1 Topic by kaptainkory

  • kaptainkory
  • kaptainkory
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Bella Vista, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2002-04-16
  • Posts: 3,513

Topic: 2006 Arkansas Herp Finds

* PLEASE ADD YOUR OWN REPORTS *

All in all, 2006 was a pretty good year for finding herps in Arkansas, despite continued drought-like conditions.  In total, I personally found 63 out of the 119 naturally-occurring herp species in the state.  I also found 1 of the introduced species, Seal Salamander, that is now established in the state.

My personal best finds included several species I had never found before: Queen Snake, Rich Mt. Salamander (though Erica Shelby takes credit for flipping the exact rock!), Dwarf Salamander, Grotto Salamander, Spotted Dusky Salamander, and Seal Salamander.

My most surprising non-finds would probably include: Prairie Kingsnake and Broadhead Skink.

My most disappointing non-finds would include: W. Diamondback Rattlesnake, Ground Snake, and Fourche Mt. Salamander.  There are plenty of other species I would *like* to find, but concerted efforts were put toward these 3...only to come up empty.

The dates and counties in the list below apply to the FIRST specimen found for the year.

[uSnakes - 22 Species[/u
Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)...MAY-02...BENTON CO.
Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)...APR-02...COLUMBIA CO.
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)...APR-15...WASHINGTON CO.
Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor ssp.)...APR-21...MADISON CO.
Western Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta)...APR-21...MADISON CO.
Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki)...MAR-11...MADISON CO.
Red Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)...MAY-20...LOGAN CO.
Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum)...OCT-14...JOHNSON CO.
Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)...JUN-28...BENTON CO.
Flathead Snake (Tantilla gracilis)...APR-08...CARROLL CO.
Plainbelly Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster ssp.)...APR-01...MADISON CO.
Midland Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis)...MAR 12...MADISON CO.
Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)...OCT-14...JOHNSON CO.
Midland Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi wrightorum)...APR-08...BENTON CO.
Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata ssp.)...APR-28...COLUMBIA CO.
Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis ssp.)...MAY-20...LOGAN CO.
Rough Earth Snake (Virginia striatula)...APR-08...BENTON CO.
Western Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae elegans)...MAY-16...BENTON CO.
Western Worm Snake (Carphophis vermis)...APR-08...CARROLL CO.
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus ssp.)...APR-08...BENTON CO.
Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos)...MAY 20...LOGAN CO.

[uLizards - 6 Species[/u
Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)...MAR-11...MADISON CO.
Northern Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis carolinensis)...JUN-15...GARLAND CO.
Southern Coal Skink (Eumeces anthracinus pluvialis)...APR-08...BENTON CO.
Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus)...MAR-18...POLK CO.
Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis)...MAR-11...MADISON CO.
Prairie Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis)...APR-23...SCOTT CO.

[uTurtles - 7 Species[/u
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina)...FEB-18...BENTON CO.
Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)...JUN-18...MADISON CO.
Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis)...APR-21...BENTON CO.
Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna)...JUN-15...GARLAND CO.
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina ssp.)...APR-28...COLUMBIA CO.
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)...MAR-29...BENTON CO.
Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)...OCT-14...JOHNSON CO.

[uFrogs - 13 Species[/u
Dwarf American Toad (Bufo americanus charlesmithi)...APR-15...WASHINGTON CO.
Fowler's Toad (Bufo fowleri)...APR-15...WASHINGTON CO.
Nothern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans ssp.)...APR-28...COLUMBIA CO.
Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)...JUN-15...GARLAND CO.
Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)...MAY-20...LOGAN CO.
Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)...MAR-12...MADISON CO.
Northern Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer crucifer)...JAN-01...BENTON CO.
Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriarum)...MAR-10...MADISON CO.
Eastern Narrowmouth Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis)...APR-28...COLUMBIA CO.
Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)...MAR-15...BENTON CO.
Green Frog (Rana clamitans ssp.)...APR-21...MADISON CO.
Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)...JUL-08...MADISON CO.
Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala utricularius)...MAR-09...BENTON CO.

