, and there is usually a white patch on the
  chest. The sexes look much alike, though females
  are usually smaller than males.
• Size 
• Total length 4678 inches tail length 45
  inches weight 86900 pounds

6

• Bobcat

• Lynx rufus
• Family 
• Felidae (cats) in the order Carnivora
• Description 
• A yellowish- to reddish-brown cat streaked and
  spotted with black, with long hind legs, a short,
  broad face and a short (bobbed) tail. The backs
  of the prominent, pointed ears are black with a
  central light-colored spot ear tufts, when
  present, are black. Both sexes look alike. The
  pupils of the eyes are elliptical in bright light
  but nearly round in dim light. Bobcats and their
  dens have a very strong odor.
• Size 
• Total length 1850 inches tail length 38
  inches weight 849 pounds.

7

• Coyote

• An adult Coyote searches for food in a meadow in
  an afternoon in Columbia, MO
• Canis latrans
• Family 
• Canidae (dog family) in the Order Carnivora
• Description 
• Coyotes look very much like dogs, in particular,
  like small German shepherds. The upperparts are
  light gray or dull yellow, with outer hairs
  tipped with black. The backs of the ears are
  reddish and the muzzle yellowish. The top of the
  tail is colored like the animals back, usually
  with a black tip and whitish below near the base,
  yellowish toward the tip. The front legs are
  whitish the outer sides of the hind legs are
  reddish, with the inner sides whitish. The throat
  and belly are white to pale gray. The iris of the
  eye is tawny. The sexes look very much alike.
• Size 
• Total length 3954 inches tail length 1016
  inches weight 1830 pounds.

8

• Eastern Cottontail

• Sylvilagus floridanus
• Family 
• Leporidae (rabbits and hares) in the order
  Lagomorpha
• Description 
• The cottontail is a medium-sized mammal with long
  ears, large hind legs, shorter front legs, a
  short fluffy tail and soft fur. The upperparts
  vary from reddish to grayish brown sprinkled with
  black the underparts are grayish white except
  for a brownish chest the tops of the hind feet
  are tan to whitish.
• Size 
• Total length 1419 inches tail length 1½3
  inches weight 23¼ pounds.

9

• Eastern Pipistrelle

• Perimyotis subflavus (Pipistrellus subflavus)
• Family 
• Vespertilionidae (evening bats) in the order
  Chiroptera
• Description 
• Eastern pipistrelles are relatively small and are
  pale yellowish or pale reddish-brown. In caves,
  they are often covered with dew drops. This
  species is usually found roosting singly,
  sometimes in pairs and rarely in clusters of up
  to a few to a dozen bats. The forearms are
  distinctly pink and contrast strongly with the
  black wing membranes. Ears are small, and the tip
  of the tragus is rounded. They posture typically
  appears hunched or rounded. They are common in
  winter.
• Size 
• Total length 33½ inches tail length 1½1¾
  inches weight 1/102/7 ounces (28 g).

10

• Eastern Spotted Skunk

• Spilogale putorius
• Family 
• Mephitidae (skunks) in the order Carnivora
• Description A medium-sized, slender mammal with
  a small head, short legs and a prominent,
  long-haired tail. The eyes are small and the ears
  short. The fur is rather long, soft and glossy.
  The overall color is black with conspicuous white
  stripes and spots. A white spot occurs on the
  forehead and in front of each ear. Four white
  stripes along the neck, back and sides extend
  from the head to about the middle of the body.
  Behind these more white stripes and spots occur.
  The tail is usually all black, sometimes with a
  white tip.
• Size 
• Total length 1424 inches tail length 4½11
  inches weight ¾2¾ pounds (males are heavier
  than females).

11

• Gray Bat

• Myotis grisescens
• Description 
• The gray bat is the largest of all Missouris
  Myotis bats, which include the little brown bat,
  the Indiana bat, and the Keen's bat. Gray bats
  are hard to distinguish from their Myotis
  cousins. Gray bats have fur that is a uniform
  brownish-gray most of the year, turning a light
  rusty brown in summer. Other Myotis bats have bi-
  or tri-colored fur, with the tips of each strand
  contrasting to the base. The gray bats ears and
  wing membranes are gray to black. Its key
  identifying feature is wings that attach to the
  ankle and not at the base of the toes, as other
  Myotis bats are. The gray bat also has a
  distinct notch in the tip of each claw.
• Size 
• Length 3 inches wingspan 10 to 12 inches weight
  1/3 ounce

12

• Gray Fox

• Urocyon cinereoargenteus
• Family 
• Canidae (dogs) in the order Carnivora
• Description 
• Gray foxes resemble red foxes in general build
  but are distinguished by their grayish
  coloration, slightly smaller size, black-tipped
  tail that is triangular (not circular) in cross
  section, coarser body fur and dark brown (not
  tawny) iris of the eye.
• Size 
• Total length 31¼44 inches tail length 8½17
  inches weight 515½ pounds.

13

• Indiana Bat

• Myotis sodalis
• Description 
• A medium-sized bat that is closely related to the
  little brown bat, the gray bat and the keen's
  bat. Indiana bats have brownish-gray fur with
  cinnamon overtones. The ears and wing membranes
  are blackish-brown.
• Indiana bats are difficult to distinguish from
  little brown bats and keen's bats. The main
  identifying feature of the Indiana bat is a
  distinct keel on its calcar (the cartilaginous
  supporting structure on the rear edge of its tail
  membrane).
• Size 
• Length is 2 inches wing span is 8 inches weight
  is 1/4 ounce

14

• Mink

• A mink pauses momentary along a bluff early in
  the morning while searching for food.
• Mustela vison
• Family 
• Mustelidae (weasels) in the order Carnivora
• Description 
• Adults are almost entirely brown. The mink is one
  of few mammals in which males are larger than
  females. Males are 27 1/4 inches long and 3
  pounds while the largest female may be only 21
  1/4 inches long and 2 pounds. Musk glands in the
  anal region secrete a strong odor considered by
  many to be more obnoxious than that of either
  weasel or skunk. This odor is given off
  particularly during the breeding season but also
  at any period of intense excitement.
• Size 
• Males Total length 2027 inches tail length
  79 inches weight 1½3¼ pounds. Females smaller
  (to 2 pounds).

