KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS ___ Eastern Rat Snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) – BLUE RIDGE (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Varies from rocky timbered hillsides to flat farmland. The following codes refer to an animal’s abundance in ___ Eastern Hog‐nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) – PARKWAY suitable habitat along the parkway, not the likelihood of (NC‐R, VA‐U) Habitat: Sandy or friable loam soil seeing it. Information on the abundance of each species habitats at lower elevation. AMPHIBIAN & comes from wildlife sightings reported by park staff and ___ Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula) – (NC‐U, visitors, from other agencies, and from park research VA‐U) Habitat: Generalist at low elevations. reports. ___ Northern Mole Snake (Lampropeltis calligaster REPTILE C – COMMON rhombomaculata) – (VA‐R) Habitat: Mixed pine U – UNCOMMON forests and open fields under logs or boards. CHECKLIST R – RARE ___ Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) – (NC‐ U, VA‐U) Habitat: Woodlands, grassy balds, and * – LISTED – Any species federally or state listed as meadows. Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern. ___ Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Wetlands, streams, and lakes. Non‐native – species not historically present on the ___ Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) – (NC‐R, parkway that have been introduced (usually by humans.) VA‐R) Habitat: Low elevation forests. ___ Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) – (VA‐R) NC – NORTH CAROLINA Habitat: Moist, open woodlands or herbaceous Blue Ridge Red Cope's Gray wetlands under fallen debris. Salamander Treefrog VA – VIRGINIA ___ Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus) – (VA‐R) Habitat: Abandoned fields If you see anything unusual while on the parkway, please and dry mountain ridges with sandier soils. report it at one of our visitor centers or email ___ Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata) – (NC‐U, VA‐U) [email protected] Habitat: Rocky streams and rivers at lower altitudes. ___ Northern Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi dekayi) – (NC‐R, VA‐R) Habitat: Wetlands; moist woods and Eastern Box Northern hillsides. Turtle Copperhead ___ Red‐bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) – (NC‐ U, VA‐U) Habitat: Open deciduous and pine forests, The Southern Appalachian region is a hotspot for CLASS REPTILIA swamp edges, and woody developed areas. amphibian diversity—especially salamanders. More than ___ Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus) – (NC‐ 50 species of amphibians have been found along the ORDER SQUAMATA R, VA‐U) Habitat: Damp meadows, marshes, and parkway, including 43 different salamanders. Frogs, along streams. toads, and salamanders are most active on warm, rainy FAMILY COLUBRIDAE ___ Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) – nights, but can sometimes be found underneath rocks ___ Eastern Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Habitat generalist. and logs, or in a stream during the day. Due to habitat amoenus) – (NC‐U, VA‐C) Habitat: Moist, forested loss, many amphibian species are declining in this area. habitats at low to medium elevations. FAMILY DACTYLOIDAE ___ Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor ___ Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) – (NC‐R) Habitat: Habitat generalist; in trees and shrubs or fences and Though they enjoy a drier, sunnier climate, a variety of constrictor) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Generalist. walls in developed areas. reptiles are also found along the parkway, including 20 ___ Northern Ring‐necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Forested areas species of snakes, 10 turtle species, and 8 types of FAMILY PHRYNOSOMATIDAE lizards. Reptiles are more active during daylight hours, with decaying logs or stumps. but are often secretive. ___ Red Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) – (NC‐U, ___ Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) – (NC‐C, VA‐U) Habitat: Low elevation forests. VA‐C) Habitat: Lower elevation open pine and mixed woods, building sites, and fences. FAMILY SCINCIDAE ___ Northern Red‐bellied Cooter (Pseudemys ___ Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) – (NC‐C, ___ Northern Coal Skink (Plestiodon anthracinus rubriventris) – (NC‐R, VA‐R) Habitat: Rivers, lakes, VA‐C) Habitat: Areas with small trees or shrubs anthracinus) – (NC‐R, VA‐R) Habitat: Rocky, wooded and ponds. in/near shallow bodies of water. areas. ___ Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) – ___ Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) – (VA‐C) Habitat: ___ Common Five‐lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Forested habitats and field Areas with small trees or shrubs in/near shallow (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Moist, wooded areas. edges; largely terrestrial. bodies of water. ___ Southeastern Five‐lined Skink (Plestiodon ___ Red‐eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) – (NC‐ ___ Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) inexpectatus) – (VA‐R) Habitat: Drier forests of pines R, VA‐R) Habitat: Rivers, ditches, lakes, and ponds. Habitat: Woodlands near temporary/semi‐ or mixed hardwoods and around buildings. Non‐native. permanent ponds or swamps. ___ Broad‐headed Skink (Plestiodon laticeps) – (NC‐R, ___ Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriarum) – (NC‐C, VA‐R) Habitat: Wooded areas with large spreading FAMILY KINOSTERNIDAE VA‐C) Habitat: Grassy swales, moist woodlands, trees at lower elevations. ___ Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) – (NC‐ ponds, bogs, and marshes. ___ Little Brown Skink (Scincella lateralis) – (NC‐U, VA‐ U, VA‐U) Habitat: Shallow, clear water lakes and U) Habitat: Disturbed areas and open woodlands at streams at lower elevations. FAMILY RANIDAE lower elevations. ___ American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianaus) – (NC‐ FAMILY TRIONYCHIDAE C, VA‐C) Habitat: Larger lakes, ponds, bogs, and FAMILY TEIIDAE ___ Eastern Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera spinifera) sluggish stream habitats. ___ Six‐lined Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineata) – (VA‐ – (NC‐R*) Habitat: Rivers, lakes, and ponds. ___ Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) R) Habitat: Open, well‐drained areas with loose soils Habitat: Shallow fresh water habitats. and scattered vegetation. ___ Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Sphagnum bogs, rocky ravines, meadow FAMILY VIPERIDAE streams, and other water habitats. ___ Northern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix ___ Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus mokasen) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Woodlands. utricularius) – (VA‐R) Habitat: Freshwater habitat ___ Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) – (NC‐U*, generalist. VA‐U) Habitat: Rocky hillsides, fields bordered by ___ Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Moist, wooded habitats near water. forests, and low elevation pines. Bog Turtle ORDER TESTUDINES ORDER CAUDATA FAMILY CHELYDRIDAE CLASS AMPHIBIA FAMILY AMBYSTOMATIDAE ___ Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) – (NC‐C, VA‐ ___ Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) C) Habitat: Aquatic habitat generalist. – (VA‐R) Habitat: Moist, well‐drained deciduous ORDER ANURA forests with breeding ponds. FAMILY EMYDIDAE ___ Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) – FAMILY BUFONIDAE ___ Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Forested areas with vernal (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Marshes, lakes, and ponds. ___ American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) – (NC‐C, VA‐ ponds or temporary wetlands. ___ Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) – (VA‐U) Habitat: C) Habitat: Habitat generalist. ___ Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) – Very slow moving, shallow water with lots of ___ Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) (VA‐R*) Habitat: Wooded or unwooded areas with vegetation. Habitat: Habitat generalist. light to sandy soils. ___ Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) – (NC‐R*, VA‐ R*) Habitat: Wet fields and bogs. FAMILY HYLIDAE FAMILY CRYPTOBRANCHIDAE ___ Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna ___ Eastern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans) – (NC‐U, VA‐C) ___ Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis concinna) – (VA‐U) Habitat: Large slow moving rivers Habitat: Open grassy margins of ponds and streams. alleganiensis) – (NC‐R*, VA‐R*) Habitat: Large, clean, and streams with exposed areas for basking. and fast flowing streams with big flat rocks. FAMILY PLETHODONTIDAE ___ Three‐lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata) – ___ Southern Red‐backed Salamander (Plethodon ___ Carolina Mountain Dusky Salamander (NC‐U, VA‐U) Habitat: Shaded seeps, bogs, streams, serratus) – (NC‐U) Habitat: Under rocks, leaf litter, (Desmognathus carolinensis) – (NC‐C) Habitat: or vernal ponds in hardwood forests. and rotten logs in forests. Seeps, wet rock faces, and forest floor habitats near ___ Long‐tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda) – ___ Big Levels Salamander (Plethodon sherando) – (VA‐ streams. (NC‐R*, VA‐U) Habitat: Near shaded seeps or R) Habitat: Forests and rocky talus slopes. ___ Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus streams and sometimes forested areas. ___ Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon fuscus) – (NC‐C, VA‐C) Habitat: Edges of small ___ Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga) – (VA‐R) teyahalee) – (NC‐U) Habitat: Deciduous forests with woodland streams, springs, and seeps. Habitat: Usually cave entrances but occasionally rocks and logs. ___ Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator) – wooded areas under rocks or logs near water. ___ Wehrle’s Salamander (Plethodon wehrlei) – (NC‐R*, (NC‐R) Habitat: Wet rock faces, seeps, streams, and ___ Blue Ridge Two‐lined Salamander (Eurycea VA‐R) Habitat: Upland forests, entrances to caves or forest floors near streams.