A Survey of the Herpetofauna of the Comanche National Grasslands in Southeastern Colorado
Report to the USDA/Forest Service
1998
Prepared by
Dr. Stephen P. Mackessy
Dept. of Biological Sciences
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO 80639
Tel: (970)-351-2429
Fax: (970)-351-2335
Email: spmacke@bentley.unco.edu
Mackessy, Dr. Stephen P. 1998. A Survey of the Herpetofauna of the Comanche National Grasslands in Southeastern Colorado. USDA/Forest Service. 61 pages.
This resource should be cited as:Mackessy, Dr. Stephen P. 1998. A Survey of the Herpetofauna of the Comanche National Grasslands in Southeastern Colorado. USDA/Forest Service. 61 pages. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/herps/comaherp/index.htm (Version 04JUN99).
Contents
- Introduction
- Study Region, Methods and Personnel
- Results and Conclusions
- Recommendations for Management of R-2 Species
- Areas Within the Comanche National Grasslands of High Herpetological Diversity
- Conservation of Colorado's Herpetofauna
- Acknowledgements
- References
Appendices
- Appendix 1 -- Challenge Cost-Share Agreement and Modification
- Appendix 2 -- Colorado Division of Wildlife Scientific Collection Permits issued to Dr. Stephen P. Mackessy
- Appendix 3 -- Maps of the Comanche National Grasslands, Southeastern Colorado, included in the field surveys: 15 May 1995-15 October 1997
- Appendix 4 -- Amphibians and reptiles found on the Comanche National Grasslands: 1995-1997
- Appendix 5 -- County records and range extensions for amphibians and reptiles in southeastern Colorado,
- Appendix 6 -- Other Products Resulting Directly or Indirectly From Field Work: Presentations, Master's Theses, Honors Student Thesis
- Appendix 7 -- Photographs of selected habitat
and Species of amphibians and reptiles observed during the 1995-1997 field
seasons
- Barred tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium)
- Plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons)
- Couch's spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus couchi)
- New Mexico spadefoot toad (Spea multiplicatus)
- Green toad (Bufo debilis insidior)
- Red-spotted toad (Bufo punctatus)
- Woodhouse toad (Bufo woodhousei)
- Tadpoles (Bufo punctatus)
- Close-up of tadpoles (Bufo punctatus)
- Chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata)
- Great plains narrowmouth toad (Gastrophryne olivacea)
- Northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) & Plains leopard frog (Rana blairi)
- Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
- Snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
- Western box turtle (Terrapene ornata)
- Spiny softshell turtle (Trionyx [Apalone] spiniferus hartwegi)
- Adult softshell turtle (Trionyx [Apalone] spiniferus hartwegi)
- Lesser earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata maculata)
- Female earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata maculata)
- Collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
- Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
- Red-lipped prairie lizard (Sceloporus undulatus erythrocheilus)
- Great plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus)
- Prairie racerunner lizard (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis)
- Checkered whiptail (Cnemidophorus tesselatus)
- Texas blind snake (Leptotyphlops dulcis)
- Kansas glossy snake (Arizona elegans elegans)
- Eastern racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris)
- Young adult racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris)
- Prairie ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus arnyi)
- Ventral surface of a ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus arnyi)
- Great Plains ratsnake (Elaphe guttata emoryi)
- Neonate Great Plains ratsnake (Elaphe guttata emoryi)
- Western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus nasicus)
- Western hognose snake "playing dead" (Heterodon nasicus nasicus)
- Texas night snake (Hypsiglena torquata janii)
- Common kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus holbrookia/splendida intergrade)
- Plains milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis)
- Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceous)
- Bullsnake (Pituophis melanoleucus sayi)
- Texas longnose snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei tesselatus)
- Ground snake (Sonora semiannulata)
- Large adult ground snake (Sonora semiannulata)
- Plains blackhead snake (Tantilla nigriceps nigriceps)
- Blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis)
- Wandering garter snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans)
- Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix haydenii)
- Lined snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum lineatum)
- Lined snakes "ventral picture" (Tropidoclonion lineatum lineatum)
- Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis)
- Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi)
- Western hognose snake "anterior end" (Heterodon nasicus nasicus)
- Desert massasauga "anterior end" (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi)
- Typical prairie
- Overgrazed prairie with extensive fecal contamination
- Ecotone between shortgrass prairie and juniper woodlands
- Rocky bluffs above Cottonwood Canyon
- Rocky bluffs of Cottonwood Canyon
- Pool on stream in Cottonwood Canyon
- Dead coyotes along County Road 30 in Baca County
- Field crews: 1995
- Field crews: 1996
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