Amphibians and Amphibians and Reptiles: An Reptiles: An

Introduction to Introduction to HerpetofaunaHerpetofaunaCompiled by the Davidson Compiled by the Davidson

College Herpetology College Herpetology LaboratoryLaboratory

Eastern Hognose Snake Green Treefrog

Amphibians and ReptilesAmphibians and Reptiles

EctothermicEctothermic Use outside energy Use outside energy

sources to maintain sources to maintain body temperature body temperature for metabolism and for metabolism and regulatory functionsregulatory functions

CrypticCryptic Very difficult to Very difficult to

detect even though detect even though they can be highly they can be highly abundantabundant

River Cooters Northern Watersnake

Timber Rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake

Fence Lizard

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

TetrapodsTetrapods Snakes have Snakes have

evolutionarily lost their evolutionarily lost their legslegs

Humans evolved from one Humans evolved from one of the same ancestors of of the same ancestors of extant reptilesextant reptiles

Non-Tetrapod Vertebrates

Frogs

Salamanders

Caecilians

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

Adapted from the WhoZoo

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Amphibians and ReptilesAmphibians and Reptiles

Very important to the Very important to the ecosystemecosystem

Prey and PredatorPrey and Predator Prey item for animals including Prey item for animals including

raccoons, opossums, and birdsraccoons, opossums, and birds Prey upon insects, mice, and Prey upon insects, mice, and

ratsrats Bio-indicatorBio-indicator

An animal that can indicate the An animal that can indicate the health of an environment by its health of an environment by its population structure and population structure and abundanceabundance

Green Anole

Ringneck Snake

Green Salamander

Spring Salamander

Eastern Spadefood Toad

AmphibiansAmphibians

88 Species in North 88 Species in North CarolinaCarolina

Highest salamander Highest salamander diversity in the world!diversity in the world!

Huge BiomassHuge Biomass Biomass: Total weight of Biomass: Total weight of

all amphibians in an all amphibians in an areaarea

One isolated wetland One isolated wetland produced produced 3 tons3 tons of of amphibiansamphibians

Spotted Salamander

Three-Lined Salamander

Southern Leopard Frog

Amphibian Amphibian CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Permeable skinPermeable skin Permeable: Allows the Permeable: Allows the

transfer of oxygen and carbon transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide to allow respirationdioxide to allow respiration

Can allow the uptake of Can allow the uptake of chemicals in the environmentchemicals in the environment

Good olfactionGood olfaction Olfaction: Sense of smellOlfaction: Sense of smell

Prey upon:Prey upon: Insects, other amphibians, Insects, other amphibians,

anything small enough to fit anything small enough to fit into their mouths, even miceinto their mouths, even mice

Green Frog

Spring Salamander

FrogsFrogs

Tadpoles lose tails and grow legs as Tadpoles lose tails and grow legs as they metamorphosethey metamorphose

True FrogsTrue Frogs RanaRana

Tree FrogsTree Frogs HylaHyla Toe padsToe pads

Grey Tree Frog

Southern Leopard Frog Bull Frog

Spring Peeper

Green Tree FrogUpland Chorus Frog

ToadsToads

Similar to frogsSimilar to frogs Tadpoles lose tail and Tadpoles lose tail and

grow legs as they grow legs as they metamorphose into adultsmetamorphose into adults

Less dependent upon Less dependent upon water than frogswater than frogs

Have warty skinHave warty skin Paratoid Glands:Paratoid Glands:

Glands behind the eye that Glands behind the eye that secrete toxinsecrete toxin

Fowler’s Toad

American Toad

SalamandersSalamanders

Plethodontids: No lungsPlethodontids: No lungs Obligate, aerobic respiration Obligate, aerobic respiration

through the skinthrough the skin Ambystomatids: LungsAmbystomatids: Lungs

Facultative, aerobic Facultative, aerobic respiration through the skinrespiration through the skin

