Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL

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Reptiluvr
Posts: 258
Joined: April 23rd, 2011, 7:49 pm

Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL

Post by Reptiluvr »

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.

ImageEastern Hognose (Heterodon platyrhinos)
My first snake on my first day doing the survey. All the usual antics as you can tell.

ImageEastern 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.

ImageSmooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae)
This species is more common than I knew. I've only encountered a few in my life before funnel traps.

ImageScarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea)
1 of 2 I have caught so far. This was its attempt to escape when I set it on the ground.

ImageBall Python...I mean Eastern Kingsnake
ImageDSC_9772 by Robert Gundy, on Flickr

ImageEastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platyrhinos)
By far the cutest snake yet. They're so chunky like a tinier gaboon viper or something.

ImageEastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

ImageDSC_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.

ImageLithobates sp.

ImageFlorida Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus)
ImageFlorida Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus)
One of my favorite finds. This was actually found in a gopher tortoise burrow in Suwannee County.

ImageEastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

ImageMud Snake (Farancia abacura)
ImageMud Snake (Farancia abacura)
One of my favorites also. It was approaching 5 feet with a massive head. Found it crossing a road.

ImageMole Salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum)

ImageEastern Newts (Notophthalmus viridescens)

ImageDSC_0339
Tadpole 1

ImageCopperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)

ImageEastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

ImageDSC_0124
ImageDSC_0122
Tadpole 2

ImageDSC_0126
Tadpole 3
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umop apisdn
Posts: 395
Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm

Re: Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL

Post by umop apisdn »

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.
Reptiluvr
Posts: 258
Joined: April 23rd, 2011, 7:49 pm

Re: Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL

Post by Reptiluvr »

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.
I was pretty set on them being Acris gryllus, saw a few metamorphs but I want confirmation anyway.

Thanks for the ID correction. I believe this individual fits for Lithobates clamitans. Sorry for the crappy iPhone shots.
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mtratcliffe
Posts: 533
Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
Location: Mt Laurel, NJ

Re: Herp Surveys in Jackson County, FL

Post by mtratcliffe »

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!
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