Amphibians and Reptiles: An Introduction to Herpetofauna

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Amphibians and Reptiles An Introduction to
Herpetofauna
Edited for Virginia by Mike Clifford, Virginia
Herpetological Society
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Herpetofauna

• Amphibians (51 salamander s 27 frogs toads in
  VA)
• Reptiles (30 snakes, 10 lizards, 22 turtles in
  VA)
• Important to their environment
• Why?

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Amphibians

• Skin
• Breathe through their skin
• Must stay moist
• Good sense of smell
• Food
• Insects
• Anything that will fit into their mouths

Bullfrog
Spotted Salamander
Grey Tree Frog
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Amphibian Life Cycle
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Frogs

• Good jumpers
• Tadpoles as babies
• Lose their tails as adults

Spring Peeper
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Toads

• Similar to frogs
• Warty skin
• Gland behind their eye secretes poison

American Toad
Fowlers Toad
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Salamanders
Dusky Salamander

• Some have lungs
• Some dont have lungs
• Breathe entirely through their skin
• Lay eggs in a variety of habitats
• Land
• Stream
• Wetland

Spotted Salamander
Red Salamander
Slimy Salamander
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Reptiles

• 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
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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 attached to shell
• Omnivorous Will eat plants or animals
• Particularly likes insects and worms
• Found in 3 habitats freshwater, saltwater, on
  land

Yellow-bellied Sliders
Eastern Painted Turtle
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What type of turtle would you find in the ocean?

• Sea Turtles
• All species are endangered.
• Crush from Finding Nemo

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles
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Ponds and Rivers
Eastern Painted Turtle
Bog Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle
Common Musk Turtle
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Your Backyard

• Box Turtle!

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Lizards

• Many different species
• A lot of islands have species that cannot be
  found anywhere else on earth

Five-Lined Skink
Broadhead Skink
Fence Lizard
Ground Skink
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Snakes

• Snakes can be venomous and dangerous, but most
  are not going to hurt you.
• Snakes dont have legs.
• Shed their skin.

Scarlet Kingsnake
Black Racer
Ringneck Snake
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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
Northern Watersnake eating a fish
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Conservation

• Problem
• Fewer amphibians and reptiles exist today than
  did in the past
• More amphibians are endangered than any birds or
  mammals

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What can you do to help?

• 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