North Carolina Amphibian and Reptile Photos
Photos by Will Cook, mostly taken in North Carolina. Equipment: Nikon CoolPix 995 or Nikon CoolPix 8800 with Nikon 4T close-up lens.
Reptiles and Amphibians are often referred to as "herps". "Herp" is derived from "herpetology", which is from Greek, meaning the study (-logy) of reptiles (herpeton), though in current usage it includes amphibians, too. Herpeton derives from herpein, "to creep" - the Greeks may not have differentiated the two classes.
Amphibians - Class Amphibia Frogs and Toads - Order Anura Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans) Southern Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus) American Toad (Bufo americanus) Fowler's Toad (Bufo fowleri) Oak Toad (Bufo quercicus) - Craven Co., NC 9/6/03Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris) Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea) Spring Peeper (Hyla crucifer) Pine Woods Treefrog (Hyla femoralis) - Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC 9/6/03Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla squirella) - Greenville, NC 5/30/03Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriarum feriarum) - Orange Co., NC 2/12/05Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis) - Pender Co., NC 4/19/08 Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) - Durham, NC 7/22/04Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) - Durham Co., NC 7/24/03Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala)
Salamanders - Order Caudata
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) - Orange Co., NC 3/9/08 White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus) - Orange Co., NC 2/23/08
Reptiles - Class Reptilia Alligators - Order Crocodylia
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) - Brunswick Co., NC 8/25/07
Lizards - Order Squamata: Sauria (Lacertilia) Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Six-lined Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) - Scotland Co., NC 4/20/05Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) - Brunswick Co., NC 5/15/04Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) - Orange Co., NC, 4/7/02Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis) - Scotland Co., NC 3/22/08
Snakes - Order Squamata: Serpentes Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) - Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC 8/28/05Eastern Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus) - Dare Co., NC, 3/24/02Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) - Craven Co., NC 8/27/06Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) - Glynn Co., GA (photo by Alan Johnston)Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus) - Dare Co., NC, 9/8/01. The biggest snake I've seen in NC!Northern Ring-neck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) - Carroll Co., VA 4/26/03Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata) - Moore Co., NC 3/14/07Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) - Carroll Co., VA 5/25/03Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) at bird feeder - Chapel Hill, NC 5/18/06 (photos by David DiGiuseppe)Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) - Moore Co., NC 4/20/05Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula getula) - Durham Co., NC 8/16/03Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides) - Moore Co., NC 3/14/07Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) - Grayson Co., VA 5/28/06Red-belly Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster) - juvenile, Dare Co., NC, 3/24/02Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata) - Scotland Co., NC 4/20/05Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon) Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi) - Durham, NC 7/21/05Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) - Durham Co., NC 3/24/07
Turtles - Order Testudines Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) - Tyrrell Co., NC 9/13/03Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) - New Hanover Co., NC 8/28/04Yellow-bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta) - females laying eggs
Carolina Nature Photos
cwcook@duke.edu
Revised 4/25/2008
All photographs and text ©2008 by Will Cook, unless otherwise noted.