15

• Mountain Lion

• Puma concolor
• Family 
• Felidae (cats) in the order Carnivora
• Description A very large, slender cat with a
  small head, small rounded ears that are not
  tufted, very powerful shoulders and hindquarters,
  and a long, heavy, cylindrical tail. The
  coloration in adults is uniform. Upperparts are
  grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon
  tawny, or rufous. Underparts are dull whitish
  overlaid with buff across the abdomen. The sides
  of the muzzle are black, and the chin and throat
  are white. The last two to three inches of the
  tail are black.
• Size 
• Total length 58½ feet tail length 2137½
  inches weight 79265 pounds (male), 64141
  pounds (female).

16

• Nine-Banded Armadillo

• Dasypus novemcinctus
• Family 
• Dasypodidae (armadillos) in the order Xenarthra
• Description This unusual looking animal cannot
  be confused with any other mammal in Missouri. It
  does not have furry skin instead, it has hair
  only between hardened plates of skin that nearly
  encompass the body. There are two large plates
  with a series of 9 smaller moveable girdles or
  bands around the midsection. The head, short
  legs and tail are covered with plates. The toes
  have well-developed claws. Overall color is
  mottled dark brown to yellowish white.
• Size 
• Total length 2331 inches tail length 9½14½
  inches usual weight 11¾14 pounds.

17

• Opossum

• Didelphis virginiana
• Family 
• Didelphidae (opossums) in the order Marsupialia
• Description 
• Opossums are medium-sized mammals with long,
  rather coarse, grayish-white (sometimes darker)
  fur a sharp, slender muzzle with a pink nose
  prominent, thin, naked ears a white or
  yellowish-white head short legs and a long,
  grasping tail covered with scales and scant
  hairs. Males and females look alike, although
  mature females possess a fur-lined belly pouch
  for carrying young, and adult males in particular
  often have damaged ears and tail tips due to
  freezing.
• Size 
• Total length 2434 inches tail length 915
  inches weight 415 pounds.

18

• Raccoon

• Procyon lotor
• Family 
• Procyonidae (raccoons) in the order Carnivora
• Description Raccoons are medium-sized, stocky
  mammals with a prominent black mask over the eyes
  and a heavily furred, ringed tail about half the
  length of head and body, a pointed muzzle and
  short, pointed ears. The feet are rather long and
  slender, with naked soles. The upperparts of
  adults are grizzled brown and black, strongly
  washed with yellow. Males and females look alike,
  although males are heavier.
• Size 
• Total length 21½38 inches tail length 512
  inches weight 625 pounds.

19

• Red Fox

• Vulpes vulpes
• Family 
• Canidae (dogs) in the order Carnivora
• Description Doglike in appearance with an
  elongated, pointed muzzle, large pointed ears
  that are usually held erect and forward,
  moderately long legs, and a long, heavily furred,
  bushy tail that is circular in cross section. The
  fur is long, thick and soft. The pupil of the eye
  is vertically elliptical. Upperparts are reddish
  yellow, becoming slightly darker on the back. The
  tail is similar but mixed with black and tipped
  with white. The nose pad is black and backs of
  the ears blackish. Cheeks, throat and belly are
  whitish. The legs and feet are black.
• Size 
• Total length 12½46 inches tail length 11½16
  inches weight 7½15 pounds.

20

• River Otter

• Lontra canadensis
• Family 
• Mustelidae (weasels) in the order Carnivora
• Description River otters are well suited to life
  in the water. They have streamlined bodies,
  webbed feet and long, tapered tails. Their ears
  and nose close when they go underwater. Dense,
  oily fur and heavy layers of body fat insulate
  them in the water. The have an acute sense of
  smell, and prominent facial whiskers, which are
  extremely sensitive to touch. Otters are dark
  brown with pale brown or gray bellies. The muzzle
  and throat are silvery. Males and females look
  alike, although males are larger. Otters are
  relatively long-lived. In captivity, some bred at
  17 years and lived to 19 years of age. They are
  graceful, powerful swimmers and can remain
  submerged for 3 to 4 minutes. On land, they
  travel with a loping gate. On snow or ice, they
  alternate loping with sliding.
• Size 
• Total length is 35 ½ 53 inches

21

• Eastern Gray Squirrel

• Sciurus carolinensis
• Description 
• Among the members of the Squirrel Family living
  in Missouri, the Eastern gray and fox squirrels
  are the most common. Their common names are
  descriptive of the general coat color-the grayish
  of one, and the "reddish fox" coloration of the
  other.
• Size 
• The gray squirrel varies in length from 14-21
  inches (355-533 mm) and in weight from 3/4-1 1/2
  pounds (340-680 g) the fox squirrel is generally
  larger, having a length from 19-29 inches
  (482-736 mm) and a weight from l-3 pounds
  (453-1,360 g).

22

• Striped Skunk

• Mephitis mephitis
• Family 
• Mephitidae (skunks) in the order Carnivora
• Description 
• A cat-sized mammal with a prominent long-haired
  tail. The fur is black, usually with a white
  stripe running down the head and dividing to
  become two stripes on each side of the body.
  Often smelled before they are seen, skunks
  produce an obnoxious scent upon provocation. This
  disagreeable musk is secreted by glands at the
  base of the tail and can be aimed and sprayed at
  will. Prior to spraying, skunks usually warn
  intruders by stamping their feet and holding the
  tail high in the air.
• Size 
• Total length 2030 inches tail length 715
  inches weight 2½11½ pounds.

23

• Swamp Rabbit

• Sylvilagus aquaticus
• Family 
• Leporidae (rabbits and hares) in the order
  Lagomorpha
• Description 
• Similar to the cottontail but has a generally
  larger size, proportionately shorter and rounder
  ears, coarser body fur with a yellowish cast
  (particularly to the rump) and more black
  mottling. The tops of hind feet are reddish
  brown. Overall color is dark grayish or yellowish
  brown above, with coarse black peppering or
  mottling. Underparts are white except for the
  chest, which is buffy gray. The back of the neck
  is slightly rusty.
• Size 
• Total length 1622 inches tail length 1½3
  inches weight 2½6 pounds.

24

• White-Tailed Deer

• Odocoileus virginianus
• Family 
• Cervidae (deer) in the order Artiodactyla
• Description In summer, they are reddish-brown to
  tan above the winter the colors are grayish to
  grayish brown. Fawns are reddish, brown or
  reddish-yellow spotted with white they lose
  their spots and acquire uniform coloration at 35
  months of age. Antlers normally occur only in
  males and are formed and shed each year. Antler
  growth starts in April or May. During the growth
  period, the soft skin and short hair covering the
  antlers have a plushlike quality, giving this
  stage the name of "velvet."
• Size 
• Total length 2.58 feet tail length 414
  inches weight 90311 pounds.

