Hey, I got the chance to herp Pasco county for 9 days. The weather was iffy and we had a few days that were only in the low 70s. We also had 2 days of heavy rain on top of that. I don't get to herp florida often being i live in new york, and was very excited when my friend invited me to stay at his house. I been in love with the state every since i was really young. The diverse wildlife and fish that live there is what brought me in. I plan on moving there as soon as possible. I was thinking about the Fort Myers area or Orlando but I have heard south florida in better for herping.
During the trip we got to herp a bunch of different parks but didn't really do as well as i expected. There wasn't much to flip except logs and palm leaves. I didn't have access to a car otherwise i would have gone road cruising. Most of the floridian species would be lifers but instead we found 4 snake species that i have already photographed in past years.
Sorry for the amateur pictures my camera sucks.
Here are some habitat shots-
Here are some finds-
Found this cool bug, did a little research and found it is an Eyed Click Beetle (Alaus oculatus)
These Brown Anoles (Anolis segrei) were EVERYWHERE.
These Mediterranean Geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) were seen in copious amounts too. We also saw a few Indo-Pacific Geckos (Hemidactylus garnotti) which escaped the camera.
These Green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea) were around the house too.
Didn't really expect to see this a pair of these Florida scrub lizards? Sorry for the awful picture.(Would be a lifer)
One of the snakes we were able to find on the trip were 5 Brahminy Blind Snakes Ramphotyphlops braminus, which seem to be very common in this area. A few years back i found a pair of them along a canal in Pinellas County.
Found this little Racer (Coluber constrictor) under a downed palm leaf.
I found this Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata) (atleast i think so) while walking in from snorkeling on a saltwater beach. He was just swimming along on the shoreline.
We found a few Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) grazing. (LIFER)
We went wading in the lake in my friends backyard and netted two turtles.
Yellowbellied slider? (would be a lifer)
Florida Softshell Turtle (Apalone ferox) (LIFER)
We also found a Southern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis Punctatus) when i didn't have a camera on me.
I need help with some other ID's. I know this is Field HERP Forum but i figured someone might be able to help me ID these..
I caught a ton of these panfish. They look like bluegill but i dont think they are. I bet they are some kind of sunfish.
Two of these birds came right up on my friends dock almost every day.
I also saw this skink with unique coloring and pattern. Im pretty sure its a Southeastern Five lined
I found these toads while walking to the store one night. Southern Toads?
Found this one during the day- My guess is Bufo americanus
Thanks guys ill continue to post on my long island excursions throughout the summer and ill also be down in north carolina in july.
Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Slider is a tough call without a side-shot of the head. Yellow belly sliders have a big yellow spot on the side of their head while coots just have yellow lines.
And yeah, only flipping cover in Florida is natural cover unless on private property.
And yeah, only flipping cover in Florida is natural cover unless on private property.
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
After looking at pictures of both species, it was a cooter.simus343 wrote:Slider is a tough call without a side-shot of the head. Yellow belly sliders have a big yellow spot on the side of their head while coots just have yellow lines.
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Your toads are all Anaxyrus terrestris. The others I don't think range this far south.
Your water snake I think is a N. clarkii. Anybody else agree?
The boat dock birds are Black-crowned Night Herons.
Your water snake I think is a N. clarkii. Anybody else agree?
The boat dock birds are Black-crowned Night Herons.
- Berkeley Boone
- Posts: 878
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:02 am
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Nope- the first two toads are Cane toads (marinus).
The third is a terrestris.
Clarkii is what popped into my mind for the water snake, but I am going to let one of the Florida boys weigh in. I've never seen any of that complex in person....there may be a little banded water in it, but it is not a pure one for sure.
Very cool color on the skink!
Did you play with the click beetle any? I find it hilarious to watch them 'pop and lock' and jump all over the place.
--Berkeley
The third is a terrestris.
Clarkii is what popped into my mind for the water snake, but I am going to let one of the Florida boys weigh in. I've never seen any of that complex in person....there may be a little banded water in it, but it is not a pure one for sure.
Very cool color on the skink!
Did you play with the click beetle any? I find it hilarious to watch them 'pop and lock' and jump all over the place.
--Berkeley
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
I see it now. I just knew they were not americanusNope- the first two toads are Cane toads (marinus).
The third is a terrestris.
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
I tried to get it to move with my snake hook but it wouldnt.Berkeley Boone wrote: Did you play with the click beetle any? I find it hilarious to watch them 'pop and lock' and jump all over the place.
- Josh Holbrook
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:11 am
- Location: Western North Carolina
- Contact:
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Definitely a Saltmarsh Snake; and full blooded (not hybridized) if you found him in salt water. From the looks of him I would guess it's a mix of Mangrove (N. c. compressicauda) and Gulf Coast (N. c. clarkii); and I'm pretty sure that's right for the range (I don't have the range map in front of me, but I think you get hybrids from Tampa to Cedar Key).
- Berkeley Boone
- Posts: 878
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:02 am
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Thanks for the verification, Josh. A little clarification from my statement above- when I said 'not a pure one', I was referring to it not being a pure banded water snake. I knew it was one of those saltmarsh snakes, but I can never keep the clarkii/compressicauda species level thing straight.... I just need to see a couple of them live, I guess!
Byrns, to respond to your other question, yes that is a bluegill. And they are indeed a type of sunfish (Lepomis)
--Berkeley
Byrns, to respond to your other question, yes that is a bluegill. And they are indeed a type of sunfish (Lepomis)
--Berkeley
Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
[/quote]="Berkeley Boone"
Byrns, to respond to your other question, yes that is a bluegill. And they are indeed a type of sunfish (Lepomis) [/quote]
They looked different from bluegills i have caught up north. Theres a lot of purple on the adults.
Byrns, to respond to your other question, yes that is a bluegill. And they are indeed a type of sunfish (Lepomis) [/quote]
They looked different from bluegills i have caught up north. Theres a lot of purple on the adults.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Yuck - I didn't know we had cane toads in the Tampa Bay region!
Congrats on the scrub lizards - were those in Pasco Co. as well? Wasn't aware they lived this way. Also, nice shots of the black-crowned night herons! They are elusive birds but one of my favorite sights!
Congrats on the scrub lizards - were those in Pasco Co. as well? Wasn't aware they lived this way. Also, nice shots of the black-crowned night herons! They are elusive birds but one of my favorite sights!
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
The scrub lizards were on a firewood pile in pasco county. There were two night herons who walked right up next to us. I had no idea about the cane toads as well. I was thinking cane toads when i first saw them but didnt think they came up this far north.mtratcliffe wrote:Yuck - I didn't know we had cane toads in the Tampa Bay region!
Congrats on the scrub lizards - were those in Pasco Co. as well? Wasn't aware they lived this way. Also, nice shots of the black-crowned night herons! They are elusive birds but one of my favorite sights!
- Josh Holbrook
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:11 am
- Location: Western North Carolina
- Contact:
Re: Pasco County 4/11-4/20 (Multiple ID's needed)
Yeah, I understand, but yeah: an intergrade, not a hybrid. And come on down, we can find a few.Berkeley Boone wrote:Thanks for the verification, Josh. A little clarification from my statement above- when I said 'not a pure one', I was referring to it not being a pure banded water snake. I knew it was one of those saltmarsh snakes, but I can never keep the clarkii/compressicauda species level thing straight.... I just need to see a couple of them live, I guess!
Byrns, to respond to your other question, yes that is a bluegill. And they are indeed a type of sunfish (Lepomis)
--Berkeley