HellbendersHellbenders Grow to 2 feet in the USA, but Grow to 2 feet in the USA, but

up to 5 feet in Japanup to 5 feet in Japan Hidden gillsHidden gills

Photo by Kristen Cecala

Spring Salamander

Marbled Salamander

Hellbender

Amphibian Breeding Amphibian Breeding LocationsLocations

StreamsStreams Adults utilize upland habitat for Adults utilize upland habitat for

feeding feeding Use stream for breeding, larval Use stream for breeding, larval

period, and occasional foragingperiod, and occasional foraging WetlandsWetlands

Adults live and feed in upland habitatAdults live and feed in upland habitat Return to wetlands to breed and Return to wetlands to breed and

undergo larval periodsundergo larval periods TerrestrialTerrestrial

Adults never require water for Adults never require water for reproductionreproduction

No larval stage No larval stage Utilize moisture under logs and leaf Utilize moisture under logs and leaf

litterlitter

Spring Salamander Larva

Redback Salamander

CaeciliansCaecilians

Live in the tropicsLive in the tropics Leg-less and blindLeg-less and blind Look very similar to a wormLook very similar to a worm

Caecilians

Amphibian Life CycleAmphibian Life Cycle

Upland Chorus Frog Frog eggs

Spring Peeper calling

Cricket FrogSpring Peeper

Tadpole/Metamorph

Pine Woods Tree Frog Tadpole

Amphibian Defense Amphibian Defense MechanismsMechanisms

Toxin in skinToxin in skin Toads and NewtsToads and Newts

Producing large Producing large numbers of offspringnumbers of offspring

Producing noisy Producing noisy squawks when squawks when attackedattacked

Green Frog Tadpole

American Toad

Red-Spotted Newt

ReptilesReptiles

70 species in North Carolina from 4 70 species in North Carolina from 4 groupsgroups

Antarctica the only continent Antarctica the only continent without reptileswithout reptiles

Snakes have no legs, but still Snakes have no legs, but still tetrapodstetrapods Evolutionary loss of legsEvolutionary loss of legs Boas still maintain a pelvic girdle Boas still maintain a pelvic girdle

Copperhead

Eastern Painted Turtle

American Alligator

Broadhead Skink

ReptilesReptiles

First vertebrates to become First vertebrates to become independent of water for reproductionindependent of water for reproduction

Some reptiles have reverted to Some reptiles have reverted to aquatic lifestyles, but still reproduce aquatic lifestyles, but still reproduce without waterwithout water Sea SnakesSea Snakes Swamp SnakeSwamp Snake Snapping Turtle Snapping Turtle Sea TurtlesSea Turtles

Black Swamp Snake

Snapping Turtle

ReptilesReptiles

EctothermicEctothermic Maintain a Maintain a

constant constant temperature temperature rangerange Maintained by Maintained by

basking, basking, movement, and movement, and shiveringshivering

Brummation = Brummation = hibernationhibernation Yellowbelly Slider

CrocodiliansCrocodilians

American AlligatorAmerican Alligator OsteodermsOsteoderms Temperature Sex DeterminationTemperature Sex Determination

Sex of offspring determined by the Sex of offspring determined by the temperature at which eggs are temperature at which eggs are incubatedincubated

American Alligators

TurtlesTurtles

Temperature sex determinationTemperature sex determination Vertebrae integrated into shellVertebrae integrated into shell No teeth: Beak similar to a birdNo teeth: Beak similar to a bird OmnivorousOmnivorous 3 habitats3 habitats

MarineMarine FreshwaterFreshwater TerrestrialTerrestrial

Eastern Painted Turtle

Snapping Turtle

Loggerhead Sea TurtleBox Turtle

SquamataSquamata

Snakes and lizardsSnakes and lizards Jacobson’s organJacobson’s organ

Olfactory organOlfactory organ Tongue flicks out of the mouth and Tongue flicks out of the mouth and

moves chemicals in the air to the organmoves chemicals in the air to the organ Extremely movable jawExtremely movable jaw

