Missouri and Southern Illinois

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

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blacktara
Posts: 81
Joined: August 16th, 2013, 3:43 pm
Location: SW Oklahoma

Missouri and Southern Illinois

Post by blacktara »

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
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Cave salamander - Eurycea lucifuga - as found
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and posed
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Northern slimy salamander - Plethodon glutinosus
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Central newt - Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis
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Western slimy salamander - Plethodon albagula
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Longtail salamander - Eurycea longicauda
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Smallmouth salalamdner - Ambystoma texanum
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Spotted salamander - Ambystoma maculatum

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Saw several box turtles and this lifer map turtle

Northern map turtle - Graptemys geographica
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And some snakes

Saw scores of cottonmouths, didn't think any were were particularly photogenic

Copper bellied water snake - Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta
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Midlands water snake - Nerodia sipedon pleuralis - a lifer
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Black rat snake - Pantherophis obsoletus
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Lots of ringneck snakes - Diadophis punctatus
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Several eastern hognose snakes - Heterodon platirhinos - this one is in situ and is the only one that didn't "die" right away
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Nice to see a Missouri pygmy - Western pygmy rattlesnake - Sistrurus miliarius miliarius
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Several racers - Black racer - Coluber constrictor priapus
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Western worm snake - Carphophis vermis
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Lined snake - Tropidoclonion lineatum - lifer

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And for me, maybe the biggest highlight of the trip - this lifer Red milk snake - Lampropeltis triangulum syspila
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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
BethH
Posts: 115
Joined: May 12th, 2013, 6:47 pm

Re: Missouri and Southern Illinois

Post by BethH »

Beautiful. Thank you for posting.
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