25

• Woodchuck (Groundhog)

• Marmota monax
• Family 
• Sciuridae (squirrels) in the order Rodentia
• Description 
• This common Missouri rodent has short, powerful
  legs and a medium-long, bushy, and somewhat
  flattened tail. The long, coarse fur of the back
  is a grizzled grayish brown with a yellowish or
  reddish cast. Woodchucks weigh least in spring
  when they are just out of hibernation and most in
  fall prior to hibernation. When alarmed or
  suddenly disturbed, they can give a loud, shrill
  whistle.
• Size 
• Total length 1627 inches tail length 47
  inches weight 414 pounds.

26

• Bluebird

• State Bird Bluebird
• Class Aves

27

• American Kestrel

• Falco sparverius
• Family 
• Falconidae (falcons and caracaras) in the order
  Falconiformes
• Description 
• Adults are very highly colored, with two black
  streaks on white cheeks. Adult male has
  bluish-gray wings female is brownish. Back and
  tail are orange-brown, the male with a dark band
  near the end of the tail and the female with many
  dark bars. Breast is orange-brown in male and
  streaked in female and immatures. Immature male
  has a streaked breast and a completely barred
  back. Immature female is difficult to distinguish
  from adult female. Voice is a loud, shrill,
  killy, killy, killy.
• Size 
• Length 911 inches wingspan 2023 inches.

28

• American Robin

• Turdus migratorius
• Family Turdidae (thrushes) in the order
  Passeriformes
• Description Mature American robins have
  grayish-brown upperparts with a blackish head and
  a split white eye ring. The underparts are rich
  rusty red with white under the tail feathers. The
  female is paler than the male. The blackish
  throat is streaked with white. Juveniles are much
  like the adults, only heavily spotted with brown.
  The melodious song consists of a variety of
  three-note phrases strung together, sometimes
  seemingly endlessly. Calls include a Pick!
  tut-tut-tut.
• Size Length 10 inches.

29

• Bald Eagle

• Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Family 
• Accipitridae (accipiters) in the order
  Falconiformes
• Description 
• Mature bald eagles have a dark brown body with
  white head and tail. The large, hooked bill,
  strong talons, and irises of the eyes are yellow.
  Females are larger than males, but otherwise the
  sexes look alike. In flight, bald eagles soar on
  rising warm air currents on flattened wings (not
  holding them V-shaped). Juveniles are all brown,
  with white speckles. Voice is a series of chirps
  or a loud screaming whistle.
• Size 
• Length 36 inches wingspan 84 inches.

30

• Barn Owl

• Tyto alba
• Family 
• Tytonidae (barn owls) in the order Strigiformes
  (owls)
• Description 
• Cinnamon and gray above, white to buffy below,
  with small black spots legs long and eyes dark.
  The heart-shaped facial disk has caused them to
  be described as the monkey-faced owl. Voice is
  harsh, with screeching, hissing, barking and
  clicking sounds. Highly nocturnal. Spends day
  secluded in rafters, behind hay bales, etc.
• Size 
• Length 16 inches. Wingspan 3 1/2 to 4 feet

31

• Blue Jay

• Cyanocitta cristata
• Family 
• Corvidae (crows and jays) in the order
  Passeriformes
• Description 
• Blue jays are relatively large songbirds (about
  the size of a robin) with blue upperparts and
  whitish underparts. A blue crest on the head can
  be raised or lowered depending on the birds
  mood. The back is rather lavender, and the wings
  and tail are sky blue with black bars and white
  highlights. The strong bill and feet are black
  the face is white and is nearly surrounded by a
  black collar. The voice varies from soft murmurs
  to loud screams to clear, chime-like whistles.
• Size 
• Length 11 inches.

32

• Downy Woodpecker

• Picoides pubescens
• Family 
• Picidae (woodpeckers) in the order Piciformes
• Description 
• A small woodpecker, the downy woodpecker has
  black-and-white upperparts that look checkered,
  streaked or spotted. Underparts are white or
  whitish. Males have a red patch at their nape
  (juvenile males may have a reddish crown).
  Females lack the red nape. The tail is black with
  white outer tail feathers there are usually some
  black spots on the white outer tail feathers. The
  bill is small and short, extending beyond the
  bristly feathers at the base of the bill.
• Size 
• Length 6 3/4 inches.

33

• Eastern Bluebird

• Sialia sialis
• Family 
• Turdidae (thrushes) in the order Passeriformes
• Description 
• A small thrush with a plump body and short,
  straight bill. Upperparts are bright blue in the
  male, gray-blue in the female. Underparts of both
  sexes are rusty on throat, breast and sides, with
  white on the belly and under the tail feathers.
  The female is paler below. They forage by
  watching on perches for insects and flying down
  to pick them up or catch them in the air. Song is
  a blurry whistled series of notes call is
  chuiree, with a soft descent but rising near
  the end.
• Size 
• Length 7 inches.

34

• Eastern Screech-Owl

• Otus asio
• Family 
• Strigidae (typical owls) in the order
  Strigiformes (owls)
• Description 
• This is the only small, yellow-eyed owl with
  prominent ear tufts in Missouri (though ear tufts
  may be lowered and concealed from view). There
  are three color morphs (forms) in our state
  gray, brown, and red. Of these, the red is the
  least common in Missouri. The call is rarely
  described as a screech. Instead, the whistled
  call is either a quavering, ascending then
  descending whinny, or a monotone trill, often in
  a duet with its mate.
• Size 
• Length 8½ inches. Wingspan 20-22 inches

35

• Great Blue Heron

• Ardea herodias
• Family 
• Ardeidae (herons) in the order Ciconiiformes
• Description 
• Great blue herons have a very large, slate-blue
  body, long legs, long, pointy bill and a slender,
  long neck. The head is white with a black, plumed
  eye line. The thighs are reddish or rusty and the
  lower legs dark. The bill is yellowish, and the
  pale breast feathers are long and plumelike. The
  voice is a low, harsh gwock, often heard in
  flight.
• Size 
• Length 46 inches.

36

• Great Horned Owl

• Bubo virginianus
• Family 
• Strigidae (owls) in the order Strigiformes
• Description 
• A large owl with wide-set ear tufts, a reddish,
  brown or gray face and a white throat. The iris
  is yellow. The upperparts are mottled brown the
  underparts are light with brown barring.
• Size 
• Length 22 inches.

