all herps ID/names

Scaphiopus holbrookii (eastern spadefoot)

• 2 light yellow hourglass shaped lines and dark back

• Elliptical pupil

• Spade (pad) on back feet

• Call: Sad moapy call

Anaxyrus (Bufo) terrestris (southern toad)

• Enlarged cranial crest form pronounced knobs

• Dark blotches with lighter warts on them

• Gap bw parotoid glands and cranial crest (connected by spur)

• Venter is liighter than back

Anaxyrus (Bufo) americanus (American toad)

• Crests not enlarged (same size front to back)

• Gap bw parotoid glands and post orbital ridge

• 1-2 spots within darker blotches on back

• Spotted tummy

• Call: Long higher pitched uninterrupted trill

Anaxyrus (Bufo) fowleri (Fowler's Toad)

• Crest not enlarged

• Glands toch post orbital ridge

• 3+ warts within blotches on back

• Not spotted tummy

Anaxyrus (Bufo) quercicus (Oak Toad)

• Dark back with prominent spots and lighter midline strip

• Really small and way darker (quarter)

Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog)

• Solid bright green frogs with white stripe from mouth down length of body

  • Consistent coloration (smooth)

• Call: nasally meep

Hyla gratiosa (Barking Treefrog)

• Rough skin with toad-esk body

• Large toe discs

• Dark spots

Hyla squirella (Squirrel Treefrog)

• Highly variable

• Spotted or unspotted

• Eliminate all other characteristics

Hyla chrysoscelis (Cope’s Gray Treefrog)

• Grey to green to brown with irregular dark blotches

• Light spot below eye

• Rough skin

• Call: dry short deeper trill

Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper)

• X shape on back

• tiny

• Call: short high pitched meep sound

Pseudacris ornata (Ornate Chorus Frog)

• Dark elongated spots that almost form uninterrupted stripe through eye and down body

• No toe discs

Pseudacris feriarum (Upland Chorus Frog)

• 3 longitudinal stripes downback and one thick one through eye and down body

• Call: run fingernail down comb (ascending in pitch)

Pseudacris ocularis (Little Grass Frog)

• Dark line through eye down body

• Size of thumbnail

Acris gryllus (Southern Cricket Frog)

• Triangle on back of head

• No toe discs

• Stripe on back legs

• Call: marbles clicking

Acris crepitans (Northern Cricket Frog)

• Triangle on back of head

• No toe discs

• Stripe on back legs

Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad)

• Round body (arrowshaped) with small head and mouth

• Males have dark throat with light tummy (females just light tummy)

• Call: goat

Rana clamitans (Green/Bronze Frog)

• Dorsolateral fold ends midback

Males: tympanum larger than eye size, females tympanum same size as eye

Rana palustris (Pickerel Frog)

• Dorsolateral folds extend to base of legs (light colored)

• Square spots in parallel 2 rows down back

Rana sphenocephala (Southern Leopard Frog)

• Dorsolateral folds extend to base of legs

• 2-3 rows of irregular shaped spots bw folds

• Calls: chuckle or rub two boots together

Rana catesbeiana (American Bullfrog)

• Large

• Spotted on stomach

• Males: tympanum larger than eye size, females tympanum same size as eye

• U-shaped webbing

• Calls: deep scary growl (horror game)

Rana grylio (Pig Frog)

• Smaller than bullfrog

• Spotted

• More pointed nose

More extensive webbing on hind feet (full triangle with point being longest toe)

Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy)

• External gills, caudal fin

• Gray to black, sometimes with dark spots

• 4 legs

• Benthic – live under rocks or logs

• Nocturnal 

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Hellbender)

• Large grayish-brown salamander

• No external gills in adults

• Head and body flattened

• Skin folds

Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander)

• Distinct black dorsum with yellow orange spots in 2 irregular rows

• Lighter venter

Ambystoma opacum (Marbled Salamander)

• Dorsal color dark with white/silver cross-bands

Ambystoma talpoideum (Mole Salamander)

