Field Bio II Need To Know!!

Red, large and bunched - Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum

Yellow, smaller, bunched - Jefferson Salamander, Ambystoma jeffersonianum

Green, singular, round - Wood Frog, Lithobates sylvaticus

What are they?

Planorbidae

Rams Horn Snail

Lymnaeidae

Pond Snail/Pointed Winkle

Eastern Newt

Notophthalmus viridescens.

A small, 2.5–5 inch salamander with a unique three-stage life cycle: aquatic larva, terrestrial juvenile ("red eft"), and aquatic adult.

Females have narrower tails, with no spots on feet. Males have large tails, spots on feet and thighs, large rear hands.

American Bullfrog Tadpoles

Rana catesbeiana.

White belly, vermiculated and spotted tail, 3-5 years to mature.

Midland Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta.

• Shell (Carapace): Smooth, oval, and relatively flat. Its most unique feature is that the large segments (scutes) align in relatively straight rows across the back, unlike other subspecies where they alternate. Coloration is olive to black with pale leading edges on the scutes.

• Plastron (Bottom Shell): Plain yellow or lightly spotted, though it may be stained reddish-brown by minerals or algae. Female have a FLAT plastron, males have an indent.

• Skin Markings: The head, neck, and limbs are black or olive with distinctive yellow and red stripes. Two bright yellow spots are usually visible behind each eye.

• Size: Adults typically range from 4.5 to 7 inches (11–18 cm) in length. Females are generally larger and more domed than males, while males have notably longer front claws and thicker tails.

Common Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus.

• Size: They are exceptionally small, typically reaching only 3 to 5 inches in shell length.

• Appearance: They have a highly domed, oval carapace (top shell) that is usually dark brown, gray, or black and often covered in algae.

• Identifying Features: Most species, like the S. odoratus, have two distinct yellow stripes on each side of the head and small, fleshy chin projections called barbels.

Wood Frog

Lithobates sylvaticus
They are small to medium-sized (approx. 1.5–3.25 inches) with a distinctive dark "robber's mask" across their eyes. Their skin color ranges from tan and pinkish-brown to dark brown.

Spring Peeper

Pseudacris crucifer
These tiny frogs typically grow to only 0.75–1.25 inches (1.9–3.2 cm) long. Their color varies from tan and brown to olive or gray, which helps them camouflage against tree bark and leaf litter.

Leopard Frog

Lithobates pipiens
Typically 2–4.5 inches (5–11.5 cm) long. They are green or brown with large, dark, circular spots that have a light-colored "halo" around them.

Pickerel Frog

Lithobates palustris
Its most defining feature is the two parallel rows of dark, squarish or rectangular spots running down its back.

Green Frog

Lithobates clamitans melanota
Typically 2.25–4 inches (5.5–10 cm) long. They have green heads with bodies that can range from bright green to bronze, olive, or brown. Has dorsolateral fold.

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus
Adults can reach 3.5–8 inches (9–20 cm) in length and weigh up to 1.1 lbs (0.5 kg). No dorsolateral fold.

Blue Cohosh

(Caulophyllum thalictroides) – Woodland perennial with bluish-green compound leaves, small yellow-green flowers, and distinctive bright blue berries. Found in rich deciduous forests. Autotroph; rhizomatous; often mycorrhizal.
Uses: Traditionally used medicinally (especially in women’s health), but toxic if misused and not considered edible.

Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus

• Small, smooth domed shell

• Two yellow stripes on head

Eastern Ratsnake

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

• Black/gray body

• White chin

• Faint pattern (fades with age)

Common Watersnake

Nerodia sipedon

• Dark crossbands (widest on back)

• Thick-bodied

• Often near water