Herps of the Verde Valley What are Herps?

Amphibians Reptiles – Caecilians – Turtles & Tortoises – Newts, Sirens & – Tuatara Salamanders – Lizards & Snakes – Frogs & Toads – Crocodiles & Alligators Amphibians Vs. Reptiles Amphibians Reptiles • Breathe through: • Breathe through lungs – gills (as larvae and some adults) – lungs (adults) – skin (adults) • No metamorphosis – newborns • Eggs metamorphose into larvae are miniature versions of adults – Called tadpoles in frogs and toads – Called waterdogs in salamanders • Larvae are aquatic, most adults are terrestrial • Most are terrestrial, turtles & • Larvae metamorphose (absorb gills and tail, crocs are aquatic grow lungs and legs) • Lay eggs in the water; larvae live in water; • Reproduce on land; lay eggs or adults live on land, but then return to water to give live birth on land; live on lay their eggs land (except turtles & crocodiles) • Adult skin is: • Skin is: – scaleless – dry – moist – scaly – allows oxygen exchange – waterproof • Snakes and lizards shed their skin as they grow

Salamanders Vs. Frogs & Toads

Salamanders Frogs & Toads • Larvae have external gills • Larvae have internal gills • Adults retain their tails • Tails are absorbed as the and some adults retain legs develop their gills • Adults walk on all fours • Adults hop like lizards • Strange adaptations: • Strange adaptations: – Some larvae capable of – Some adults are poisonous breeding (neotenic) – Some larvae never transform (paedomorphic) – Some adults retain their gills and are aquatic – Some adults are lungless

Frogs Vs. Toads

Frogs Toads • Skin is smooth and moist • Skin is rougher, bumpier, and drier • Adults have slender build • Adults have chunkier bodies

• Long hind legs - excellent • Short hind legs - clumsy jumper jumpers

• Spends life in and around • Spend more time on land water returning to water only to

breed • No parotid glands • Have parotid glands behind ears

Amphibians of the Verde Valley

Amphibians

Salamander Toads Frogs

Tiger Spadefoot True Tree True Salamander

Southern Arizona Canyon Bullfrog Spadefoot Toad Treefrog

Northern Woodhouse Chorus Leopard Toad Frog Frog

Chiricahua Red-spotted Mountain Leopard Toad Treefrog Frog

Lowland Great Plains Leopard Toad Frog Tiger Salamander

Larvae

Adult Southern (or Mexican) Spadefoot True Toads

Great Plains Toad Arizona Toad Red Spotted Toad Woodhouse Toad Great Plains Toad

Woodhouse Toad Arizona Toad Red-spotted Toad True Toads

Great Plains Toad Arizona Toad Red Spotted Toad Woodhouse Toad Look-alikes

Red-spotted Toad

Mexican Spadefoot Treefrogs

Chorus Frog Mountain Treefrog

Canyon Treefrog Chorus Treefrog Mountain Treefrog Canyon Treefrog Treefrogs

Chorus Frog Mountain Treefrog

Canyon Treefrog True Frogs

Bull frog Northern Leopard Frog

Chiricahua Leopard Frog Lowland Leopard Frog Bullfrog Lowland Leopard Frog Chiricahua Leopard Frog Northern Leopard Frog True Frogs

Bull frog Northern Leopard Frog

Chiricahua Leopard Frog Lowland Leopard Frog Organization of Reptiles

Reptiles

Turtles Lizards Snakes Turtles of the Verde Valley

Turtles

Mud Softshell Pond

Sonoran Mud Turtle Texas Spiny Turtle Painted Turtle Turtles of the Verde Valley

Sonoran Mud Turtle

Texas Spiny Painted Turtle Turtle Sonoran Mud Turtle Texas Spiny Turtle Painted Turtle Turtles of the Verde Valley

Sonoran Mud Turtle

Texas Spiny Painted Turtle Turtle Lizards of the Verde Valley

Lizards Geckos Iguanids Night Lizards Skinks Whiptails Alligator Venomous

Western Madrean Greater Earless Arizona Night Great Plains Western Gila Banded Alligator Lizard Lizard Skink Whiptail Monster Gecko Lizard

