Amphibians and Reptiles: An Introduction to Herpetofauna

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Amphibians and Reptiles An Introduction to
Herpetofauna

• Compiled by the Davidson College Herpetology
  Laboratory

Edited for Virginia by Mike Clifford, Virginia
Herpetological Society
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Amphibians and Reptiles

• Regulate temperature from outside sources
• Ectothermic

Yellow-bellied Sliders
Northern Watersnake
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Amphibians and Reptiles

• Secretive
• Can be very difficult to find

Northern Copperhead
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Amphibians and Reptiles

• Important to their ecosystem
• Food for many other animals such as raccoons,
  opossums, and birds
• Control abundance of mice, rats, and bugs

Spotted Salamander
Green Salamander
Worm Snake
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Amphibians

• 78 species in Virginia (51 salamanders 27 frogs
  toads)
• SE U.S.A. has the highest diversity of
  salamanders in the world!

Grey Tree Frog
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Amphibian Characteristics

• Skin
• Moist
• Breathe through their skin
• Good sense of smell
• Amphibians eat
• Insects
• Anything that will fit into their mouths
  including other amphibians

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Frogs

• Tadpoles when they are born
• Lose their tails as adults
• Two main types
• True Frogs
• Tree Frogs
• Toe-pads

Upland Chrous Frog
Pickerel Frog
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Toads

• Similar to frogs
• Tail-less as adults
• Warty skin
• Have large glands behind each eye that produce
  poison

American Toad
Fowlers Toad
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Salamanders

• Plethodontids Dont have lungs and must breathe
  entirely through their skin
• Ambystomatids Have lungs, but can also breathe
  through their skin
• Salamanders can lay eggs in
• Streams
• Wetlands
• Soil

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Amphibian Life Cycle
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Amphibian Defense Methods

• Poison in skin
• Toads and Newts
• Producing large numbers of offspring
• Producing noisy squawks when attacked

Red-Spotted Newt
American Toad
Green Frog Tadpole
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Reptiles

• 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
• Lays terrestrial eggs or gives birth to live young

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Crocodilians

• American Alligator not native to Virginia but
  is found just to the south in North Carolina

American Alligators
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Turtles

• Backbone incorporated into their shell
• Lack teeth
• Has a beak similar to a bird
• Omnivorous Eats plants and animals
• Particularly enjoys insects and worms

Eastern Painted Turtles
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What turtles are found in the ocean?

• Sea Turtles
• All are endangered
• Crush in Finding Nemo

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles
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What turtles are found in ponds and rivers?
Common Musk Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle
River Cooter
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What turtles can you find in your backyard?

• Box turtles!

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Lizards

• Ears
• Distinguishing characteristic from snakes
• Variable and diverse
• Many islands have species that cannot be found
  anywhere else on earth.
• One group has lost their legs
• Called Glass Lizards

Slender Glass Lizard
Fence Lizard
Five-Lined Skink
Broadhead Skink
Slender Glass Lizard
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Snakes

• 30 species in Virginia
• 3 venomous species
• Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake.
  
• Most species are non-venomous

Scarlet Kingsnake non-venomous
Ringneck Snake non-venomous
Copperhead - venomous
Black Rat Snake non-venomous
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Snakes

• All lack legs
• Lack ear openings
• Hear vibrations through the ground
• Shed their skin to grow

Timber Rattlesnake
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
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Snake Feeding

• Entirely carnivorous
• Swallow prey whole
• 2 methods to capture prey for consumption
• Constriction
• Poison

Eastern Cottonmouth eating a mouse
Northern Watersnake eating a fish
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Conservation

• Many species are in decline
• More amphibian species are endangered than birds
  or mammals
• Few species are becoming more abundant
• Can you think of any reasons?

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Causes of Declines

• Habitat destruction
• Building houses, parking lots, shopping centers
• Cutting down trees
• Filling in wetlands and ponds
• Pollution
• Trash and chemicals that are harmful to wild
  animals

Photo by Steve Price
Photos by Steve Price
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What can you do?

• Watch, but dont touch or keep any amphibians or
  reptiles you find.
• If you find an amphibian or reptile, let your
  parents know.
• Dont kill snakes
• Dont release any amphibian or reptile pet into
  the wild

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Questions?
Corn Snake