reptiles lab

Caretta caretta

Loggerhead sea turtle

a common marine turtle known for its large size

Chelonia myads

Green sea turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

Atlantic hawksbill sea turtle

pointed beak

darker than green sea turtle (Chelonia myads)

Lepidochelys kempii

Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Snapping turtle

snakes are SERPENTS who SNAP

known for its strong jaws and aggressive behavior

Macrochelys temminckii

Alligator snapping turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

Leatherback sea turtle

the largest turtle species, known for its leathery shell

Chrysemys dorsalis

Southern painted turtle

NON NATIVE

often recognized by its colorful markings

Clemmys guttata

Spotted turtle

he is GLUTTANOUS and wants more SPOTS

known for its distinctive yellow spots on a dark shell.

Deirochelys reticularia

Chicken turtle

a semi-aquatic turtle known for its long neck and distinctive pattern on its shell.

Graptemys barbouri

Barbour’s map turtle

Graptemys pseudogeographica

False map turtle

PSEUDO means FALSE and GEOGRAPHIC is MAP, so false map

Malaclemys terrapin

Diamondback terrapin

Pseudemys concinna

River cooter

Pseudemys nelsoni

Florida redbelly cooter

his name is NELSON and he’s a fat southerner w a RED BELLY

NON NATIVE in part

has a distinctive red belly

Pseudemys floridana peninsularis

Peninsula cooter

NON NATIVE in part

little line on forehead

Pseudemys suwanniensis

Suwannee cooter

Terrapene carolina

Eastern box turtle

a turtle known for its domed shell and ability to completely close its shell

light brown shell with light yellow paw like markings

Trachemys scripta

Pond slider

NON NATIVE in part

Kinosternon baurii

Striped mud turtle

3 stripes down shell

Kinosternon subrubrum

Mud turtle

Sternotherus minor

Loggerhead musk turtle

Sternotherus odaratus

Eastern musk turtle

dark shell

2 lines of dots on head extending toward but not hitting eyes

Gopherus polyphemus

Gopher tortoise

Apalone ferox

Florida softshell

NON NATIVE in part

leopard print shell

Apalone spinifera

Spiny softshell

Alligator mississippiensis

American alligator

MISSISSIPPI is such an AMERICAN river

a large reptile found in the wetlands of the southeastern United States

Caiman crocodilus

Spectacled caiman

NON NATIVE

a non-native species of caiman found in Central and South America

it looks like he has spectacles on

Crocodylus acutus

American crocodile

he is a CROCODILE ACTUALLY

Rhineura floridana

Florida worm lizard

Agama agama

African rainbow lizard

NON NATIVE

Ophisaurus attenuatus

Slender glass lizard

she pays ATTENTION to her diet to stay SLENDER

stripes above and below fold

tail starts after cloaca and is extremely long

Ophisaurus compressus

Island glass lizard

ISLANDS are COMPRESSED

splotches toward front COMPRESS into single stripe

Ophisaurus mimicus

Mimic glass lizard

Ophisaurus ventralis

Eastern glass lizard

thicker body

usually don’t entirely look like stripes

Chamaeleo calyptratus

Veiled chameleon

NON NATIVE

Basiliscus vittatus

• Brown basilisk

• NON NATIVE, NOT found on campus

• family Corytophanidae, helmeted lizards

• common near bodies of water (canals, lake shorelines, retention ponds) and areas of thick vegetation, frequently bask on sidewalks and roads

• diet

  • primarily insectivores, also arthropods (spider and crabs), anoles, small snakes

• size

  • 4.5-6.5 inches, males larger than fems

  • including tail, adults range from 11-27 inches

• brown to dark olive w yellow stripe on sides running from eye to back

• long fringed hind toes allow it to run across water (jesus lizard)

• prominent head crest, larger in males than fems (small basilisks of bot sexes lack head crest)

Anolis carolinensis

Green anole

light, spotted underside

Anolis equestris

Knight anole

NON NATIVE

Anolis sagrei

Cuban brown anole

NON NATIVE

round head

Gekko gecko

Tokay gecko

NON NATIVE

Hemidactylus gamotii

Indo-Pacific house gecko

NON NATIVE

darker than tropical house geckos

broken tail

Hemidactylus mabouia

Tropical house geckos

NON NATIVE

HOUSE GECKOS are MY BOO, YA

Iguana iguana

• Green iguana

• family Iguanidae, Iguanas

• NON NATIVE, NOT found on campus

• found near bodies of permanent water and prefers areas w trees

• good climbers and swimmers, dig burrows

• salt and freshwater tolerant

• diet

  • primarily herbivores w tendency for ornamental plants

  • adults seen eating bird eggs, small vertebrates, and carrion

  • juveniles seen eating insects and small tree snails

• size

  • males grow over 6 ft long (including tail)