• Brown gray dorsum with lighter flecks

• Stocky body with flattened head

• Some adults retain external gills (paedomorphic)

Ambystoma tigrinum (Tiger Salamander)

• Largest in family

• Yellow spots or irregular shapes on back

• Bands on tail = tiger

• Venter lighter with dark mottling

Plethodon glutinosus (Northern Slimy Salamander)

• Slender body shape

• Black with light flecks

• Nasolabial grooves

• Ridges banding body

Plethodon serratus (Southern Red-backed Salamander)

• Wide red serrated stripe from back of head to tail (bordered by dark color)

• Mottled light and dark venter

Eurycea cirrigera (Southern Two-lined Salamander)

• Yellowish brown orang back

• Back bordered by 2 dark stripes that extend to tail

• Small spots or flecks on back

• Strongly aquatic so tail compressed

Eurycea guttolineata (Three-lined Salamander)

• Yellow tan back with 3 dark stripes

• Venter and sides of tail are mottled light and dark

• Long tail – ⅔ body length

Pseudotriton ruber (Red Salamander)

• Red, orange, purple

• Irregular shaped black spots on back and sides

• Compressed tail (aquatic)

Gyrinophilus porphyriticus (Spring Salamander)

• red/orange

• More slender than red sal.

• Small dark spots on back

• Keeled tail (compressed)

• Light and dark colored raised ridge from eye to nostril (canthus rostralis)

Stereochilus marginatus (Many-lined Salamander)

• <4 in, brown dull yellow

• Narrow pointed head

• Series of small longitudinal lines on sides

• Yellowish belly with dark flecks

• Strongly aquatic

Aneides aeneus (Green Salamander)

• Dorsum w green lichen-like markings

• Flattened head and body

• Square-tipped toes improve grip (rocky habitat)

• Rounded tail (not aquatic)

Desmognathus conanti (Spotted Dusky Salamander)

• Dark brown to tan dorsum

• Moderate keel; back legs thicker than front

• No distinct pattern or spots (6-7 blotchy spots)

• Venter usually light with mottling

Desmognathus amphileucus (Nantahala Black-bellied Salamander)

• Dark brown/black dorsum with mottling

• Black venter

• Flattened, strongly keeled tail

• back legs thicker than front

• Lighter face

Notophthalmus viridescens (Eastern Newt)

• Adults aquatic

• Spot with black outline

• Very keeled tail

• Lighter venter

Amphiuma means (Two-toed Amphiuma)

• 2 toes

• Largest species

• 4 small legs

• Dorsum is gray to brown; venter is lighter

Siren intermedia (Lesser Siren)

• External gills, caudal fin

• Gray to black, sometimes with dark spots

• 2 front legs only

• Benthic

Caretta caretta (loggerhead sea turtle)

• large head to body size

• reddish brown color on head and carapace

Apalone spinifera (spiny softshel turtle)

• feet strongly patterned

• rough sandpaper shell

• snorkle nose

Macrochelys temminckii (alligator snapping turtle)

• poor plastron (stomach shell)

• rough jagged keels (3 down back)

• 3-5 supramarginal scute (inbw marginal and costal)

• hooked beak

Chelydra serpentina (common snapping turtle)

• carapace also has 3 keels (less distinct

• beak not strongly hooked

• long sawtooth tale

Kinosternon subrubrum (eastern mud turtle)

• smooth domed carapace

• double hinged plastron

• olive, green, brown, black

• triangular pectoral scutes (make K with first hinge)

Sternotherus odoratus (common mud turtle)

• similar carapace to other mud turtle

• 2 light stripe on head

• 2 pairs of barbels

• pectoral scutes more square

Chrysemys picta (painted turtle)

• light bands on front edge of scutes

• yellow stripes on head and 2 yellow blotches behind eye

• plastron yellow

Trachemys scripta (pond slider)

