Amphibians and Reptiles: An Introduction to Herpetofauna

1. Hognose Snake Green Tree Frog Amphibians and Reptiles: An Introduction to Herpetofauna Edited for Virginia by Mike Clifford, Virginia Herpetological Society

2. Painted Turtle hatchlings Green Salamander Ringneck Snake Herpetofauna • Amphibians (51 salamander s & 27 frogs & toads in VA) • Reptiles(30 snakes, 10 lizards, & 22 turtles in VA) • Important to their environment • Why?

3. 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

4. Upland Chrous Frog Frog Eggs Pine Woods Tree Frog Tadpole Spring Peeper Cricket Frog Spring Peeper Metamorph Amphibian Life Cycle

5. Spring Peeper tadpole Southern Leopard Frog Upland Chorus Frog Frogs • Good jumpers • Tadpoles as babies • Lose their tails as adults Spring Peeper

6. Toads • Similar to frogs • Warty skin • Gland behind their eye secretes poison American Toad Fowler’s Toad

7. Salamanders Dusky Salamander • Some have lungs • Some don’t have lungs • Breathe entirely through their skin • Lay eggs in a variety of habitats • Land • Stream • Wetland Spotted Salamander Red Salamander Slimy Salamander

8. Copperhead Ringneck Snake 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

9. Crocodilians • American Alligator – not native to Virginia but is found just to the south in North Carolina American Alligators

10. 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

11. What type of turtle would you find in the ocean? • Sea Turtles • All species are endangered. • Crush from Finding Nemo Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

12. Snapping Turtle Ponds and Rivers Eastern Painted Turtle Bog Turtle Eastern Mud Turtle Common Musk Turtle

13. Your Backyard • Box Turtle!

14. 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

15. Snakes • Snakes can be venomous and dangerous, but most are not going to hurt you. • Snakes don’t have legs. • Shed their skin. Scarlet Kingsnake Black Racer Ringneck Snake

16. 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

17. Bog Turtle Spring Salamander Timber Rattlesnake Spring Peeper Conservation • Problem: • Fewer amphibians and reptiles exist today than did in the past • More amphibians are endangered than any birds or mammals

18. What can you do to help? • 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

19. Questions? Corn Snake