Reptiles & Amphibians

Reptiles
Reptiles are cold-blooded, dry skinned vertebrates that usually have scaly skin and typically lay shelled eggs on land.  Reptiles consist of animals such as turtles and snakes.
Below are some you'll find here on the Refuge.

Turtles
 

Snapping Turtle
(Chelydra serpentine), Common, 8 - 18’’, 10 - 45 lbs.  Found in fresh and occasionally brackish water, snapping turtles are black to light brown, and are easily recognized by their large heads and saw-toothed ridges along their tales and back of their shells.  These turtles can usually be found in the mud and are known for their short temper and willingness to strike if provoked

Eastern Mud Turtle
(Kinosternon subrubrum), Common, 3 - 5”.  This mainly aquatic turtle is found in freshwater impoundments and marshes.  The Eastern mud turtle is aptly named after its muddy, brown-black appearance.  The turtle’s head is spotted or streaked with yellow; however it hides by day and forages underwater at night.

 

Northern Diamondback Terrapin
(Malaclemys terrapin), Common, Female 6 - 10”, Male 4 - 6”.  The Northern Diamondback Terrapin is found in brackish water and salt marshes, often basking on mud flats.  This turtle’s shell shows deep growth rings which give it a sculpted appearance.  The shell’s coloration is variable and the head and limbs are peppered with black.

Eastern Box Turtle
(Terrapene Carolina), Uncommon, 4 - 8”.  The Eastern box turtle is mainly a land turtle, but sometimes soaks in freshwater ponds.  This high-domed shell turtle has the ability to close its back end tight, which gives it a boxed appearance.  Variable in color and patterns, the box turtle can be yellow, orange, olive, black, or brown.

Eastern Painted Turtle
(Chrysemys picta), Common, 4 - 7”.  The Eastern painted turtle is found in freshwater impoundments, often basking in the sun.  This attractive turtle has a smooth black shell with yellow lines and spots on the head.

Red-bellied Turtle
(Chrysemeys rubriverntris), Uncommon, 10 - 13”.  Often seen basking with the painted turtles, the red-bellied turtle has a brown-black shell.  The females can be distinguished from the males by the vertical red lines down their back.
 

Spotted Turtle
(Clemmys guttata), Uncommon, 3 ½ - 4 ½”.  The “polka-dot turtle”, it has variable numbers of yellow spots on its carapace and neck.  Found basking in marshy meadows, swamps, bogs, small ponds, ditches, and shallow bodies of water.

Atlantic Loggerhead Sea Turtle
(Caretta caretta), Uncommon, 30 - 70”, 170-900 lbs.  The Atlantic loggerhead is a reddish-brown sea turtle that is occasionally seen surfacing in channels and in Toms Cove.  This turtle has paddle like limbs and an elongated, heart-shaped shell.  Listed as a threatened species.

Atlantic Green Turtle
(Chelonia mydas), Rare, 36 - 48”, 250-450 lbs.  Carapace light or dark brown and shaded with wavy olive markings or brown blotches.  Numbers greatly reduced due to over fishing. 

Brown Snake
(Nerodia taxispilota), Uncommon, 30 - 70”.  The brown water snake is found in freshwater ponds and ditches and is an excellent tree climber.  This snake has a head wider than its neck and is dark brown with large dark splotches on the back and side.  Feeds on prey items such as frogs, salamanders, and fish.

Northern Water Snake
(Nerodia sipedon), Rare, 22 - 53”.  The Northern water snake is found in freshwater ponds or basking on logs on the water’s edge.  This snake can be reddish, brown, or gray to brownish-black with dark crossbands on the neck region and blotches on the back and side.  Feeds on prey items such as frogs, salamanders, and fish.

 

Rough Green Snake
(Opheodrys aestivus), Rare, 22 - 45”.  A tree dweller found in vines, bushes, and trees near water, the rough tree snake is very slender and pea-green in color with a white to yellowish-green belly.  The rough green snake mainly feeds on spiders and other insects.

Eastern Garter Snake
(Thamnophis sirtalis), Rare, 18 - 52”.  The Eastern garter snake is highly variable in color, with stripes or spots dominating.  Occasionally some garter snakes are all black.  Beware; when these snakes are handled they expel a pungent musk. Feeds on a variety of prey items such as rodents, amphibians, fish, worms, and carrion.
 

Eastern Hognose Snake
(Heterodon platyrhinos), Common, 18 - 45”.  The Eastern hognose snake is stout-bodied with a pointed, slightly upturned snout and wide neck.  The coloration of this snake is highly variable, but it usually has dark blotches on its back.  The hognose snake is best known for the defensive behavior of “hooding” its neck, flattening its body to elude the predator, the Eastern hognose rolls over and plays dead. Toads are its main prey item.

Black Rat Snake
(Elaphe obsolete), Common, 34 - 100”.  This long, powerful constrictor is shiny black with a white chin and belly.  The black rat snake is an excellent climber and often resides in high tree cavities.  Mainly feeds on small rodents, birds, bird eggs, other snakes, and amphibians.

Black Racer
(Coluber constrictor constrictor), Common, 34 - 77”.  The black racer is long, slender, agile and fast moving snake.  What may seem to be the buzzing of a rattlesnake may is actually the black racer vibrating its tail tip in dead vegetation.  If grabbed, this snake may bite repeatedly and thrash about.  The black racer primarily feed on rodents and frogs.

Amphibians
Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrates that usually lack scaly skin, lay jelly-coated eggs in winter, and go through metamorphosis (a change in physical appearance).  This group of animals consists of toads, frogs, and salamanders.

Toads
 

Fowler’s Toad
(Bufo woodhousii fowleri), Common, 2.5 - 5”.  The Fowler’s toad is found in sandy areas, on trials, and around buildings.  This large toad has dry, warty skin that is yellow, green or brownish in color.  The back of the Fowler’s toad is blotchy while the chest is paler and unspotted.  Primarily prey items include insects such as ants and beetles.

Green Tree Frog
(Hyla cinerea), Common, 1 - 2.5”.  The green treefrog prefers moist shady places.  This little frog has smooth bright green, yellow, or greenish-gray skin with a yellow stripe along the side of the body.  They often congregate in large groups of several hundreds and tend to rest during the day.  Primarily feeds on insects.

Southern Leopard Frog
(Rana sphenocephala), Common, 2-5”.  The Southern leopard frog can be found in freshwater ponds and brackish water marshes, but forages on land.  This nocturnal frog is slender and green to brown in color with variable spots.  Primarily feeds on insects.

Bullfrog
(Rana catesbeiana), Common, 3.5 - 8”.  The largest frog in North America, the bullfrog is an introduced species at the refuge.  This frog is found in freshwater ponds and has green to yellowish skin with occasional gray or brown markings.  Primarily feeds on insects.

Redback Salamander
(also color morph – Leadback Salamander)
(Pethodon cinereus), Rare, 2 - 5”.  The redback salamander is dark gray or black with a reddish stripe along its back.  The leadback lacks the red pigmentation.  This salamander prefers the dark, moist areas under rocks or rotted logs, and leaf litter in the forest.  Primarily feeds on small insects.