Vertebrate Biodiversity Lab Practical 2 (Amphibians and Reptiles)

Genus, species, and common names

Scaphiopus holbrooki

Eastern spadefoot toad

Anaxyrus americanus

American toad

Anaxyrus fowleri

Fowler’s toad

Anaxyrus quercicus

Oak toad

Anaxyrus terrestris

Southern toad

Acris gryllus

Southern cricket frog

Hyla andersoni

Pine barrens tree frog

Hyla avivoca

Bird-voiced tree frog

Hyla chrysoscelis

Gray tree frog

Hyla cinerea

Green tree frog

Hyla gratiosa

Barking tree frog

Hyla squirella

Squirrel tree frog

Pseudacris crucifer

Spring peeper

Pseudacris feriarum

Upland chorus frog

Pseudacris ornata

Ornate chorus frog

Gastrophyrne carolinensis

Eastern narrow-mouthed toad

Lithobates capito

Gopher frog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Bull frog

Lithobates clamitans

Green frog

Lithobates sphenocephalus

Southern leopard frog

Ambystoma maculatum

Spotted salamander

Ambystoma opacum

Marbled salamander

Ambystoma talpoideum

Mole salamander

Ambystoma tigrinum

Tiger salamander

Ambystoma mexicanum

Axolotl

Amphiuma tridactylum

Three-toed amphiuma

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

Hellbender

Aeides aenus

Green salamander

Desmognathus conanti

Spotted dusky salamander

Eurycea cirrigera

Two-lined salamander

Eurycea guttolineata

Three-lined salamander

Eurycea quadridigata

Dwarf salamander

Euryceaa lucifusa

Cave salamander

Hemidactylium scutatum

Four-toed salamander

Phaegnathus hubrichti

Red Hills salamander

Plethodon glutinosus

Slimy salamander

Pseudotriton ruber

Red salamander

Necturus maculosus

Mudpuppy

Notopthalmus viridescens

Eastern newt

Siren intermedia

Lesser siren

Siren lacertina

Greater siren

Hemidactylus turcicus

House gecko

Plestiodon laticeps

Broadhead skink

Scincella lateralis

Little brown skink

Aspidoscelis sexlineata

Six-lined racerunner

Crotalus horridus

Timber rattlesnake

Pantherophis spiloides

Grey rat snake

Nerodia sipedon

Midland water snake

Diadophus punctatus

ringneck snake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Milk snake

Agkistrodon contortrix

Copperhead

Ophisaurus attenuatus

Slender glass lizard

Anolis carolinensis

Green anole

Sceloperus undulatus

Eastern fence lizard

Apalone spinifera

Spiny softshell

Trachemys scripta

Yellow-bellied slider

Terrapene carolina

Common box turtle

Gopherus polyphemus

Gopher tortoise

Chelonia mydas

Green sea turtle

Macrochelys temminickii

Alligator snapper

Sternotherus odoratus

Razor-back musk turtle

Alligator mississippiensis

American alligator

What is the order that geckos are in?

Gekkota

What order are Tuataras in?

Rhychocephalia

What order are skinks in?

Scincoidea

What order are racerunners in?

Lacertoidea

What order are snakes in?

Serpentes

What order are glass lizards in?

Anguimorpha

What family are iguanas/anoles in?

Iguania

What order are softshell turtles in?

Trionychia

What order are freshwater turtles in?

Emydidae

What order are tortoises in?

Testudinidae

What order are sea turtles in?

Chelonioidea

What order are snapping turtles in?

Chelydridae

What order are musk turtles in?

Kinosternidae

What order are alligators and crocodiles in?

Crocodylia

What order are mole salamanders in?

Ambystomatidae

What order are amphiumas in?

Amphiumidae

What order are giant salamanders in?

Cryptobranchidae

What order are lungless salamanders in?

Plethodontidae

What order are mudpuppies in?

Proteidae

What order are true salamanders in?

Salamandridae

What order are sirens in?

Sirenidae

What order tailed frogs in?

Leiopelmatoidea

What order are spadefoot toads in?

Pelobatoidea

What order are tongueless frogs in?

Pipoidea

What order are true toads in?

Bufonidae

What order are tree frogs in?

Hylidae

What order are narrow-mouthed frogs in?

Microhylidae

What order are true frogs in?

Ranidae

Two morphological features that distinguish a snake from a legless lizard:

Snakes lack earholes and eyelids, while legless lizards retain them.

Name one major group of squamates containing a species that exhibits viviparity:

Viperids

Name one major group of squamates containing a species that exhibits parthenogenesis:

Lacertoidea

Is Testudines paraphyletic or monophyletic?

Monophyletic

Is Reptilia paraphyletic or monophyletic?

Paraphyletic

Is the group of lizards paraphyletic or monophyletic?

Paraphyletic

Is Serpentes paraphyletic or monophyletic?

Monophyletic

Nerodia species often have a similar pattern to some viperids. Other than pattern, name two ways you can differentiate them from venomous snakes.

Head shape, tail shape/color, and pupil shape

Which group of salamanders have at least one species that exhibits paedomorphosis? What morphological features do they have that make them paedomorphic?

1. Sirenidae, Amphiumidae, Proteidae

2. They retain external gills and have no back legs

Which two Plethodontid salamanders have only 4 toes on the rear limb?

1. 4-toed salamander

2. Eurycea hillisi