Amphibians and Reptiles of Talladega National Forest (East)

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF

Habitats of Talladega National Forest (East) Creek/River Large TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST Amphibians and Reptiles of Talladega Pond Temporary

National Forest (East) Grassy Open Upland Pine Upland (EAST) Creek Small Abundance Hardwood Checklist Summer

Pond: Permanent wetlands, either natural (oxbow Winter Spring P ond

lakes, beaver ponds) or not (man-made Fall impoundments). Several wetlands are the result of Common Name Scientific Name indirect damming by forest road construction. Turtles Usually large areas of open water with pond lilies and Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera U + P P P Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina C + + + + C C C occasional standing dead trees. Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum U + + + U U U Eastern Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta C Temporary pond: Depression-type wetlands, Stripe-necked Musk Turtle Sternotherus minor peltifer C including road side ditches, that fill during winter and Wood Wood Frog Stinkpot Sternotherus odoratus C + + + U U U spring but dry during summer. Usually small with Pond Slider Trachemys scripta C + + + C C C no outlet (isolated), and without large predatory The eastern section of Talladega National Forest Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina* A + + + C A C fish. For this reason they are excellent breeding includes Cheaha Mountain, Alabama's highest peak. habitats for certain amphibians. Although modest in height by Appalachian Lizards standards, the rugged terrain of the Talladega Green Anole Anolis carolinensis* A + + + A A C U Large Creek: Example: Big Sandy, Oakmulgee Uplands provides prime habitat for several species Six Lined Racerunner Aspidoscelis sexlineatus P + P P Creeks. 30-60 feet wide with deep pools, strong usually found much further to the north, including Five-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatus* C + + + C C U current, and slow meanders with extensive sandbars. the seal salamander, spring salamander, seepage Southeastern Five-lined Skink Eumeces inexpectatus U + + U U U Broad-headed Skink Eumeces laticeps C + + C C U Large logs and snags are common and provide habitat salamander, and wood frog. The rocky spine of for basking turtles. Mole Skink Eumeces egrigius ?? these mountains includes mountain longleaf pine Slender Glass Lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus U + U R forests, now currently maintained by the Forest Easterm Glass Lizard Ophisaurus ventralis RRR Small Creek: Small creeks draining uplands and Service using prescribed burning. These drier sites commonly feeding beaver ponds. Most are shallow Ground Skink Scincella lateralis C + + C C C are home to many reptiles, including rarities such Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus C + + + C C U U creeks less than 6 feet wide with occasional seepage as pigmy rattlesnakes, scarlet kingsnakes, and areas and sandy substrate. First-order streams are slender glass lizards. * denotes detection of this species since 2005 typically steeper and may exhibit small cascades A = abundant (observation practically guaranteed in appropriate habitat) across rocky substrate. Good breeding habitat for Use this checklist to plan your herpetological This checklist is based upon C = common (observed frequently in appropriate habitat) stream-breeding salamanders and frogs. adventure; we have included information on collections from Auburn U = uncommon (observed infrequently in appropriate habitat) habitat and seasonal abundance so you can University and recent R = rare (only recorded one to three times in Talladega Hardwood Forest: Forest dominated by oak and determine the best strategy to view wildlife. You fieldwork from Auburn National Forest) hickory mixed with some pine in creek bottoms. graduate student Brian Lowe. P = occurs near TNF and probably occurs here can also keep track of what you see and make ? = occurs near TNF and may be present here Older stands typically have a moist duff layer, while notes, and if you visit the forest repeatedly you can X = not recorded recently; possibly extirpated younger are mixed with pine. Hardwood forests are compare your checklists or keep adding new finds The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in most common in the Talladega along low-lying creek to an old one. Do not collect native wildlife, it is all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or mari- bottoms. illegal. Do not release unwanted pets or exotic tal or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) animals. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communica- Upland pine : Ridgetop sites characterized most tion of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).To commonly by longleaf pine with herbaceous or scrub- You may find something never recorded from this file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil dominated understory. Most upland sites are Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, Forest or for this area of Alabama. If you think SW, Washington, DC 20250- 9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and managed using prescribed fire to benefit the you’ve found a new record, contact the Forest TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. Service at (334) 727-2652. Brochure prepared by Sean P. Graham, Brian Lowe, and David A. Steen Pigmy Rattlesnake Common Name Scientific Name Scientific Salamander Marbled Salamanders Name Common Spotted Salamander Spotted Southern Two-lined Salamander Two-lined Southern Salamander Four-toed Salamander Tiger Three-lined Salamander Three-lined Webster's Salamander Webster's Southern Redback Salamander Redback Southern Slimy Salamander Slimy Seepage Salamander Seepage Spotted Dusky Salamander Dusky Spotted Seal Salamander Seal Spring Salamander Spring Eastern Newt Eastern Mud Salamander Mud Red Salamander Red Green Frog Green Toads and Frogs Bullfrog Pickerel Frog Pickerel Southern Leopard Frog Leopard Southern Frog Wood Green Treefrog Green Cope's Gray Treefrog Gray Cope's Mountain Chorus Frog Chorus Mountain Treefrog Barking Spring Peeper Spring Upland Chorus Frog Chorus Upland Northern Cricket Frog Cricket Northern Southern Cricket Frog Cricket Southern Fowler's Toad Fowler's American Toad American Eastern Narrowmouth Toad Narrowmouth Eastern Eastern Spadefoot Eastern Webster’s Salamander Eurycea cirrigera* Eurycea scutatum Hemidactlium Eurycea guttolineata* Eurycea Ambystoma opacum Ambystoma Plethodon websteri* Plethodon Ambystoma maculatum Ambystoma Plethodon serratus Plethodon Ambystoma tigrinum Ambystoma Plethodon glutinosus* Plethodon Desmognathus aeneus* Desmognathus Desmognathus conanti* Desmognathus Desmognathus monticola* Desmognathus Gyrinophilus porphyriticus* Gyrinophilus Notophthalmus viridescens Notophthalmus Pseudotriton montanus Pseudotriton Pseudotriton ruber* Pseudotriton Rana clamitans* Rana Rana catesbeiana* Rana Rana palustrus* Rana Rana sphenocephala* Rana sylvatica Rana Hyla cinerea Hyla Hyla chrysoscelis* Hyla Pseudacris brachyphona* Pseudacris gratiosa Hyla Pseudacris crucifer* Pseudacris Pseudacris feriarum Pseudacris Bufo fowleri* Bufo Bufo americanus Bufo Acris crepitans Acris Gastrophryne carolinensis Gastrophryne Acris gryllus Acris Scaphiopus holbrookii Scaphiopus

