Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

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ritt
Posts: 223
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:05 am

Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by ritt »

Hey Folks,
In the interest of working to rebuild the great wealth of information and photos available on FHF. Here are a variety of finds from the past couple years in Louisiana, not everything, of course, but a nice sampling.

Ambystoma opacum (Marbled Salamander)
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Ambystoma texanum (Small-mouthed Salamander) - this one was a lifer for me, found on New Years Day 2009
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Eurycea quadridigitata (Dwarf Salamander)
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Acris crepitans (Northern Cricket Frog)
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Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog)
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Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad)
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Rana clamitans (Bronze Frog)
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Agkistrodon contortrix (Copperhead)
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Agkistrodon piscivorus (Cottonmouth)
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Coluber constrictor (Black-masked Racer) - a kind of lousy photo, but a nice specimen nonetheless
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Lampropeltis getula (Speckled Kingsnake)
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Nerodia clarkii (Saltmarsh Snake)
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venter
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Nerodia erythrogaster (Yellow-bellied Watersnake) - a rather beat up old male
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Nerodia fasciata (Broad-banded Watersnake)
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a nice male looking for a female
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four males and a female
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Nerodia rhombifer (Diamond-backed Watersnake)
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Nerodia fasciata (Broad-banded Watersnake) and Thamnophis proximus (Western Ribbon Snake) - I didn't even see the Ribbon at first, I was leaning of a boardwalk photographing the Nerodia when I noticed the Ribbon right there as well
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Pantherophis obsoletus / spiloides / allegeniensis (depends on who you ask, would be a spiloides if you recognize all three species, but allegeniensis and spiloides are conspecific if you ask me. Anyway, its a Texas Ratsnake)
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Regina rigida (Glossy Crawfish Snake) - best find of 2010 thus far, found roadcruising with Chris (gretzkyrh4)
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Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean House Gecko) - an incredibly rare introduced species (I've counted over 150 in one night, and over 75 on one building in a single night)
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Plestiodon fasciatus (Five-lined Skink) - a nice male on the handrail of a boardwalk
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Plestiodon laticeps (Broad-headed Skink)
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Pseudemys concinna (Eastern River Cooter)
juvenile
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Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)
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Alligator mississippiensis (Alligator)
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I hope others will follow suite and post some of their finds on the chapter forum as well.
Best,
Eric
gretzkyrh4
Posts: 661
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 12:17 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by gretzkyrh4 »

great post Eric. Unless work somehow becomes a living hell again mid-winter, I really need to join you for some of the salamander hunting.

Chris
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MHollanders
Posts: 583
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 2:32 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by MHollanders »

That getula is funky looking!

Later, Matt
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Phil
Posts: 65
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:11 am
Location: Lafayette, LA

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by Phil »

Great post! :thumb: I also live in Louisiana, and I've had some serious trouble finding those salamanders. :lol:
ritt
Posts: 223
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:05 am

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by ritt »

Phil: yes, the salamanders are a bit tough. The quadridigitata is from Natchitoches Parish, the others are from East Baton Rouge Parish. I think amphiumas are the only salamanders I've seen outside of about November to early March. All the LA Ambystoma I've seen were in late December or January. A big change of pace for a native of western NY when I moved down here a few years ago.
-Eric
EvanHerp
Posts: 3
Joined: July 23rd, 2010, 7:25 pm

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by EvanHerp »

Sweet Pictures Eric!
You southern herpers are lucky :lol:
ritt
Posts: 223
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:05 am

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by ritt »

Thanks, Evan. Honestly, the diversity is way higher down here in the south, and its awesome to be able to find herps year-round, but in terms of numbers of individuals, I haven't had nearly the success down here in Louisiana as I did up in NY, some species are just so common up north (e.g. Plethodon cinereus, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, Thamnophis sirtalis, Storeria occipitomaculata) that I typically found far more individuals in a day of herping in good habitat up north than down here.
brennan
Posts: 84
Joined: December 13th, 2010, 8:29 am

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by brennan »

those are some great pics. where did you find the ambystoma sp in natc., was it near kisatche. i'm also from la.
BLB1029
Posts: 17
Joined: July 21st, 2010, 9:13 am
Location: Southcentral Pennsylvania

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by BLB1029 »

That speckled king is really interesting. I've never seen a speckled that appeared to be nearly entirely speckled except for the top portion of the body.
What Parish was that speckled found in? Have you seen others in the same area with the same pattern?
If you'd like to E-mail me privately, my e-mail address is: [email protected]
Thanks,
Brad Bauserman
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ratsnakehaven
Posts: 2272
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 9:08 am
Location: Southern Arizona

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by ratsnakehaven »

Awesome, Eric. Not only beautiful photos, but the variety is fantastic. You included some of my old favorites from when I lived further east, including East TX. Now I live in AZ and we don't have any salamanders to speak of, for one thing. Also miss snakes like the coppers and water mocassins. We do have lots of rattlers though....haha!

Have a great Christmas....Terry :thumb:
TimCO
Posts: 891
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:27 am
Location: Colorado

Re: Random Louisiana finds from the past couple years

Post by TimCO »

Nice Regina. Where's the ruthveni?
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