Florida Trip

[ont_herper]

Hey,

Basically I had no set plan for the trip except to drive around Florida and see what I could find. Drove about 5300km during the trip. We found 53 species and sub-species of herps, lots of the Frogs were ID based on their calls. More photo's once I scan them.

Mangrove Water Snake

<IMG SRC=http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3572mangrove_snake-med.jpg>

Florida Box Turtle

<IMG SRC=http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3572florida_box_turtle2-med.jpg>


Am. Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis

Common House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus
Indo-Pacific Gecko, Hemidactylus garnotii
Tropical House Gecko, Hemidactylus mabouia
Mediterranean Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus

Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis
Brown Anole, Anolis sagrei

S. Fence Lizard, Sceloporus undalatus undulauts
Florida Scrub Lizard, Sceloporous woodi

Ground Skink, Scincella lateralis
S.E. Five-lined Skink, Eumeces inexpectatus
Five-lined Skink, Eumeces fasciatus
Broad-headed Skink, Eumeces laticeps

Barbour’s Map Turtle, Grapemys barbouri
Ornate Diamonbacked Terrapin, Malacemys terrapin macrospilota
Florida Cooter, Pesudemys floridana floridana
Peninsula Cooter, Pesudemys floridana peninsularis
Florida Red-bellied Turtle, Pesudemys nelsoni
Florida Box Turtle, Terrapene Carolina bauri
Yellow-bellied Slider, Trachemys scripta scripta
Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans
Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus
Florida Softshelled Turtle, Trionyx Ferox

S. Black Racer, Coluber constrictor
Yellow Rat Snake, Elaphe obsolete
Red-bellied Water Snake, Nerodia e. ethrogaster
Banded Water Snake, Nerodia f. fasciata
Florida Banded Water Snake, Nerodia f. pictiventris
Mangrove Water Snake, Nerodia f. compressicauda
Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota
Blue-striped Ribbon, Thamnophis saurtis nitar
E. Garter Snake, Thamnophis saurtis

Oak Toad, Bufo quercicus
S. Toad, Bufo terriestris
N. Cricket Frog, Acris c. crepitans
Florida Cricket Frog, Acris gryllus porsalis
Barking Treefrog, Hyla gratiosa
Squirrel Treefrog, Hyla squirrella
S. Spring Peeper, Pseudacris crucifer bartramiana
N. Spring Peeper, Pseudacris c. crucifer
S. Chorus Frog, Pseudacris nigrita
Florida Chorus Frog, Pseudacris verrulcosa
Ornate Chorus Frog, Pseudacris ornate
Upland Chorus Frog, Pseudacris triseriata feriarum
Little Grass Frog, Pseudacris ocu
Greenhouse Frog, eleutherodactylus p. planirostris
Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana
Pig Frog, Rana grylio
S. Leopard Frog, Rana s. uticularia
Florida Leopard Frog, Rana s. sphenocephala

Three-lined Salamander, eurycea guttolineata
S.E. Slimy Salamander, Plethodon grobmani

[creepiecrawlie]

That is a hole lot of animals nice animals to!

[casacrow]

WOW! You made out well. All i saw for herps were some geckos and lizards..and a few gators. I can't wait to see more pics.

[crimsonking]

Good job! I would be interested in where you saw the ornate diamondback terrapin and the blue striped ribbon. Got pics of 'em? Love to see those!
:Mark

[crocdoc]

where did you see the C acutus, Turkey Point or the Keys?

[ont_herper]

The Terrapin was at the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, also where I saw the crocodile. Unforntunatly the Ribbon was DOR, but it was found on HWY 361.

Here's the Ornate Diamondbacked Terrapin, as you can see it was quite small.
<IMG SRC=http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3572terrapin-med.jpg>

A decievingly light American Alligator basking lol.
<IMG SRC=http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3572Am_Crocodile-med.jpg >

and a Southern Toad
<IMG SRC=http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3572southern_toad.jpg>

[crimsonking]

Great little terrapin! That's a gator though. ;) I was hoping it was a croc!
:Mark

[claycoke11]

Wow

[crocdoc]

that photo is of an alligator, not a crocodile. It's almost black on top with light markings up the side, the top of the head is black with light lower jaws and light around the eyes (American crocs are tan or olive with darker spots and bars). The head shape is also alligator, with a sort of dished snout (American crocodiles have quite long jaws with a distinctive convex bump in front of the eyes).

[ont_herper]

Really, I was told that croc's were found there and figured since it was 8 feet + and was so light that it couldnt be an alligator, after seeing so many uniformly dark adults. I didnt realize that adults could be so light coloured, thanks for correcting me.

Do either of you have an american crocodile picture you could post for comparison?

[crimsonking]

here's an American crocodile
:Markhttp://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/151croc1a.JPG

[crocdoc]

Ont_herper, the interesting thing about your alligator shot is that it appears to be in a mangrove area. Was the water brackish? It isn't unknown for them to hang out in brackish areas, but it is normally a crocodile thing to do (the photo is still an alligator, though!)

[crimsonking]

We see alligators in every water habitat imaginable. All along FL's coastal mangroves, up into the river sysyems, and of course in just about any fresh water lake or pond big enough to hold one.
:Mark

[crocdoc]

that's interesting. How often would you find them in mangroves when the water is brackish, or is it only when there is a fair amount of fresh water flowing out?

[crimsonking]

It is usually when there is a fair amount of fresh flow, however they may be at just about any place at any given time these days. I think they PREFER a more fresh habitat, but along the coast, it's never far from a river system leading to bays, etc.
:Mark