37

• Greater Prairie-Chicken

• Tympanuchus cupido
• Family 
• Phasianidae (pheasants) in the order Galliformes
• Description 
• Adults are barred with brown, tan, and rust
  colors throughout and are similar in size to a
  small domestic chicken. The tail is short and
  rounded at the tip. There are tufts of long
  feathers on the sides of the neck these tufts
  are longer in males. Orange air sacs and eyebrows
  are conspicuous on males in the spring.
• Size 
• Length 17 inches.

38

• Greater Roadrunner

• A Greater Roadrunner is on alert while searching
  for food during a winter month in Marshfield, MO.
  
• Geococcyx californianus
• Family 
• Cuculidae (cuckoos) in the order Cuculiformes
• Description 
• The roadrunner is in the cuckoo family, and its
  long tail long, heavy, downcurved bill and four
  toes positioned like an X reflect this
  relationship. This species runs on the ground, is
  relatively large and has short, rounded wings and
  a white crescent in the primaries. It has a brown
  and pale streaked appearance, darker above than
  below. The tail is long and dark with white
  edges, the legs are strong and long and the head
  feathers are crested. The call is a descending
  series of coos.
• Size 
• Length 23 inches.

39

• House Wren

• Troglodytes aedon
• Family 
• Troglodytidae (wrens) in the order Passeriformes
• Description 
• Except for its voice, a very plain wren. Adults
  are gray-brown above with an indistinct buffy eye
  line. Wings and tail are slightly more reddish
  with fine black barring. Tail is short and often
  cocked upright. Underparts are lighter brown,
  with some darker markings along the flanks and
  under the tail. Song a rising jumble of
  twittering, gurgling and chattering notes
  descending toward the end. Calls a series of
  stuttering notes, buzzy rattles and a sharp
  tchur.
• Size 
• Length 4¾ inches.

40

• Lincoln's Sparrow

• Melospiza lincolnii
• Description 
• Buffy breast and flanks finely streaked with
  brown. Faint light eye ring. Eye stripe and side
  of face gray. No wing bars. Streaked brown and
  gray crown. Lincoln's sparrows are small, shy
  sparrows that will occasionally over-winter in
  west central Missouri and the Mississippi River
  basin. In late fall and early spring, these
  sparrows are more widespread and can be seen
  along prairie edges and at bird feeders.
• Size 
• 4 3/4 inches

41

• Mourning Dove

• A Mourning Dove stands on snow during a winter
  month in Columbia, MO.
• Zenaida macroura
• Family 
• Columbidae (pigeons and doves) in the order
  Columbiformes
• Description Gray-brown with black spots on the
  wings. A slender bird with a rounded head and
  smooth-looking breast. The tail is long and
  tapered to a point, with large white tips on the
  feathers. The eyes are dark. Song is a soft,
  inflected coo-AH-oo followed by several coos.
• Size 
• Length 12 inches.

42

• Northern Bobwhite Quail

• The Northern bobwhite quail calls "Bob White!"
  during mating season and "koi-lee" in the fall.
• Colinus virginianus
• Family 
• Odontophoridae (New World quails) in the order
  Galliformes
• Description 
• This ground-dwelling bird is overall streaked or
  mottled reddish-brown and white, with a gray
  tail. The head of the males is distinctive, with
  a dark cap down the top of the head, a white
  face, and with a prominent black or dark stripe
  behind the eye. The head of females is similar,
  only with a yellow-brown or buffy face and a
  brown stripe extending behind the eye. The
  bob-WHITE! call is distinctive, but it is
  mimicked by a number of other bird species.
• Size 
• Length 10 inches.

43

• Northern Cardinal

• Cardinalis cardinalis
• Family 
• Cardinalidae (cardinals) in the order
  Passeriformes
• Description 
• Adult male upperparts are bright red with darker
  wings and tail. the head is crested. The area
  around the bill is black, and the large conical
  bill is red. Underparts are bright red. Females
  are buffy tan below and grayish brown above,
  otherwise similar to male with reddish tinges in
  wings, tail and crest. Immatures have a dark
  bill, and immature females lack the reddish tint
  to the plumage. Songs are clear, up- or
  down-slurred whistles. The call is a sharp
  chip.
• Size 
• Length 8¾ inches.

44

• Peregrine Falcon

• Falco peregrinus
• Family 
• Falconidae (falcons and caracaras) in the order
  Falconiformes
• Description 
• Peregrines have a black crown and nape, with a
  black wedge extending below the eye. They are
  white and dark narrow-barred below, and gray-blue
  above. The wings extend nearly as far as the tip
  of the tail.
• Size 
• Length 15-21 inches wingspan 3845 inches.
  Females are larger.

45

• Pileated Woodpecker

• Dryocopus pileatus
• Family 
• Picidae (woodpeckers) in the order Piciformes
• Description 
• A crow-sized woodpecker that is primarily black,
  with white highlights and a red crest. Males have
  an entirely red crown and a red moustache streak.
  Both sexes have horizontal black and white
  stripes on the face and a white stripe that
  extends down the neck. Seen from below in flight,
  the wing lining is white, and a white line
  extends along each side of the throat to the base
  of the bill. The loud, resonant drumming sounds
  something like a banging hammer.
• Size 
• Length 16 1/2 inches.

46

• Red-Tailed Hawk

• A Red-tailed hawk perches on a pole while
  watching for its prey in Jefferson City, MO.
• Buteo jamaicensis
• Family 
• Accipitridae (hawks and eagles) in the order
  Falconiformes
• Description 
• A large hawk, brown above and white below, with a
  brown-streaked band on the belly. Adults have a
  rust-red tail with a narrow black band near the
  end. In flight the front edges of the wings are
  dark, contrasting with the lighter wing linings.
  Several color forms occur, from almost black, to
  dark reddish, to very light colored. In winter,
  several other subspecies are present, some darker
  and others more pale. Immatures are similar to
  adults except that the tail is brown with narrow
  dark bars.
• Size 
• Length 22 inches wingspan 50 inches. Females
  are larger than males.