• vertical yellow bands on costal scutes

• large yellow spot behind eye

• striped legs/neck

• yellow plastron w 2 dark spots on gular scutes

Pseudemys concinna (River cooter)

• brown carpace with yellow lines

• donut marking on bottom of marginal scutes

• yellow lines on head and legs; thick prominant lines on head

Graptemys geographica (common map turtle)

• ridges on vertebral scutes

• sprines less prominant

  • form slight keel

• reticulated pattern of lines on carapace

• striped head

Deirochelys reticularia (chicken turtle)

• very long striped neck

• reticulated pattern resembling chicken wire

• vertical stripes on legs

• yellow plastron

Clemmys guttata (spotted turtle)

• yellow orange spots on back

• spots on head

• spots on head

Malaclemys terrapin (diamondback terrapin)

• concentric rings on each scute

• light gray spotted head and legs

• sexually dimorphic

Terrapene carolina (box turtle)

• domed carapace

• yellow blotches/stripes

• plastron hinged

• sexually dimorphic (males plastron concave, female flat)

Gopherus polyphemus (gopher tortoise)

• dark brown carapace

• thick heavily scaled legs

• light colred plastron, unhinged

• gular scutes enlarged

• sexually dimorphic (males plastron concave, female flat)

Crocodylus acutus (american crocodile)

• long pointed tapering snout

• teeth visible outside mouth

Alligator mississippiensis (american alligator)

• rounded rostrum

• upper jaw slightly wider so teeth not visible

• young have yellow crossbands

Phrynosoma cornutum (texas horned lizard)

• spines on head

• 2 central head spine longer than others

• 2 rows of fringed scales on sides

• dark mottling

Sceloporus undulatus (eastern fence lizard)

• gray/brown, wavy lines on dorsum

• blue bordered by black on throat and venter on males

• spiny all over

Anolis carolinensis (green anole)

• long slender body, bright green or brown

• pink or reddish dewlap

• pointed rostrum

Ophisaurus attenuatus (slender glass lizard)

• no legs

• lateral groove down body

• dark stripe below groove

• middorsal stripe

Ophisaurus ventralis (Eastern Glass Lizard)

• no legs

• lateral groove down body

• NO mid dorsal stripe or stripe below lateral groove

• vertical lines behind eye

Aspidoscelis (Cnemidophorus) sexlineata (six-lined racerunner)

• 6 light stripe extending down back

• long thin tail

• small granular scales on body; larger rectangular scales on tail

Plestiodon (Eumeces) fasciatus (five-lined skink)

• 5 stripes on dark dorsum

• enlarged mid-ventral row of scales on ventral part of tail

• 4 upper labial scales and 2 postlabial scales

Plestiodon (Eumeces) laticeps (broad-headed skink)

• larger than other plestiodons

• bronze with age

• swollen jaws and more bright orange than females

• 5 upper labial scales and no postlabial scales

Plestiodon (Eumeces) inexpectatus (southeastern five-lined skink)

• 5 stripes on dark dorsum

• has uniform scale on ventral part of tail

Scincella lateralis (ground skink)

• golden brown color

• 2 dark stripes down each side

• light belly

Crotalus adamanteus (eastern diamondback rattlesnake)

• dark brown diamonds outlined by cream scales

• 2 white lines on face

• rattles present on end of tail

Sistrurus miliarius (pigmy rattlesnake)

• small

• 1-2 rows of rounded, dark lateral spots

• color ranges from reddish to brown or darker

Crotalus horridus (timber rattlesnake)

• chevron or v-shaped marking on back

• highly color variable (back half normally darker and front lighter)

Agkistrodon contortrix (copperhead)

• coppery colored head

• dark hourglass shaped marking on back

• cryptic coloration

Agkistrodon piscivorus (cottonmouth/water moccasin)

• dark band that runs through eye

• white inner mouth

Micrurus fulvius (eastern coral snake)

• small snake with small mouth and short fangs

• red, yellow, black rings (venomous)

• smooth scales

• head/rostrum is black

Nerodia sipedon

(northern water snake)

