My Field Journal

On Saturday, we (myself, Dr. Sandy Echternacht, and Dr. R. Graham Reynolds) took the herpetology class at UTK to the Cherokee National Forest in Polk County, Tennessee, for a field trip. Weather was great with sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s, and low humidity. We first traveled to the Conasauga River area to look for turtles and salamanders in the tributaries. Next, we visited a historic locality for Coal Skinks collected by in 1980. Later in the day, we traveled to the Hiwassee River to look for hellbenders and mudpuppies then roadcruised around the Apalachia Dam area for snakes just after dark before heading back to Knoxville.

Overall we did fairly well and saw a number of species. We documented 23 species of amphibians and reptiles, including 8 salamanders, 4 frogs, 1 lizard, 6 snakes, and 4 turtles.

Conasauga River area:

The herpetology class at UTK went out to search for amphibians and reptiles associated with the cedar glades of middle Tennessee in hopes of finding some the rarer species of snakes and lizards found in the state. We first visited a few sites in Cedars of Lebanon State Forest then search briefly at Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area. Although overall numbers of individuals was down compared to trips in the past, we weren't disappointed by diversity. The weather was great with temperatures in the mid 80s and partly cloudy skies. On the way back to Knoxville, we also stopped at Ozone Falls State Natural Area to look for a few species of salamanders.

Cedar Glade finds: 

     Ambystoma barbouri (Streamside Salamander) 20+ larvae

     Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamanders) a few egg masses

     Notophthalmus v. viridescens (Eastern Newt) 3 adults and several larvae

     Plethodon dorsalis (Northern Zigzag Salamander) 2 adults and 1 juvenile

     Acris crepitans (Northern Cricket Frog) 3 adults

     Anaxyrus a. americanus (Eastern American Toad) 4 adults and juveniles, adults calling

     Anaxyrus fowleri (Fowler's Toad) 30+ adults

     Hyla chrysoscelis (Cope's Gray Treefrog) adults calling

     Lithobates sphenocephalus (Southern Leopard Frog) 1 adult

     Pseudacris feriarum (Upland Chorus Frog) adults calling

     Aspidoscelis s. sexlineata (Eastern Six-lined Racerunner) 1 juvenile

     Plestiodon fasciatus (Five-lined Skink) 5+ adults and juveniles

     Plestiodon inexpectatus (Southeastern Five-lined Skink) 2 adults

     Sceloporus undulatus (Eastern Fence Lizard) TMTC adults and juveniles

     Scincella lateralis (Little Ground Skink) 3 adults

     Carphophis amoenus (Eastern Wormsnake) 3 adults and 1 juvenile

     Coluber c. constrictor (Northern Black Racer) 2 adults, 2 juveniles, 1 DOR adult, 1 DOR juvenile

     Diadophis punctatus edwardsi (Northern Ringneck Snake) 6 adults

     Lampropeltis getula nigra (Black Kingsnake) 2 juveniles, 1 DOR adult

     Lampropeltis t. triangulum (Eastern Milksnake) 2 adults

     Tantilla coronata (Southeastern Crowned Snake) 1 adult

     Virginia v. valeriae (Eastern Smooth Earthsnake) 3 adults

Ozone Falls State Natural Area:

     Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper) several adults calling

     Aneides aeneus (Green Salamander) 1 adult

     Desmognathus abditus (Cumberland Dusky Salamander) 2 adults and 1 juvenile

     Desmognathus conanti (Spotted Dusky Salamander) 2 adults

     Eurycea wilderae (Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamander) 1 adult

     Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus (Northern Spring Salamander) 1 adult

     Notophthalmus v. viridescens (Eastern Newt) 1 eft

Carphophis amoenus (Eastern Wormsnake)

Coluber c. constrictor (Northern Black Racer)

Lampropeltis getula nigra (Black Kingsnake)

Lampropeltis t. triangulum (Eastern Milksnake)

Tantilla coronata (Southeastern Crowned Snake)

Virginia v. valeriae (Eastern Smooth Earthsnake)

Scincella lateralis (Little Ground Skink)

Aspidoscelis s. sexlineata (Eastern Six-lined Racerunner)

Plestiodon fasciatus (Five-lined Skink)

Plestiodon inexpectatus (Southeastern Five-lined Skink)

Sceloporus undulatus (Eastern Fence Lizard)

Acris crepitans (Northern Cricket Frog) 

Anaxyrus fowleri (Fowler's Toad)

Lithobates sphenocephalus (Southern Leopard Frog)

Bones and I went over to a woodlot behind where Bones used to live in Lafayette to look for snakes and for some frogs. We turned up a few interesting finds. We also set minnow traps in a ditch a local park in Youngsville in hopes of landing a few turtles and maybe an amphiuma. This year, we weren't disappointed catching 7 turtles and an amphiuma in the unbaited traps, including a Mississippi Mud Turtle.

     Acris blanchardi (Blanchard's Cricket Frog) 5+adults

     Incilius nebulifer (Gulf Coast Toad) 1 adult

     Lithobates clamitans clamitans (Bronze Frog) 5+ tadpoles

     Amphiuma tridactylum (Three-Toed Amphiuma) 1 adult

     

Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma (Western Cottonmouth)

Thamnophis proximus orarius (Gulf Coast Ribbonsnake) adults

Storeria dekayi limnetes (Marsh Brownsnake)

Plestiodon fasciatus (Five-Lined Skink) adult

Plestiodon laticeps (Broad-Headed Skink) adult

Sometimes skinks bite and it hurts

Sternotherus odoratus (Stinkpot) female (L) and male (R)

Roadside ditch (Stinkpot habitat)

Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis (Mississippi Mud Turtle)

Turtle and Amphiuma habitat

Chelydra serpentina (Common Snapping Turtle) subadult

Incilius nebulifer (Gulf Coast Toad)

Amphiuma tridactylum (Three-Toed Amphiuma) adult