47

• Red-Winged Blackbird

• Agelaius phoeniceus
• Family 
• Icteridae (New World blackbirds, orioles,
  meadowlarks) in the order Passeriformes
• Description 
• Male is all black, with a bright red shoulder
  patch bordered with yellow. Sometimes the
  shoulder patch is concealed. Upperparts of female
  are dark brown with light streaks on back and
  head, and a light eyebrow. Underparts are whitish
  with heavy brown streaks sometimes there is
  orange or pinkish on the throat and shoulders.
  Young males resemble females but have an
  orange-red shoulder patch. Song is a loud
  konk-o-REEE, with an accent on the last
  syllable. Call is a sharp steek or chack.
• Size 
• Length 8¾ inches.

48

• Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

• Archilochus colubris
• Family 
• Trochilidae (hummingbirds) in the order
  Apodiformes
• Description 
• Tiny bird with a long needlelike bill hovers,
  flies forward and backward with a humming sound.
  Males metallic green upperparts red throat that
  flashes ruby red in the light but otherwise may
  look black underparts whitish with dull green
  flanks tail black and deeply forked. Females
  metallic green upperparts whitish underparts
  sides pale buff tail green at base, black in
  middle, with the three outer tail feathers
  white-tipped. Makes a variety of chips, squeals
  and twitters.
• Size 
• Length 3¾ inches.

49

• Scarlet Tanager

• Piranga olivacea
• Description 
• Male scarlet tanagers are vibrant red in summer,
  but in winter they're olive-green like the
  females.
• Habitat and conservation 
• During summer, scarlet tanagers feed on insects
  and fruit in the canopy of oak-hickory forests
  and in large shade trees of the eastern U.S. and
  southern Canada. They winter from Panama south to
  Bolivia, foraging in tall trees of mountain
  forests.

50

• Turkey Vulture

• Cathartes aura
• Family 
• Cathartidae (New World vultures) in the order
  Falconiformes
• Description 
• A large-bodied bird with blackish plumage and a
  small, red, naked head (juveniles have black
  heads). The beak is short, hooked and whitish.
  The legs and feet are pink but often stained
  white. From below, the wings appear black with
  the trailing half of the wing gray or silvery.
  When soaring, turkey vultures hold their wings in
  a V position (not flattened horizontally). Turkey
  vultures frequently tilt from side to side as
  they soar.
• Size 
• Length 27 inches wingspan 70 inches.

51

• Channel Catfish

• State Fish Channel Catfish
• Class Osteichthyes
• Class Agnatha

52

• Banded Sculpin

• Cottus carolinae
• Family 
• Cottidae (sculpins) in the order Scorpaeniformes
  (mail-cheeked fishes)
• Description 
• Sculpins have flattened bodies, large mouths and
  enlarged pectoral fins. They can modify their
  color to match their background. They have large
  heads that taper abruptly into the rather slender
  body. They lack scales but often have small
  prickles on head and body. This species is
  reddish-brown without strong mottling but with
  well-defined dark bars across back and sides.
  There is a broad, distinct vertical bar at the
  base of the tail fin.
• Size 
• Adult length 2½5 inches.

53

• Blue Catfish

• Ictalurus furcatus
• Family 
• Catfish
• Description 
• Smooth, scaleless skin and barbels (whiskers)
  around the mouth like all catfish. Deeply forked
  tail, like the channel catfish, but can be
  distinguished by the straight-edged anal fin
• Size 
• 20 to 44 inches long, weighing 3 to 40 pounds.
  Fish weighing 80-100 pounds are occasionally
  caught.

54

• Bluegill

• Lepomis macrochirus
• Family 
• Centrarchidae (sunfishes) in the order
  Perciformes (perch-like fishes)
• Description A small-mouthed sunfish with the
  upper jaw not reaching past the front of the eye.
  Spinous dorsal with 10 spines, broadly connected
  to soft dorsal, which often has a black blotch
  near the bases of its last rays. Long, pointed
  pectoral fins reach well past the front of the
  eye when bent forward across the eye. Black ear
  flap is moderately prolonged. Back and sides dark
  olive-green with emerald and brassy shine breast
  and belly yellow or reddish orange. Chin and
  lower part of gill cover blue.
• Size 
• Length to about 9½ inches weight usually to 12
  ounces.

55

• Channel Catfish

• Ictalurus punctatus
• Family 
• Catfish
• Description 
• Also known as spotted cat, blue cat, fiddler,
  lady cat, chucklehead cat and willow cat. Like
  all catfish, the channel cat has smooth,
  scaleless skin and barbels (whiskers) around
  the mouth. The channel catfish, like the blue
  catfish, has a deeply forked tail, but can be
  distinguished by the dark spots on its sides and
  an anal fin with a rounded edge. Adults stay in
  deep water of larger pools during the day and
  move to shallows or near cover at night to feed.
• Size 
• 12 to 32 inches, weighing 1 to 15 pounds.
  Specimens as large as 45 pounds are uncommon in
  Missouri.

56

• Chestnut Lamprey

• Ichthyomyzon castaneus
• Description 
• Chestnut colored eel-like fish that have a
  cartilaginous, boneless skeleton. Adults have
  well-developed, rasp-like oral disc, seven
  pore-like gill openings, no paired fins and a
  single nostril. Ammocetes are eyeless and have a
  horseshoe-shaped hood as a mouth.
• Size 
• 8 to 10 inches

57

• Common Carp

• Cyprinus carpio
• Family 
• Cyprinidae (minnows) in the order Cypriniformes
  (carps, minnows and loaches)
• Description A heavy-bodied minnow with a long
  dorsal fin containing 1721 rays, a stout,
  saw-toothed spine at front of both dorsal and
  anal fins, and two barbels on each side of upper
  jaw. Back and sides brassy olive, belly
  yellowish-white. Scales of back and sides
  prominently dark-edged, giving a crosshatched
  effect. Fins dusky, often overlain by red on tail
  fin and yellow or orange on lower fins.
• Size 
• Adult length 1225 inches weight 18 pounds.
  One specimen in Missouri weighed 47 pounds.