• wide dark dorsal marking, light bands thinner

• bands by head, blotches near tail

• light venter with dark half-moon shaped blotches

Nerodia fasciata

(banded water snake)

• bands remain complete throughout length of body

• dark stripe from eye to angle of jaw

• light venter with dark half-moon shaped blotches

Nerodia taxispilota

(brown water snake)

• brown dorsum with rows of squarish dark blotches down back

• do not form bands

• light venter with dark half-moon shaped blotches

Nerodia erythrogaster

(plain-bellied water snake)

• solid dorsum coloration in adults

• venter unmarked

Thamnophis sirtalis

(common garter snake)

• 3 yellow stripes on dorsum (has midline)

• dark vertical lines under eye

• lateral stripes on row 2-3

Thamnophis sauritus

(eastern ribbon snake)

• long thin tail (1/3 total body length)

• more slender than common garter snake

• no vertical lines under eye

• lateral stripes on row 3-4

Lampropeltis getula
(common kingsnake)

• smooth scales

• thin light-colored bands that look like chain-link from sides

Lampropeltis elapsoides

(scarlet kingsnake)

• mimic of eastern coral snake

• red bands widest

• red rostrum

• red → black, friend of jack

• bands wrap around whole body

Heterodon simus

(southern hognose snake)

• keeled scales

• upturned scales used to burrow

• tan with dark spots dorsum; venter plain or spotted

• tail same color as belly

Heterodon platirhinos

(eastern hognose snake)

• less upturned rostrum

• tail lighter/different than rest of body

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

(eastern rat snake)

• divided anal plate, flat venter

• checkerboard pattern on center

• weakly keeled scales

Pantherophis spiloides

(gray rat snake)

• divided anal plate, flat venter

• gray dorsum with dark blotches

Pantherophis guttatus

(corn snake)

• spear point marking on head

• checkerboard center

• squarish rings on back

Pituophis melanoleucus

(pine snake)

• dark random marking at head and form bands towards tail

• blunt rostrum

Drymarchon couperi

(eastern indigo snake)

• skinny bluish black all over

• smooth scales

• 6-7 ft long, reddish chin

Farancia abacura

(mud snake)

• shiny black dorsum w smooth scales

• red, pink belly that extends onto sides in narrow triangles

• spine on tip of tail

Coluber constrictor

(black racer)

• smooth scales

• plain black dorsum

• pain lighter venter, throat and chin

Coluber (Masticophis) flagellum

(coachwhip)

• smooth scales

• dark front body getting light towards end

• scales on tail like braided whip, long slender body

Regina septemvittata
(Queen snake)

• dark dorsum, yellow cream stripe on each side

• keeled scale

• belly light with 2 dark stripes down middle and 2 dark stripes on each side

Opheodrys aestivus

(rough green snake)

• bright green with white yellow venter

• keeled scales

• really thin

Cemophora coccinea

(scarlet snake)

• red and yellow bands separated by black bands, red bands widest

• bands do not wrap around whole body (light venter)

• rostrum red and pointed

Storeria dekayi

(brown snake)

• small snake

• keeled scales

• 2 rows of dark spots on back

• dark blotches behind eye

Storeria occipitomaculata

(red-bellied snake)

• rows of dark spots or lines

• keeled scale

• 3 lighter spots on neck that may fuse to form ring

• red venter

Diadophis punctatus

(ringneck snake)

• orange yellow venter

• gray dorsum

• ring around neck same color as venter

• smooth scales

Tantilla coronata

(southeastern crowned snake)

• light body dark head and neck with light band on neck

• flat pointed head

Carphophis amoenus

(eastern worm snake)

• plain dorsum

• first 2 scale rows same color as venter (pink)

• smooth scales

• small pointed head

• thick throughout (tail)

Haldea (Virginia) striatula

(rough earth snake)

• default small snake

• small pinted rostrum

• weakly keeled scales (rough)

• plain gray dorsum