[uSalamanders - 16 Species[/u
Ringed Salamander (Ambystoma annulatum)...OCT-15...MADISON CO.
Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)...MAR-09...BENTON CO.
Ouachita Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus brimleyorum)...MAR-18...POLK CO.
Spotted Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus conanti)...APR-28...COLUMBIA CO.
Dark-sided Salamander (Eurycea longicauda melanopleura)...APR-21...MADISON CO.
Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)...APR-01...BENTON CO.
Many-ribbed Salamander (Eurycea multiplicata)...MAR-18...POLK CO.
Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea quadridigitata)...APR-28...COLUMBIA CO.
Grotto Salamander (Eurycea spelaea)...NOV-25...MADISON CO.
Oklahoma Salamander (Eurycea tynerensis)...APR-08...CARROLL CO.
Western Slimy Salamander (Plethodon albagula)...MAR-09...BENTON CO.
Ozark Zigzag Salamander (Plethodon angusticlavius)...JAN-08...BENTON CO.
Rich Mountain Salamander (Plethodon ouachitae)...MAR-18...POLK CO.
Southern Redback Salamander (Plethodon serratus)...MAR-18...POLK CO.
Central Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis)...JUN-15...GARLAND CO.
Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola)...APR-09...BENTON CO. {INTRODUCED SP.}

Kory Roberts: Email | Facebook | Flickr | Last.fm | YouTube

kaptainkory's Website

2 Reply by rattlesnakeman

  • rattlesnakeman
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Bentonville, AR
  • Registered: 2006-01-20
  • Posts: 100

Re: 2006 Arkansas Herp Finds

Thanks Kory:

I think that made it work.

KC

Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency.

rattlesnakeman's Website

3 Reply by ksuglennj

  • ksuglennj
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-07-03
  • Posts: 1,498

Re: 2006 Arkansas Herp Finds

I will just hit the high points. Not to be too touchy feely. Becoming more involved with this group has been the best find for the year. Thanks Kory for pushing me into it, while working in Steve's lab.

Best finds:

County record Green Tree Frogs for both Franklin and Crawford Counties (with Van and Brad)
County record Cave Salamander, Dark-sided Salamander, and Timber Rattlesnake Johnson County. The timber was a great find for me, because it was the first I had found on my own.

Finding a Queen Snake in Johnson County was tops. This was a lifer for me. The other lifer was a Ouachita Dusky Salamander, not remembering the county, but most of you know the spot.
My first Marbeled Salamander in Arkansas (Johnson County). I had found them in Missouri, but never Arkansas.
Finding Pigmy Rattlesnakes, are always fun. Van and I found 2 this past spring in Washington Co.
The sheer number of Copperheads this year was unreal. I found almost 50. I lost count to tell the truth. Flipping a rock and finding mom with the litter she had just dropped may have been my best personal find of the year.
Smallmouth Salamander Wasington Co., I had not seen one since 2000.
Wood Frog, I think Franklin maybe Crawfor Co.. I had also not seen these since 2000.

Also, I have been setting herping goals for Arkansas. This is because I am running out of lifers on this side of the state. This year it was to find a juvie Hognose. I did this twice this year. Well I found one in Johnson Co. and the other was found by Matt Smith.

My goal for 2007, is a dark adult Coachwhip. I have found plenty of juvies, but never an adult. I have also had my hands on the red and brown adults out west, but never the dark ones over this way.

Disapointing non-finds.
I did not find a single Rough Green Snake. I did see the one found on the trip, but this was a common snake the last couple of years.
Prairie Kingsnake, I have always had trouble finding these.

Glennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

4 Reply by kaptainkory

  • kaptainkory
  • kaptainkory
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Bella Vista, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2002-04-16
  • Posts: 3,513

Re: 2006 Arkansas Herp Finds

ksuglennj wrote:

Becoming more involved with this group has been the best find for the year.

Ahhh shucks.  It was a good year!

I also noticed the high Copperhead volume.  Brad and I turned up more than we wanted to count cruising the roads on Mt. Magazine in May.  That was a fun time!

I may have to start a new post or add on here about the great memories for the year with AHS!  Some wonderful friendships have definitely developed!  <sniff, sniff>   cool

Kory Roberts: Email | Facebook | Flickr | Last.fm | YouTube

kaptainkory's Website

5 Reply by ksuglennj

  • ksuglennj
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-07-03
  • Posts: 1,498

Re: 2006 Arkansas Herp Finds

Thought I would add a picture that I made a while back. This depicts some of my best finds for the year, minus what we found on the  AHS trip.

http://comp.uark.edu/~gmannin/HerpPosts/YearsBest/ARmerge.jpg

Glenn