58

• Green Sunfish

• Lepomis cyanellus
• Family 
• Sunfish
• Description 
• Thick-bodied sunfish with a large mouth, the
  upper jaw extending to about the middle of the
  eye. Back and sides are bluish-green, grading to
  pale yellow or white on the belly. Black vertical
  bars are sometimes evident on the sides. Blue
  mottlings and streaks are present on the side of
  the head. Pelvic fins in breeding males are white
  or pink and the tail and anal and dorsal fins
  are tipped with white or salmon-pink. Usually has
  a dark splotch on back of dorsal fin. Long, dark
  ear flap. Rounded pectoral fin.
• Size 
• 6 to 8 inches maximum size of 10 inches and 1
  pound

59

• Lake Sturgeon

• Acipenser fulvenscens
• Family 
• Acipenseridae (sturgeons) in the order
  Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes)
• Description Long, streamlined, sharklike body
  long bony snout rows of sharp, bony, armored
  plates (scutes). The sucker-type mouth is located
  under the long bony snout. Lake sturgeon have
  short, rounded snouts compared to those of our
  other sturgeon species. Also, the four barbels
  dangling from in front of the mouth on a lake
  sturgeon are smooth and not fringed or serrated.
  Young lake sturgeon are mottled light and dark
  brown. Adults are solid dark brown or
  slate-colored with white belly.
• Size 
• Length to 8 feet weight to 300 pounds.

60

• Largemouth Bass

• Micropterous salmoides
• Family 
• Sunfish
• Description 
• Upper parts are greenish the lower sides and
  belly are white without dark spots or with spots
  that are irregularly arranged. Midside has a
  broad, dark continuous stripe.  Large, elongated
  fish with a very large mouth. Upper jaw reaches
  far beyond the rear margin of the eye, except in
  small young.  Smooth tongue. Dorsal fins not well
  connected. Cheek scales same size as rest of body
  scales. 
• Size 
• 10 to 20 inches long and 0.5 to 4.5 pounds
  maximum 24 inches long and 15 pounds

61

• Longnose Gar

• Lepisosteus osseus
• Family 
• Gar
• Description 
• Distinct long and narrow snout. The width of the
  snout at the nostrils is less than the diameter
  of the eye. Large teeth on the upper jaw in
  single rows on each side
• Brown or dark olive on upper parts, grading to
  white on the belly. Numerous rounded black spots
  on the body. Young fish have a distinct mid-body
  stripe.
• Size 
• Commonly reach 3 feet in length and 5-6 pounds
  maximum size in Missouri is 59 inches and 31
  pounds

62

• Muskellunge

• Esox masquinongy
• Family 
• Esocidae (pikes)
• Description Also known as "muskie" or "musky,"
  these fish are long and slender, with a mouth
  full of razor-sharp teeth. They differ from other
  members of the pike family in having both the
  gill cover and cheek scaled only on their upper
  halves, and in having a row of 6 to 9 pores along
  each side of lower jaw. The color pattern on body
  consists of dark spots or bars on a light
  background. Usually there are 17 to 19 slender
  bones (branchiostegal rays) in the membranes
  along lower edge of gill cover, and 130 to 157
  scales in the lateral line, which is series of
  sensory pores that form a faint line along both
  sides of a fish's sides.
• Size 
• In Missouri, muskie can typically reach 36 to 45
  inches, with a rare fish up to 48 inches

63

• Northern Hogsucker

• Hypentelium nigricans
• Family 
• Sucker
• Description 
• Medium-sized sucker with large square head. Head
  concave between eyes, lips highly protrusable and
  covered with bumps. Mouth is at tip of snout on
  bottom. Prominent cross bars. Slender-bodied.
  Forked tail.
• Size 
• 8 to 15 inches maximum size 17 inches

64

• Orangethroat Darter

• Etheostoma spectabile
• Family 
• Perch
• Description 
• Mottled yellow-brown on back with indistinct
  brown crossbars sides with several vertical blue
  stripes. Males colorful while breeding with red
  blotches on sides and bright orange under gills.
• Size 
• 1.2 to 2 inches maximum 2.6 inches

65

• Ozark Cavefish

• Amblyopsis rosea
• Description 
• A small colorless fish with a flattened head and
  slightly protruding lower jaw tail fin rounded.
  The cavefish lives most or all of its life in
  total darkness. It lacks eyes. The cavefish uses
  sense organs that are located on the sides of its
  head, body and tail to find food.
• Two other cavefish species are found in Missouri.
  The spring cavefish is known from only one site
  near Cape Girardeau. The southern cavefish lives
  in the central and southeastern Ozark region. It
  is hard to distinguish the Ozark cavefish from
  the southern cavefish, however their ranges do
  not overlap.
• Size 
• 2 1/4 inches long

66

• Paddlefish

• Polyodon spathula
• Family 
• Polyodontidae (paddlefishes) in the order
  Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes)
• Description 
• Sharklike, with a greatly elongated paddlelike
  snout. Bluish-gray to blackish on back, grading
  to white on belly. Snout in small individuals is
  more 1/3 of the fishs total length. Mouth is
  large, lacks teeth (in adults) and is far back
  beneath the head. Eyes small, just above the
  front edge of the mouth and directed down and
  forward instead of to the side. Gill cover has a
  fleshy, pointed flap. Tail is forked, the upper
  lobe longer than the lower. No scales, except for
  a patch on the tail.
• Size 
• Length to about 7 feet weight to 160 pounds or
  more.

67

• Redear Sunfish

• Lepomis microlophus
• Family 
• Sunfish
• Description 
• Deep and slab-sided sunfish with a small-sized
  mouth, the upper jaw not reaching past the front
  of the eye. Back and sides are golden or light
  olive-green. Belly is yellow or orange-yellow.
  Sides often have dark, vertical bars. Ear flap is
  black with a whitish border and a prominent
  orange or red spot. Most closely related to
  bluegill, green and other sunfishes.
• Size 
• 8 to 10.5 inches and 6.5 to 12 ounces Maximum
  size of more than 12 inches and more than 4
  pounds

68

• Sauger

• Sander canadensis
• Family 
• Perch
• Description 
• Similar to walleye with the following exceptions
• Distinct dark blotches or saddle marks present
  on sides. Dark spots on the first dorsal fin
  which lacks dark blotch near the base of the last
  few dorsal spines. Scales present on cheek. 
  White blotch on the lower lobe of the tail fin
  absent or reduced.  Smaller than walleye.
• Sauger occasionally interbreed with walleye where
  their ranges overlap to produce saugeye. The
  hybrid shares characteristics of both parents
  making identification difficult.
• Size 
• 12-15 inches maximum 3 to 4 pounds

69

• Smallmouth Bass

• Micropterus dolomieu
• Family 
• Sunfish
• Description 
• Large, elongated fish with a moderately large
  mouth. Cheek scales much smaller than rest of
  body scales. Back and sides are greenish-brown
  with faint dark mottling and bars the belly
  whitish overlain with dusky pigment.  No dark
  horizontal stripe. Without rows of dark spots.
  Upper jaw reaches to about the rear margin of the
  eye in adults. Tongue usually has rough patch.
  Dorsal fins connected. Most closely related to
  largemouth and spotted bass.
• Size 
• 10 to 20 inches long and 0.5 to 4.2 pounds
  Maximum size of 22 inches long and 6 pounds

