Herps of Arkansas: HomePage http://herpsofarkansas.com/ Herps of Arkansas Sharing and Updates Herps are reptiles and amphibians . The word derives from the Greek herpeton 43 for "reptile" and herpein "to crawl". These lower life forms , the ectothermic tetrapods, were historically grouped into a single field of study: herpetology. In regard to physical appearance, amphibians typically have slimy, scaleless skin Newest Forum Posts while reptiles have dry, scaly skin. However, greater disparity is observed in Buy real and fake Passport ,Visa,Driving their respective standard life cycles. Amphibians live a "double life": gelatinous License,ID CARDS,marriage cer eggs are laid in water, larva are simple and aquatic before undergoing Cotton Mouths in Greers Ferry Lake? metamorphosis , with adults living terrestrially. Reptiles lay a complex, shelled, People move into house filled with black rat snakes in Maryland amniotic egg on land, with young hatching as miniatures of the adults. Oklahoma man bitten by snake in parking lot Diversity Nixa man dies of suspected cottonmouth Arkansas is a state rich in natural habitats and the 119 total snake bite reptile and amphibian species are a reflection of that diversity. 2015 Female Shatter While many species, such as the commonplace American We need to locate a herp vet for our families corn snakes . Bullfrog , Three-toed Box Turtle , and Western Ratsnake , Microfishing. occur in suitable habitats state-wide, others are confined to Teens Caught Smashing Rocks Down On specific geographic regions. In the Ozark Plateaus, for example, one might catch Snake a glimpse of the bright orange Cave Salamander at the mouth of a limestone MEET THE SNAKE MIMIC THAT WILL cave. In the Ouachita Mountains, one might cross the impressive, though rarely MAKE YOU QUESTION EVERYTHING seen, Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake in rocky and rugged terrain, or (PHOTOS) perhaps turn a log at higher elevation to find a true Arkansas endemic: the Unkown Frog Fourche Mountain Salamander . In the West Gulf Coastal Plain, one might find Mating T-T Box Turtles in clamp-down the diminutive Dwarf Salamander within damp leaf litter. In the Mississippi River Fruit Fly Cultures Available (Wingless Alluvial Plain, heavy spring rains will bring out the plump and boisterous Eastern Melanogastor) Spadefoot . The geologically isolated Crowley's Ridge is still home to the Geckos in need of new homes Midwestern Wormsnake , although the Spotted Dusky Salamander is likely Northern Scarlet or Red Milk Snake? now extirpated from the same region due to habitat alterations. A few prairie- adapted species of the Southwest, such as the Great Plains Skink , just edge Newest Photos into the state. Two exotic/introduced species, the Mediterranean Gecko and Seal Salamander , and known to have established breeding populations in the state. Amphibians As you may have now heard or read, frogs are in desperate peril! A highly-infectious chytrid fungus has spread worldwide and has decimated frog populations without mercy wherever it goes. (Sadly, it has already played a part in the extinction of over 160 species in recent years!) Yet, while frogs are faced with this ominous, real-life silent spring , the 25 species found in Arkansas have thus far avoided any obvious calls for alarm. There should, however, continue to be monitoring and concern, as it would be a true shame to lose our vocal little friends: the harbingers of spring and melodic soundtracks for warm summer nights. One need not go far during the warmer months to enjoy their presence by sight or sound. Many who keep a porch-light lit have a resident toad or two, such as the Fowler's Toad , who eagerly slurp up insects attracted to the light and in the morning leave little pelleted-presents on the sidewalk. Difficult to see as they climb through the foliage with sticky toe-pads, but commonly heard are the arboreal treefrogs, such as the Green Treefrog (shown left). Below one's feet are the highly fossorial , ant-eating narrow-mouthed toads, such as the Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad . Numerous species of aquatic true frogs, including the Coastal Plains Leopard Frog , splish-splash into the water as one walks along the shoreline of a pond. Finally, there are the burrowing spadefoots, such as the Hurter's Spadefoot , that emerge only during heavy rains to breed and feed in explosive fashion, and then disappear for another year. The group with the greatest diversity, but perhaps least appreciated, are the salamanders . A total of 28 species occur in Arkansas. The plump, aptly-named mole salamanders are represented, among others, by a fall breeder of the Ozarks Plateaus: the Ringed Salamander (shown right). Truly 1 of 4 6/5/2015 2:24 PM Herps of Arkansas: HomePage http://herpsofarkansas.com/ eel-like in appearance and fully aquatic (although not closely related) are the Three-toed Amphiuma and Western Lesser Siren . Another grotesquely- beautiful aquatic species of cold, pristine rivers in northeastern Arkansas is the Ozark Hellbender which has experienced alarming declines in recent times and is, in fact, in serious danger of extinction . It should, however, not be confused with the more common, though similar-looking, Red River Mudpuppy . A large, diverse group of plethodontid lungless salamanders include the likes of the ghostly, cave-dwelling Grotto Salamander , the aptly-named Four-toed Salamander (for front and back feet), and the glue -extruding Western Slimy Salamander . A final representative would be the granular-skinned Central Newt , which has a unique, terrestrial teenage ( eft ) life cycle stage before returning to the water full-time in adulthood. Reptiles Arkansas's largest reptile is the American Alligator . While its ancient, 40-foot long relatives from over 100 million years ago were literally dinosaur-eaters, today's relatives come in well short of this on size, but perhaps matched in reputation. In reality, Alligators are extremely leery of humans and direct confrontations (at least those initiated by Alligators) are almost unheard of; an exception being made for females who will guard their nests quite fiercely against any perceived threat. By the early 1970's, the truly fearsome (us humans!) had nearly turned the tables so that the population of Alligators in the state had Page Updates dropped to a mere couple thousand. A conservation effort was initiated to bolster Main / HomePage the numbers and reestablish their range with stock from Louisiana. The species Main / Contribute responded, so that today it is relatively common in suitable swampy habitats in Herp / Laws and Status the southern half of the state. Even as it retains federal protection, a heavily- Profiles / Kory Roberts (AKA: regulated hunting season was initiated in 2007. kaptainkory) Salamander / Salamanders The 12 species of Arkansas lizards , although few in number, Frog / Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea) represent several disparate families. Along with the snakes, Salamander / Mole Salamander they comprise a biological group called the squamates (which (Ambystoma talpoideum) modern phylogenies recognize as the only true , extant Frog / Western Bird-voiced Treefrog (Hyla reptiles). There is the legless and snake-like Western avivoca avivoca) Slender Glass Lizard . On open glades of the Ozark Plateaus and Ouachita Salamander / Southern Red-backed Mountains one might spot a colorful male Eastern Collared Lizard (shown right) Salamander (Plethodon serratus) perched atop a lookout rock where it will bask and chase away competitors. The Salamander / Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) well-camouflaged, rough-scaled Prairie Lizard is a rather typical, though successful, lizard species that ranges across half of the continental United States. single aggregate feed for all updates For a change, one might consider the "American Chameleon" (more properly called a Northern Green Anole ), which has an amazing ability to match backgrounds of brown, gray, or green. Several smooth-scaled species of skink, including the common Five-lined Skink , may scurry through the leaf litter and are well-known for their easily detachable tails which wiggle independently as a distraction for would-be predators. Then there is the speedster, the Prairie Racerunner , that even carries racing stripes ! The most maligned and least understood are the snakes . While many, out of fear, consider the only good snake as a dead snake, others value their uniqueness, beauty, and rightful place in the natural world. Of the 38 total species that occur in the state, only 6 are venomous . The venomous pitvipers, such as the moccasins ( Southern Copperhead and Western Cottonmouth ) and rattle-bearing rattlesnakes ( Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake , Timber Rattlesnake , and Western Pygmy Rattlesnake ), have heat-sensing pits and long foldable fangs through which they inject venom to subdue their prey. The rare and mesmerizing Texas Gulf-Coast Coralsnake (shown left) is a timid and secretive venomous , front-fixed-fanged snake of the extreme southwestern part of the state. The super-group colubrids include such diverse species as the lightning-fast North American Racer , to the arboreal and insect-eating Northern Rough Greensnake , and even the smallest species in the state, the Flat-headed Snake . While gardening, one might turn up the smallish, collared Ring-necked Snake with its belly of bright yellows, oranges, 2 of 4 6/5/2015 2:24 PM Herps of Arkansas: HomePage http://herpsofarkansas.com/ and reds. Along the waterways, one is likely to encounter