  • fems can reach over 5 ft

• large round scale at rear of jaw

• both sexes have throat fan (dewlap) with little spikes

• bright to dull green, olive, and brown that varies w temp

• juveniles bright green and breeding males can be orange or pink

Leiocephalous carinatus

• Northern curlytail lizard

• family Leiocephalidae, curly-tailed lizards

• INVASIVE, native to Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Cuba

• habitat: mostly terrestrial, prone to retreating into burrows, introduced as pest control in sugar cane plantations

• IS found on campus

• diet: omnivores with preference for insects, also eat seeds, small fruits, terrestrial arthropods

• size: ~9 inches snout to tail

• keeled scales give rougher texture

• most easily identified by curled tail

• often have darker spots on back with lighter spots on side

• gray to tan to brown

Sceloporus undulatus

Eastern fence lizard

he goes UNDER the FENCE

Sceloporus woodi

Florida scrub lizard

SCRUBS are WOODI

stockier, darker

Plestiodon egregius

• Mole skink

• family Scincidae

• habitat: burrowers that prefer loose, sandy soil to wriggle through dirt

• size: 3.5-6 inches

• THREATENED!

• diet: seaside arthropods

• slender body with long, light tipped tail and short legs

• some have 1 lighter stripe across each side of body

• blue tails fade to orange with age

Plestiodon fasciatus

• Common five-lined skink

• family Scincidae

• size: 5-8.5 inches

• dark body with 5 white/yellow stripes on back

• juveniles have bright blue tails

• adult males lose stripes and have orange heads

• habitat: mostly wooded areas with fallen trees/stumps, no coastal areas

• blue tailed juveniles called “scorpions” due to myth they have stingers on tails

• specimen: no stripes on body, light stripes on head, dark body with light tail tip

Plestiodon inexpectatus

• Southeastern five-lined skink

• resemble common five-lined skink but prefer drier enviros

  • blue tailed juveniles also called “scorpions” due to myth they have stingers on tails

• habitat: trees

• IS found on campus

• no enlarged row of scales under tail

• specimen:

  • extremely dark body with few thin light stripes

  • tail tip is same color as body

Plestiodon laticeps

Broadhead skink

he has BROAD LATS #gymbro

Plestiodon reynoldsi

Florida sand skink

his name is REYNOLD

Scinella lateralis

Ground skink

he is LATERAL to the GROUND

Sphaerodactylus notatus

Florida reef gecko

Aspidoscelis sexlineata

• Six-lined racerunner

• SEX is like SIX

• family Teiidae, whiptail lizards

• NATIVE, can be found throughout SE and central US

• habitats: thrive in fire tolerant woodlands

• found on campus

• diet: primarily insectivores, known to eat small arthropods and mollusks

• size: 6-9.5 inches with tail being nearly twice the length of body, males larger than females

• brown, dark gray to black with 6 yellow or tan stripes running length of body, often mistaken for five-lined skink

• skin is velvety rather than shiny

• adult males have bluish underside, females and juveniles have whitish underside

Salvator merianeae

• Argentine black and white tegu

• family Teiidae, whiptail lizards

• INVASIVE, native to S America and can be found in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina

• habitat: dryer upland and agricultural areas, vegetated areas along canals

• NOT found on campus, yet

• diet: omnivorous, opportunistic predators, also eat carrion (carcass), threat to imperiled species such as gopher tortoise because they eat eggs and small tortoises

• size: males 4.5 ft, females 3 ft

• mottled black and white coloration arranged in thick banded pattern across back and tail, fewer solid bands indicate older tegu

• hatchlings have emerald green colored heads that fade within a few months

• young tegus have yellow and black banded tails

Varanus niloticus

• Nile monitor

• family Varanidae, monitors

• INVASIVE, native to sub-saharan Africa and nile river

• NOT found on campus

• diet: generalist feeders that hint on and below ground, in trees, in fresh and saltwater

• size: 5-7 ft

• olive to green to black

• v shaped stripes beginning at skull into banded pattern along back

• large yellow/green rosette like spots on back form banded pattern

Cemophora coccinea

• Scarlet snake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Coluber constrictor

• Eastern racer

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Coluber flagellum

• Eastern coachwhip

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Drymarchon couperi

• Eastern indigo snake

• family Colubridae

  oviparous

  mostly harmless to humans

  19 species in FL

Lampropeltis calligaster

Mole kingsnake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Lampropeltis elapsoides

Scarlet kingsnake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Lampropeltis extenuata

Short-tailed kingsnake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Lampropeltis getula

Common kingsnake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Opheodrys aestivus

Rough green snake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

Eastern ratsnake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Pantherophis guttatus

Eastern corn snake

he is also GLUTTANOUS for CORN

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Pantherophis spiloides

Gray rat snake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Pituophis melanoleucus

