I'm doing a herp survey at Apalachee Wildlife Management Area in Jackson County, Florida which is the northern panhandle. The border of the WMA is also the Chattahootchee River/Lake Seminole which is also the FL/GA border. Lots of upland pine habitat with some sandhills and plenty of little ponds. There are some good herps here. I could use some help with tadpole IDs. Trying to ID tadpoles is a first for me. These are mostly in chronological order.
Eastern Hognose (Heterodon platyrhinos)
My first snake on my first day doing the survey. All the usual antics as you can tell.
Eastern Narrowmouth Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis)
These were probably the most numerous herp at the end of August. Last week I only found 2 in a week in our traps.
Smooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae)
This species is more common than I knew. I've only encountered a few in my life before funnel traps.
Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea)
1 of 2 I have caught so far. This was its attempt to escape when I set it on the ground.
Ball Python...I mean Eastern Kingsnake
DSC_9772 by Robert Gundy, on Flickr
Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platyrhinos)
By far the cutest snake yet. They're so chunky like a tinier gaboon viper or something.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
DSC_9925
I've found two so far. One of my favorite finds. I never really expected to ever see this species doing regular herping. One was in sandhill habitat, another in upland mixed woodlands.
Lithobates sp.
Florida Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus)
Florida Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus)
One of my favorite finds. This was actually found in a gopher tortoise burrow in Suwannee County.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
Mud Snake (Farancia abacura)
Mud Snake (Farancia abacura)
One of my favorites also. It was approaching 5 feet with a massive head. Found it crossing a road.
Mole Salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum)
Eastern Newts (Notophthalmus viridescens)
DSC_0339
Tadpole 1
Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
DSC_0124
DSC_0122
Tadpole 2
DSC_0126
Tadpole 3
Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL
Moderator: Scott Waters
- umop apisdn
- Posts: 395
- Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm
Re: Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL
The black tail tip on the last tadpole is characteristic of a cricket frog tadpole.
The one right before that is a little too hard for me to tell on my mobile screen, but my brain is telling me it has the slightly odd shape of a narrowmouth. We'll wait for someone else to chime in...
Also, your green frog ID is incorrect. Probably either a bullfrog or pig frog. I can barely see the toe tips to get an idea of how extensive the webbing is. Webbing extending to tips of the toes: pig frog. Less extensive webbing: bullfrog. Green/bronze frogs would have a dorsolateral ridge.
The one right before that is a little too hard for me to tell on my mobile screen, but my brain is telling me it has the slightly odd shape of a narrowmouth. We'll wait for someone else to chime in...
Also, your green frog ID is incorrect. Probably either a bullfrog or pig frog. I can barely see the toe tips to get an idea of how extensive the webbing is. Webbing extending to tips of the toes: pig frog. Less extensive webbing: bullfrog. Green/bronze frogs would have a dorsolateral ridge.
Re: Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL
I was pretty set on them being Acris gryllus, saw a few metamorphs but I want confirmation anyway.umop apisdn wrote:The black tail tip on the last tadpole is characteristic of a cricket frog tadpole.
The one right before that is a little too hard for me to tell on my mobile screen, but my brain is telling me it has the slightly odd shape of a narrowmouth. We'll wait for someone else to chime in...
Also, your green frog ID is incorrect. Probably either a bullfrog or pig frog. I can barely see the toe tips to get an idea of how extensive the webbing is. Webbing extending to tips of the toes: pig frog. Less extensive webbing: bullfrog. Green/bronze frogs would have a dorsolateral ridge.
Thanks for the ID correction. I believe this individual fits for Lithobates clamitans. Sorry for the crappy iPhone shots.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL
The two tadpoles above the Cricket Frog tadpole are Lithobates sp. Probably Bullfrog or Pig Frog.
And the frog in your second post is indeed L. clamitans. Nice photos and finds!
And the frog in your second post is indeed L. clamitans. Nice photos and finds!