So for my last herp trip of 2016 I decided to go to snake road. As it turns out, except for a short time at the north end parking area, I didn't spend any time at Snake Road at all - But the surrounding areas in southern Illinois and Missouri were very productive. I was especially thrilled with the salamanders - seven of these were lifers for me
Anyway - let's start with the salamanders
Marbled salamander - Ambystoma opacum
Cave salamander - Eurycea lucifuga - as found
and posed
Northern slimy salamander - Plethodon glutinosus
Central newt - Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis
Western slimy salamander - Plethodon albagula
Longtail salamander - Eurycea longicauda
Smallmouth salalamdner - Ambystoma texanum
Spotted salamander - Ambystoma maculatum
Saw several box turtles and this lifer map turtle
Northern map turtle - Graptemys geographica
And some snakes
Saw scores of cottonmouths, didn't think any were were particularly photogenic
Copper bellied water snake - Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta
Midlands water snake - Nerodia sipedon pleuralis - a lifer
Black rat snake - Pantherophis obsoletus
Lots of ringneck snakes - Diadophis punctatus
Several eastern hognose snakes - Heterodon platirhinos - this one is in situ and is the only one that didn't "die" right away
Nice to see a Missouri pygmy - Western pygmy rattlesnake - Sistrurus miliarius miliarius
Several racers - Black racer - Coluber constrictor priapus
Western worm snake - Carphophis vermis
Lined snake - Tropidoclonion lineatum - lifer
And for me, maybe the biggest highlight of the trip - this lifer Red milk snake - Lampropeltis triangulum syspila
Got to hook up with an old friend and made several good new ones -- Still cant believe what a truly spectacular year 2016 turned out to be
Missouri and Southern Illinois
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: Missouri and Southern Illinois
Beautiful. Thank you for posting.