AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF Habitats of Talladega National Forest (East) Large Creek/River TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST Amphibians and Reptiles of Talladega Temporary Pond National Forest (East) Open Grassy Upland Pine (EAST) Small Creek Abundance Hardwood Checklist Summer Pond: Permanent wetlands, either natural (oxbow Winter Spring Pond 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 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 Amphibians and Reptiles of Large Creek/River Amphibians and Reptiles of Temporary Pond Open Grassy Talladega National Forest Upland Pine Small Creek Abundance Talladega National Forest Hardwood Checklist Summer Winter Spring Pond Fall Large Creek/River Common Name Scientific Name Temporary Pond Snakes Upland Upland Pine Small Creek Abundance Hardwood Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus* C + + + C C U Checklist Summer Winter Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platyrhinos U + + U U U Webster’s Salamander Spring Pond Worm Snake Carphophis amoenus C + + C C C Fall Common Name Scientific Name Black Racer Coluber constrictor* C + + + C C C U Salamanders Scarlet Snake Cemophora coccinea U + + U U Marbled Salamander Ambystoma opacum C + + U U U Corn Snake Elaphe guttata* C + + C C C Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum C + + + C C C Black/Grey Rat snake Elaphe spiloides* C + + + C C U Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum P + P Mole Kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster R + + + R Four-toed Salamander Hemidactlium scutatum P + P Black Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula nigra C + + + C C U Southern Two-lined Salamander Eurycea cirrigera* C + + + C C C C Scarlet Kingsnake Lampropeltis elapsoides U + + R Three-lined Salamander Eurycea guttolineata* C + + C U C C Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum U + + ? ? ? Webster's Salamander Plethodon websteri* A + + A U A Northern Watersnake Nerodia sipedon* C + + + + C C C Southern Redback Salamander Plethodon serratus ?? Plain-bellied Watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster* U + + + + U U U Slimy Salamander Plethodon glutinosus* C + + C C C Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus C + + + C C U Seepage Salamander Desmognathus aeneus* C + C C Pine Snake Pituophis melanoleucus ? + + ? ? ? Spotted Dusky Salamander Desmognathus conanti* C + C C C Queen Snake Regina septemvitatta* C + + C R R Seal Salamander Desmognathus monticola* C Brown Snake Storeria dekayi C + + C C C Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus* C + U U Redbelly Snake Storeria occipitomaculata C + + C C Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens C + + + + C C U C Southeastern Crowned Snake Tantilla coronata U + + U R R Mud Salamander Pseudotriton montanus RRR Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis C + + + C C U Red Salamander Pseudotriton ruber* C + + C U C C Eastern Ribbon Snake Thamnophis sauritus C + + + + C C C Rough Earth Snake Virginia striatula ?? Frogs and Toads Smooth Earth Snake Virginia valeriae U + + U U U Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus* U + + U U U Green Frog Rana clamitans* A + + + + + A A U Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix* A + + A A A Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana* A + + + + A A Pickerel Frog Rana palustrus* C + + + + C C U Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus* U + + U U U Pigmy Rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius U + + U U U Wood Frog Rana sylvatica URU Southern Leopard Frog Rana sphenocephala* C + + + + C C C C Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea P + + P P Cope's Gray Treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis* A + + + + A A U * denotes detection of this species since 2005 Barking Treefrog Hyla gratiosa U + + U U A = abundant (observation practically guaranteed in appropriate habitat) Mountain Chorus Frog Pseudacris brachyphona* C + + + + C U C C = common (observed frequently in appropriate habitat) Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer* A + + + + C U A U = uncommon (observed infrequently in appropriate habitat) Upland Chorus Frog Pseudacris feriarum C + ? ? R = rare (only recorded one to three times in Talladega Northern Cricket Frog Acris crepitans C + + + C C National Forest) Southern Cricket Frog Acris gryllus P P = occurs near TNF and probably occurs here Fowler's Toad Bufo fowleri* C + + + C C ? = occurs near TNF and may be present here American Toad Bufo americanus C + + + C C X = not recorded recently; possibly extirpated Eastern Narrowmouth Toad Gastrophryne carolinensis C + + + C C Eastern Spadefoot Scaphiopus holbrookii U + + U U U U Spring Salamander .