70

• Striped Bass

• Morone saxatilis
• Description 
• Teeth on back of tongue in two parallel patches
• Horizontal stripes

71

• Topeka Shiner

• Notropis topeka
• Family 
• Minnow
• Description 
• A small minnow with an olive-yellow back,
  dark-edged scales and silvery-white sides and
  belly. A dark stripe runs along the fish's sides
  and extends on to the head.
• All of the fins are plain except for the tail
  fin, which has a triangular black spot at its
  base. The anal fin has six to eight rays, usually
  seven. There is a dark stripe on the back in
  front of the dorsal fin. Breeding males have
  orange-red fins and orange-tinted heads and
  bodies.
• The upper jaw does not extend beyond the front of
  the eye. Numerous bumps are located on the snout,
  the top of the head, most of the body and along
  the rays of some of the fins. The bumps are
  largest and most numerous around the head.
• Size 
• 1.5 to 2 inches long

72

• Walleye

• Sander vitreus
• Family 
• Percidae (perches) in the order Perciformes
  (perch-like fishes)
• Description 
• A slender, spiny-rayed fish with 2 separate
  dorsal fins. Mouth large, the upper jaw extending
  about to hind edge of eye. Jaws and roof of mouth
  have prominent teeth. The hind edge of the bone
  just in front of the gill cover is saw-toothed.
  Tail is forked. Back and sides yellowish or
  olive-brown with darker mottlings and blotches.
  Belly white. Two separate dorsal fins. Spinous
  dorsal fin streaked and blotched with black,
  usually with a large black blotch near bases of
  the last few spines. Very reflective eye.
•  
• Size 
• Adult length 1228 inches weight 8 ounces to 8
  pounds. Much larger specimens can occur.

73

• White Crappie

• Pomoxis annularis
• Family 
• Sunfish
• Description 
• Deep bodied, strongly compressed laterally
  (slab-sided). Sides silver with 5-10 often faint,
  vertical bars. Upper jaw long, reaching past
  middle of eye. Dorsal fin with 6 spines. Dark
  markings usually in bars. Most closely related to
  black crappie. Black crappie have 7 or 8 dorsal
  fin spines.
• Size 
• 9 to 10 inches maximum growth up to 4 pounds

74

• Three-toed box turtle

• State Reptile -Three-toed box turtle
• (Terrapene carolina triunguis)
• Class Reptilia

75

• Alligator Snapping Turtle

• Macrochelys temminckii
• Family 
• Chelydridae (snapping turtles) in the order
  Testudines (turtles)
• Description A huge aquatic species with a
  noticeably large head (as compared to other
  species of turtles). The upper shell has 3
  prominent ridges1 along the center line and 1 on
  either side. The large head terminates in a
  sharp, strongly hooked beak. The tail is long and
  muscular. Skin on the head, neck and forelimbs
  has a number of fleshy projections or tubercles.
  Adults have dark brown heads, limbs and shells
  skin on neck and other areas may be yellowish
  brown.
• Size 
• Upper shell length 1526 inches weight 35150
  pounds.

76

• Black Rat Snake

• Elaphe obsoleta
• Family 
• Colubridae (nonvenomous snakes) in the order
  Squamata (lizards and snakes)
• Description Generally shiny black, but some
  individuals show dark brown blotches. Skin
  between the scales along the sides may be red.
  Small patches of red sometimes appear between the
  scales along the sides. The belly is white,
  mottled with gray or may be checkered with black.
  The upper lip, chin and lower part of the neck
  are usually white. Young are light gray or tan,
  with dark brown or black blotches on the back and
  sides. After a year or two of growth, the color
  changes to a more uniform black.
• Size 
• Length 3½-6 feet.

77

• Blandings Turtle

• Emydoidea blandingii
• Description 
• This medium-sized turtle has an oval-shaped,
  moderately high-domed upper shell and a long head
  and neck. The upper shell may be dark brown or
  black with many yellow spots or bars. The lower
  shell is yellow with a large, dark-brown blotch
  on the outer portion of each scute, and the
  forward third is hinged and movable. Head and
  limbs are brown and yellow the chin and
  underside of neck are usually bright yellow.
• Size 
• Adult Blandings turtles range in upper shell
  length from 5 to 7 inches.

78

• Bullsnake

• Pituophis catenifer sayi
• Description 
• The bullsnake is Missouri's largest snake. It is
  tan or cream-colored with numerous, large, brown
  or black blotches. The tail may have light and
  dark bands. Often a dark line angles from the eye
  down to the jaw. The belly is yellow or
  cream-colored, with dark brown or black spots
  along the sides. This large snake may hiss loudly
  and vibrate its tail when alarmed.
• Size 
• Length averages from 37 to 72 inches (94-183 cm).
  

79

• Common Snapping Turtle

• Chelydra serpentina
• Family 
• Chelydridae (snapping turtles) in the order
  Testudines
• Description Large aquatic turtle with a big
  pointed head, long thick tail and small plastron
  (lower shell). Upper shell may be tan, brown or
  nearly black but is often covered with mud or
  algae. In young turtles, upper shell has 3 rows
  of low keels, but these are less apparent in
  older individuals. Head often covered with
  numerous small black lines or spots. Underparts
  yellowish-white. Upper part of the tail has
  large, pointy scales in a sawtoothed row. Eyes
  can be seen from above.
• Size 
• Upper shell length 814 inches weight 1035
  pounds.

80

• Eastern Collared Lizard

• Crotaphytus collaris collaris
• Family 
• Crotaphytidae (collared lizards) in the order
  Squamata (lizards and snakes)
• Description A colorful, long-tailed lizard with
  a large head. Males are most colorful, especially
  during breeding season. Ground color is tan,
  yellow, green or bluish-green. There are usually
  some small light spots on the upper body and
  limbs and dark bands across the top. Males and
  females both have two dark brown or black
  irregular lines across the neck (the collar).
  Females are yellowish tan or light brown with
  faint light spots. Females heavy with eggs have
  red spots or bars on their sides and neck.
• Size 
• Total length 814 inches.