Talladega National Forest Amphibians and of Reptiles

Checklist

U R U Abundance U U + + U U U U U + + U U U U + + C C C C + + + C C C C C + + + + + C P P C C U C + + C A U A + + A ? ? C C C + + C C C + C C C C + C C U U + C C U C C + + + + C R R R C C U C + + C U A A + + + + + A A A + + + + A U C C + + + + C C C C C + + + + C P P + + P U A A + + + + A C U C + + + + C A U C + + + + A ? ? + C C C + + + C P C C + + + C C C + + + C C C + + + C

Pond

Temporary Pond Temporary

Large Creek/River Large

Small Creek Small

Hardwood

Upland Pine Upland

Spring

Summer

Fall Winter P P X = not recorded recently; possibly extirpated extirpated possibly recently; recorded not= X here present be may and TNF near occurs = ? here occurs probably and TNF near occurs = P Forest) National Talla in times three to one recorded (only rare =R appropriate in infrequently (observed uncommon =U habi appropriate in frequently (observed common =C habitat) appropriate in guaranteed practically (observation abundant =A 2005 since species this of detection denotes * Pine Snake Pine Snake Green Rough Watersnake Plain-bellied Watersnake Northern Coachwhip Kingsnake Scarlet Kingsnake Black Kingsnake Mole snake Rat Black/Grey Snake Corn Name Scientific Snake Scarlet Racer Black Snake Worm Snake Hognose Eastern Snake Ringneck Snakes Name Common Rough Earth SnakeEarth Rough RibbonSnake Eastern Snake Garter Eastern Snake Crowned Southeastern Redbelly Snake Redbelly Snake Queen Brown Snake Brown Pigmy Rattlesnake Pigmy Rattlesnake Timber Copperhead Snake Earth Smooth Cottonmouth TalladegaForestNational andof Reptiles Amphibians Pituophis melanoleucus Pituophis aestivus Opheodrys erythrogaster* Nerodia sipedon* Nerodia flagellum Masticophis elapsoides Lampropeltis nigra getula Lampropeltis calligaster Lampropeltis spiloides* Elaphe guttata* Elaphe coccineaCemophora constrictor* Coluber amoenus Carphophis platyrhinos Heterodon punctatus* Diadophis Virginia striatula Virginia sauritus Thamnophis sirtalis Thamnophis coronata Tantilla Regina septemvitatta* Regina Crotalus horridus* Crotalus Virginia valeriae Virginia Storeria occipitomaculata Storeria Storeria dekayi Storeria Sistrurus miliarius Sistrurus Agkistrodon contortrix* Agkistrodon Agkistrodon piscivorus* Agkistrodon dega dega

tat) tat) habitat) habitat)

Spring Salamander