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Green Anole

Scarlet KingsnakeRough Green Snake

LizardsLizards

Extremely variable and Extremely variable and diversediverse Many endemic speciesMany endemic species

Leg-less LizardsLeg-less Lizards Glass Lizards or Jointed Glass Lizards or Jointed

SnakesSnakes Lizards have eyelids Lizards have eyelids

and ear holes that and ear holes that snakes do notsnakes do not

Five-lined Skink

Fence Lizard

Slender Glass Lizard

Ground Skink

SnakesSnakes 37 species in North 37 species in North

CarolinaCarolina 6 venomous species6 venomous species

Copperhead, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Coral Cottonmouth, Coral Snake, Timber Snake, Timber Rattlesnake, Eastern Rattlesnake, Eastern Diamondback Diamondback Rattlesnake, and Pigmy Rattlesnake, and Pigmy RattlesnakeRattlesnake

Most species are non-Most species are non-venomousvenomous

Black Rat Snake – non-venomous

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake - venomous

Scarlet Kingsnake – non-venomous

Ringneck Snake – non-venomous

SnakesSnakes All lack legsAll lack legs Lack ear openingsLack ear openings

Hear vibrations through Hear vibrations through the groundthe ground

Shed their skin to growShed their skin to grow Either lay eggs or give Either lay eggs or give

birth to live youngbirth to live young

Eastern Hognose Snake

Ringneck Snake

Redbelly WatersnakeBlack Racer Coachwhip

Snake FeedingSnake Feeding Entirely carnivorousEntirely carnivorous Swallow prey wholeSwallow prey whole

Can eat prey much larger than Can eat prey much larger than themselvesthemselves

Some use venom to Some use venom to immobilize preyimmobilize prey

Some constrict their preySome constrict their prey Some actively forage for preySome actively forage for prey Some sit and wait for prey to Some sit and wait for prey to

approach themapproach them

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake eating a Cottontail Rabbit

Scarlet Kingsnake eating a Green Anole

Snake Defense Snake Defense MechanismsMechanisms

Crypsis: Staying Crypsis: Staying camouflaged camouflaged

When detected:When detected: Flee, musk, gape, rattleFlee, musk, gape, rattle When these do not work, When these do not work,

snakes may strikesnakes may strike This occurs only when a snake This occurs only when a snake

feels threatened and has no feels threatened and has no other option to protect itselfother option to protect itself

Cottonmouth

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Eastern Hognose Snake

Brown Watersnake

ConservationConservation Many amphibians are in Many amphibians are in

declinedecline 32% of amphibians 32% of amphibians

endangered versus 12% endangered versus 12% of birds or 23% of of birds or 23% of mammalsmammals

43% of amphibian 43% of amphibian populations are decliningpopulations are declining

Few populations are Few populations are known to be increasingknown to be increasing

Red Salamander

Eastern KingsnakeBog Turtle

Grey Tree Frog

Causes of DeclineCauses of Decline

Habitat destructionHabitat destruction DiseaseDisease PollutionPollution Over-exploitationOver-exploitation Climate changeClimate change Invasive speciesInvasive species How many are human caused?How many are human caused?

What can you do?What can you do? Enjoy finding and observing Enjoy finding and observing

amphibians and reptilesamphibians and reptiles Don’t keep wild amphibians Don’t keep wild amphibians

and reptiles as petsand reptiles as pets Don’t kill snakesDon’t kill snakes Make sure you know a Make sure you know a

poisonous species looks like poisonous species looks like before handling snakes, and before handling snakes, and NEVER touch or threaten a NEVER touch or threaten a poisonous snakepoisonous snake

Don’t release any amphibian Don’t release any amphibian or reptile pet into the wildor reptile pet into the wild

Questions?Questions?

Corn Snake