Desert Long-nosed Many-lined Grassland Leopard Lizard Skink Whiptail

Gila Common Collared Spotted Lizard Whiptail

Plateau Desert Striped Spiny Lizard Whiptail

Clark Spiny Lizard

Southern Plateau Lizard

Tree Lizard

Side-blotched Lizard

Short-horned Lizard Western Banded Gecko Desert Night Lizard Iguanids

Greater Earless Lizard

Side-blotched Lizard - female Side-blotched Lizard - male Greater Earless Lizard Female Side-Blotched Lizard Male Side-blotched Lizard Iguanids, cont…

Collared Lizard Iguanids, cont…

Clark’s Spiny Lizard

Desert Spiny Lizard Clark’s Spiny Lizard Desert Spiny Lizard Iguanids, cont…

Tree Lizard

Plateau Lizard Tree Lizard Plateau Lizard Iguanids, cont…

Long-nosed Leopard - male

Short-horned Lizard

Long-nosed Leopard - female Female Long-nosed Leopard Lizard Male Long-nosed Leopard Lizard Short-horned Lizard Skinks

Many-lined Skink - subadult Many-lined Skink - adult

Great Plains Skink Adult Many-lined Skink Juvenile Many-lined Skink Great Plains Skink Whiptails

Gila Spotted Whiptail Western Whiptail

Plateau Striped Whiptail Desert Grassland Whiptail Gila Spotted Whiptail Western Whiptail Plateau Striped Whiptail Desert Grassland Whiptail Whiptail Identification

Gila Spotted Whiptail Western Whiptail

Plateau Striped Whiptail Desert Grassland Whiptail Madrean Alligator Lizard Venomous

Photo by Janie Agyagos Snakes of the Verde Valley

Snakes Slender Colubrids Coral Vipers Blind Western Arizona Western Next Slide Diamondback Coral Blind Snake Rattlesnake Snake

Mohave Rattlesnake

Arizona Black Rattlesnake

Blacktailed Rattlesnake Snakes, cont… Colubrids

Ring-necked Racers & Snake Whips

Striped Sonoran Red Racer Whipsnake Whipsnake

Western Patch-nosed Rat Snake

Gopher Snake Glossy (Bull Snake) Snake

King Garter

Sonoran Mexican Wandering Common Black-necked Narrow-headed Mountain Garter Garter Kingsnake Garter Snake Garter Snake Kingsnake Snake Snake Southwestern Ground Snake Black-headed Snake

Night Snake Lyre Snake

Long-nosed Snake Western Blind Snake Colubrids – Ring-necked Snake Colubrids – Racers & Whips

Striped Sonoran Whipsnake Whipsnake

Red Racer Striped Whipsnake Sonoran Whipsnake Red Racer Colubrids – Western Patched-nose Colubrids – Rat Snakes

Glossy Snake Gopher Snake Glossy Snake Gopher Snake Colubrids – King and Long-nosed

Common Sonoran Kingsnake Mountain Kingsnake

Long-nosed Snake Common Kingsnake Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake Long-nosed Snake Colubrids – Garter Snakes Black- necked

Mexican

Terrestrial Narrow- headed Narrow-headed Garter Snake Black-necked Garter Snake Mexican Garter Snake Terrestrial (Wandering) Garter Snake Garter Snake Identification Mexican Black-necked

Terrestrial Narrow-headed (Wandering) Colubrids – Ground Snake Colubrids – Black-headed Colubrids – Night Snake Colubrids – Lyre Snake Confusing Look-Alikes

Glossy Gopher Night Lyre Arizona Coral Snake Confusing Look-Alikes

Coral snake Long-nosed Sonoran King Ground – banded form Pit Vipers

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Mohave Rattlesnake

Arizona Black Rattlesnake Black-tailed Rattlesnake Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Mohave Rattlesnake Black-tailed Rattlesnake Arizona Black Rattlesnake Rattlesnake Identification

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Mohave Rattlesnake

Arizona Black Rattlesnake Black-tailed Rattlesnake Go Herping!

Daytime Nighttime – Use binoculars – Drive slowly (< 10 mps) – During the day in the along remote roads. spring and fall – Snakes are attracted to – During early morning in warm asphalt and even dirt the summer – During monsoon will see – Will readily see various toads, frogs, salamanders species of baskers on roads at night – Won’t see burrowers or – Occasionally turn off your those species that hide engine to listen for frogs under debris and toads that may be breeding in nearby pools of water