Hey everyone one of my main projects this year is to document as many species from my home county(Somerset) as possible in the database.

I have made a list of species that might exist in Somerset but I don't know if they have been found in the county

What do you think?


TURTLES
Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys t. terrapin
Eastern Mud Turtle Kinosternon s. subrubrum
Redbelly Turtle Pseudemys rubriventris

LIZARDS
Five-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatus

SNAKES
Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platyrhinos
Eastern Ribbon Snake Thamnophis s. sauritus
Eastern Smooth Earth Snake Virginia v. valeriae
Eastern Worm Snake Carphophis a. amoenus
Northern Redbelly Snake Storeria o. occipitomaculata Nerodia s. sipedon
Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus
Smooth Green Snake Opheodrys vernalis

SALAMANDERS
Jefferson Salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum
Marbled Salamander Ambystoma opacum
Northern Slimy Salamander Plethodon glutinosus
Northern Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus

And here is a list of species that I have found and that others have found in the county


TURTLES
Common Map Turtle Graptemys geographica
Common Musk Turtle Sternotherus odoratus
Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina
Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene c. carolina
Eastern Painted Turtle Chrysemys p. picta
Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans
Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata

SNAKES
Black Rat Snake Elaphe o. obsoleta
Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis s. sirtalis
Eastern Milk Snake Lampropeltis t. triangulum
Northern Black Racer Coluber c. constrictor
Northern Brown Snake Storeria d. dekayi
Northern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen
Northern Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsii
Northern Water Snake Nerodia s. sipedon

SALAMANDERS
Four-toed Salamander Hemidactylium scutatum
Jefferson Salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum
Longtail Salamander (T) Eurycea l. longicauda
Northern Dusky Salamander Desmognathus f. fuscus
Northern Red Salamander Pseudotriton r. ruber
Northern Two-lined Salamander Eurycea bislineata
Redback Salamander Plethodon cinereus
Red-spotted Newt Notophthalmus v. viridescens
Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum
FROGS & TOADS
American Toad Bufo americanus
Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana
Green Frog Rana clamitans melanota call
New Jersey Chorus Frog Pseudacris triseriata kalmi call
Northern Cricket Frog Acris c. crepitans call
Northern Gray Treefrog Hyla versicolor call
Northern Spring Peeper Pseudacris c. crucifer call
Pickerel Frog Rana palustris call
Wood Frog Rana sylvatica call

I would think a Wood Turtle could potentially be found in Somerset County...I don't think it is out of their range.

Most of the animals you have specified occur in the county. Just keep looking for them, and you will find them.
Cheers,

Justin

There area few herps I didn't mention in my post; you can guess why

My main concerns for the county are Hogs/Jeffersons/Green Snakes/and Spring Salamanders

I'm aware most of the herps would be easy to find; I was just including everything thats not recorded

Could you please delete the previous post. I don't want anyone looking at this post and going to those localities. It was my fault for saying that, and I'm terribly sorry.

Thanks,


Justin

Don't worry about your post Justin; everyone new does it

Your in mercer? We should go herping sometime

Honestly, I highly doubt you'll find any of those in Somerset. You can forget green snakes and spring sals altogether, as there is NO shot of those whatsover. Smooths don't go that far down, and Roughs don't go that far up. And Spring sals are barely hanging on up in the mountains, and don't go that far south as well. I suppose Hogs and Jeffs are very slightly possible, but only vvveeerrryyyy slightly, as the habitat isn't all that good for either. Good luck though.

What a debbie downer you are Emma.

. Hognose snakes are everywhere, and greensnakes are just uncommon at day. Look at dusk in mountains. Just find some montane vernals, for those salamanders.

Justin

So I suppose you've been all throughout the state to back this up right?

I know personally, I know of LOTS of montane vernal pools in Somerset county......where there are no mountains.

Silly kids.

Dave, you old grouch, he is 13 let him keep the hope alive.

such a pessimist. I have actually been to many places in the state, and have found herps there. In NJ anywhere over 250 meters is considered a montane or mountain region.

Justin

There is a mountain sort of

If there are possible Jeffersons in mercer than I don't see why it couldn't happen in Somerset

Exactly. There are any mountains in Mercer as well as Hunterdon, so all those herps could be there.

Here's my list of potential species:

Anurans:

American
Fowlers
Bull
Green
Gray
Peeper
Pickerel
Cricket
Chorus – Either Upland or Chorus
Wood
Southern Leopard

Salamanders:

Four-toed
Jeff/Laterale hybrids
Longtail
Marbled
Slimy
Dusky
Red
Two-lined
Redback
Spotted
Newt
Spring – I think it’s a slight possibility.

Turtles:

Bog
Map
Musk
Snapping
DBT
Box
Mud
Painted
RES
Spotted
Wood
Redbelly – I don’t think they’ve been found here, but it would be a neat project.

Lizards

Five-Lined
Fencie – I think this would be a good find and is a possibility.

Snakes:

Rat
Garter
Hoggie – I think it’s a possibility.
Milk
Ribbon
Smooth Earth – Definitely hard to find, but probably there.
Worm – Same as Earth
Racer
Brown
Copperhead
Redbelly – I suppose with them being found in montane and pine habitats, anything in between is a possibility.
Ringneck
Water

In further discussion...

Lizards - Fencies and five-lines I definitely believe are there somewhere. Ground skinks are out of the question, I believe.

Sals - I don't know if the habitat supports it, but Spring salamanders, if you are dedicated to spending years looking in Somerset for all of the above, they are worth having on your radar.

Frogs - I think the list is complete. The species left off are Carpenter, PBTF, Copes, and Spadefoot.

Turtles - The only thing I left off the list was softshells. I think they've only been found in Cumberland. I could be wrong. Every other turtle, if someone's dedicated to finding them, they should be there.

Snakes - I too believe that both green snakes are a no-go. Of course, all the pine barren snakes I didn't include. Timbers are out. I think you'll work hardest for the hoggie and even if you don't find one by the time you're 50, I still wouldn't dismiss them. Same with the fossorials.

Red-Bellies like most fossorial snakes on the list, can be found in most habitats with a steady supply of invertebrates and places to hide. I've found some in creekbeds near water under sedimentary and flat rocks. They are pretty neat critters. Copperheads are definately out there, maybe in rock piles. I'm not sure what specifications A. contortrix mokasen needs, but they are out there. As long as you keep herping, you'll find all of the snakes on Brick's list .

Justin