81

• Eastern Garter Snake

• Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
• Family 
• Colubridae (nonvenomous snakes) in the order
  Squamata
• Description The general color is variable it
  may be black, brown or olive. There are usually
  three yellowish stripes, one down the back and
  one along each side. The area between the stripes
  on each side usually has a double row of
  alternating dark spots. The belly is
  yellowish-green with two rows of faint black
  spots that are somewhat hidden by the overlapping
  scales. Scales on the back are keeled the anal
  plate is single. When cornered, this snake often
  flattens its head and body and tries to strike.
• Size 
• Length to 1826 inches.

82

• Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake

• Heterodon platirhinos
• Description 
• Local Names spreadhead, puff adder, hissing
  viper
• A snake with an upturned snout, the eastern
  hognose normally is gray-brown or tan with
  distinct dark brown markings down its back. Some
  individuals lack most of the spots, except for
  two large black spots behind the head. The belly
  is mottled with gray. This harmless snake has the
  ability to hiss loudly and spread its neck like a
  cobra. If this defense fails to ward off an
  enemy, the snake may thrash around, open its
  mouth, roll over and play dead.
• Size 
• Length averages from 20 to 33 inches (51-84 cm).

83

• Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

• Sistrurus catenatus catenatus
• Family 
• Viperidae (venomous snakes) in the order Squamata
  (lizards and snakes)
• Description Medium-sized, dark rattlesnake with
  a short, thick body. Gray to gray-brown, with
  dark brown blotches down the middle of the back
  and along both sides. Head is a thick diamond
  shape with dark stripes extending back from the
  eyes. Tail has a stubby rattle. Like other
  venomous snakes, they have pits on the sides of
  their heads, and the pupils are diamond-shaped
  (not round). The other rattlesnake of north
  Missouri, the timber rattlesnake, grows much
  larger and has a rusty stripe down its back.
• Size 
• Length 1830 inches, not including the rattle.

84

• Eastern Spiny Softshell

• Apalone spinifera spinifera
• Description 
• This medium to large turtle has dark spots on the
  limbs, a small ridge on each side of the
  snorkel-like snout and numerous small bumps or
  spines on the front of the upper shell (see
  below). Coloration of the upper shell varies with
  age and sex. Adult males and young turtles have
  an olive or grayish-tan upper shell with
  distinct, small black dots and circles and a
  black line along the margin. Adult females have a
  dark olive or tan upper shell with brown and gray
  blotches. The lower shell is a plain cream color.
  Head and limbs are normally tan or olive with
  small brown or black markings. A yellow line,
  bordered by black, extends from the snout through
  the eye and along each side of the head.
• Size 
• Adult males upper shell length ranges from 5 to
  9 ¼ inches females shell ranges from 7 to 17
  inches.

85

• Eastern Yellow-Bellied Racer

• Coluber constrictor flaviventris
• Description 
• Color of this common snake is variablefrom
  olive, tan, brown or blue to nearly black. The
  belly may be yellow, cream or light blue-gray.
  Young racers are clearly marked with brown
  blotches and spots (see inset), but these
  markings fade and eventually disappear as the
  young snakes grow.
• Size 
• Length averages from 30 to 50 inches (76-127 cm).
  

86

• Midland Brown Snake

• Storeria dekayi wrightorum
• Description 
• The midland brown snake is a close relative of
  the redbelly snake. The general color is
  gray-brown to reddish-brown, with a white or
  yellowish belly. Its back has a distinct tan
  stripe bordered by two rows of small, dark brown
  spots the spots normally are joined by small
  lines across the tan stripe.
• Size 
• It is 9 to 13 inches (23-33 cm) long.

87

• Northern Fence Lizard

• Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus
• Description 
• They are grayish-brown with dark markings across
  the back and tail. They can escape capture by
  running up a tree. During the breeding season
  male fence lizards have an iridescent blue and
  black belly.
• Size 
• Average total length is 5 inches.

88

• Northern Prairie Skink

• Eumeces septentrionalis Eumeces obtusirostris
  (Northern and Southern species)
• Description 
• The two species look similar. In general, prairie
  skinks have a longer tail than all other Missouri
  skinks. They are tan with a faint, light stripe
  down the back and one or two wide dark stripes
  along the sides. However, northern prairie skinks
  have more dark striping along the body and tail
  than their southern "cousin."
• Size 
• Average total length is from 5 to 7.5 inches.

89

• Northern Water Snake

• Nerodia sipedon sipedon
• Description 
• Local Name banded water snake
• This is Missouri's most common species of water
  snake. A gray to reddish-brown snake with dark
  brown crossbands, its belly is cream-colored with
  numerous black and reddish half-moon markings.
  Scales along the back and sides are keeled.
  Although water snakes will bite to defend
  themselves, their bite is harmless.
• Size 
• Length ranges from 24 to 42 inches (61-107 cm).

90

• Ornate Box Turtle

• Terrapene ornata ornata
• Description 
• This small, colorful turtle with a domed upper
  shell and a hinged lower shell is a fairly common
  resident of Missouris grasslands and native
  prairies. The upper shell of the ornate box
  turtle is normally brown with numerous yellow
  lines radiating from the center of each scute.
  The lower shell is brown with distinct yellow
  spots and blotches. The head and limbs are brown
  or black with yellow spots and blotches. There
  are normally four toes on each hind leg.
• Size 
• Adult ornate box turtles range in upper shell
  length from 4 to 5 inches.

91

• Osage Copperhead

• Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster
• Family 
• Viperidae (venomous snakes) in the order Squamata
  (lizards and snakes)
• Description Color varies from grayish-brown to
  pinkish-tan, with hourglass-shaped crossbands of
  dark gray, brown or reddish-brown. The head may
  have some pink or orange color, hence the name
  copperhead. The tail may be yellow or
  greenish-yellow, especially in young specimens,
  and the belly usually is a dusky mixture of gray,
  tan and black. Copperheads are pit vipers, with
  an opening on each side of the head and (in
  daylight) eyes with catlike, vertical pupils (our
  nonvenomous snakes have round pupils).
• Size 
• Length 23 feet.

92

• Prairie Ring-Necked Snake

• Diadophis punctatus arnyi
• Description 
• Ringneck snakes are easily recognizable by their
  small size, uniform dark color on the back,
  bright yellow-orange belly and distinct yellow
  ring around the neck. The back can be dark brown,
  gray or blue-black. The belly is yellow, changing
  to orange near the tail. The belly also has
  small, black spots which are irregular in size
  and pattern.
• Size 
• Length ranges from 10 to 14 inches (25-36 cm).

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