Pine snake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Tantilla coronata

Southeastern crowned snake

he was CORRINATED with a CROWN

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Tantilla oolitica

Rim rock crowned snake

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Tantilla relicta

Florida crowned snake

he wears a crown

• family Colubridae

  • oviparous

  • mostly harmless to humans

  • 19 species in FL

Diadophis punctatus

Ringneck snake

• family Dipsadidae

  • 6 species in FL

  • enlarged, sometimes grooved teeth toward back of jaw

  • most oviparous

Farancia abacura

Mud snake

• family Dipsadidae

  • 6 species in FL

  • enlarged, sometimes grooved teeth toward back of jaw

  • most oviparous

Farancia erytrogramma

Rainbow snake

• family Dipsadidae

  • 6 species in FL

  • enlarged, sometimes grooved teeth toward back of jaw

  • most oviparous

Heterodon platirhinos

Eastern hognose snake

• family Dipsadidae

  • 6 species in FL

  • enlarged, sometimes grooved teeth toward back of jaw

  • most oviparous

Heterodon simus

Southern hognose snake

SOUTHERNERS have lots of SINUS issues

• family Dipsadidae

  • 6 species in FL

  • enlarged, sometimes grooved teeth toward back of jaw

  • most oviparous

Rhadinaea flavilata

Pine woods snake

• family Dipsadidae

  • 6 species in FL

  • enlarged, sometimes grooved teeth toward back of jaw

  • most oviparous

Micrurus fulvius

• Eastern coral snake

• family Elapidae

  • venomous, envenomation causes rapid paralysis and respiratory failure

  • fixed front fangs (proteroglyphous dentition)

  • slender body

  • oviparous (some ovoviviparous)

  • warning coloration

• crepuscular (active primarily during night)

Haldea striatula

Rough earth snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Liodytes alleni

• Striped crayfish snake

• family Natricidae

  • semi aquatic snakes

  • viviparous- give live birth

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

• Liodytes genus are nocturnal foragers and very secretive

  • typically smaller and locally abundant, cryptic species

• iridescent sheen when wet

• head not much wider than neck

• eyes on side of head

• dark brown to olive color with smooth scales, prominent dorsolateral stripe that breaks up cream colored underbelly

• IS found on campus

Liodytes pygaea

Swamp snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• Liodytes genus are nocturnal foragers and very secretive

  • typically smaller and locally abundant, cryptic species

• IS found on campus

• underbelly is vibrant red w some black markings often displayed as defense mechanism

Liodytes rigida

Glossy crayfish snake

he doesn’t have RIDGES since he is GLOSSY

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• Liodytes genus are nocturnal foragers and very secretive

  • typically smaller and locally abundant, cryptic species

• IS found on campus

Nerodia clarkii

Salt marsh snake

named after who found him named, CLARK

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• mostly diurnal but dependent on season

  • often larger and abundant capable of living in disturbed habitat

• very variable color, can have stripes, bands, blotches

Nerodia erythrogaster

Plainbelly water snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• mostly diurnal but dependent on season

  • often larger and abundant capable of living in disturbed habitat

Nerodia fasciata

Southern water snake

he is FACETIOUS and lives in the SOUTH

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• mostly diurnal but dependent on season

  • often larger and abundant capable of living in disturbed habitat

• IS found on campus

Nerodia floridana

Florida green water snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• mostly diurnal but dependent on season

  • often larger and abundant capable of living in disturbed habitat

• IS found on campus

Nerodia sipedon

Midland water snake

he SIPS water his he is in the MIDDLE of the LAND

• family Natricidae

  19 species in FL

  formerly placed in Colubridae

  keeled scales

  aquatic, semi aquatic

  most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• mostly diurnal but dependent on season

  • often larger and abundant capable of living in disturbed habitat

Nerodia taxispilota

Brown water snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

• mostly diurnal but dependent on season

  • often larger and abundant capable of living in disturbed habitat

• head is arrow shaped and much wider than neck

• IS found on campus

Regina septemvittata

Queen snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Storeria dekayi

Brown snake

things DECAY and turn BROWN

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Storeria occipitomaculata,

Redbelly snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Storeria victa

Florida brown snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Thamnophis sauritus

Eastern ribbon snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Thamnophis sirtalis

Garter snake

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Virginia valeriae

Eastern smooth earth snake

her name is Valerie

• family Natricidae

  • 19 species in FL

  • formerly placed in Colubridae

  • keeled scales

  • aquatic, semi aquatic

  • most ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)

Python bivittatus

• Burmese python

• family Pythonidae

  • constrictors

  • heat sensing

  • oviparous

• NON NATIVE

  • native to SE Asia

• 1st florida specimen found in 1979 along north border of everglades

Indotyphlops braminus

• Brahminy blind snake

• family Typhlopidae (blind or worm snakes)

  • small burrowers

  • reduced or absent eyes

  • smooth, shiny scales

  • ovoviviparous and oviparous

• NON NATIVE

  • native to southern Asia but most widely distributed snake in world due to human transport

• unisexual and parthenogenetic

• eats termites and pupae

Agkistrodon contortrix

Copperhead

they like to CONTORT COPPER

• family Viperidae

  • 5 in FL

  • keeled scales, stocky bodies

  • short tail

  • triangular head distinct from neck

  • vertically elliptical pupils

  • ovoviviparous

  • heat sensing pits