Amphibians ~ Reptiles of Southern Illinois

This site is updated as often and refined as well as this hobbyist's time, energy and limited cyber-talent allow.

All WalkAbout "Southern Illinois Specific" Plant and Animal checklists are derived and verified,
in part, from Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) Biological Collections Databases.

Many other resources including Federal & State Agency Research Data, commercial field guides
and local publications have contributed to the compilation of these lists.

Visit EarthLinks for EarthLings! if you wish to browse related internet resource materials.

Many species listed have not had their presence documented in recent years. The INHS Collections Web Site includes this distinction.

Unwarranted inclusions, omissions or other errors are the sole responsibility of this web site.

Please send corrections or comments to email address:

woodmist@shawneelink.net

Thank You.

To view photos and details about Illinois' Amphibians, Reptiles and Fish
visit Illinois Natural History Survey Web Site.

*n,s,e,w means Southern Illinois is the northern, southern, eastern or western edge of range for species

ctl = central

^ = venomous snake species

# = see note as numbered

SIRENS, NEWTS & SALAMANDERS

Lesser Siren Caudata Sirenidae Siren intermedia

Eastern Newt Caudata Salmandridae Notophthalamus viridescens

Mudpuppy Cuadata Proteidae Necturus maculosus

Hellbender e Caudata Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis

????? 3-toed Amphiuma *n Caudata Amphiumidae Amphiuma triactylum

Spotted Salamander *w ctl Caudata Ambystomidae Ambystoma maculatum

Marbled Salamander Caudata Ambystomidae Ambystoma opacum

Mole Salamander *n Caudata Ambystomidae Ambystoma talpoideum

Small-mouthed Salamander Cuadata Ambystomidae Ambystoma texanum

Tiger Salamander Caudata Ambystomidae Ambystoma tigrinum

Northern Dusky Salamander !! *w ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Desmognthus fuscus

Presence is ???able Spotted Dusky Salamander *n ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Desmognthus conanti

Southern Two-lined Salamander *w ctl Cuadata Plethodontidae Eurycea cirrigera

Long-tailed Salamander *wn ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Eurycea longicauda

Cave Salamander *s ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Eurycea lucifuga

Four-toed Salamander *w ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactylum scutatum

Red-backed Salamander *e ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodon cinereus

Zigzag Salamander w ctl Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodon dorsalis

Slimy Salamander Cuadata Plethodontidae Plethodon glutinosus

Southern Red-back Salamander *e Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodon serratus

Eastern Spadefoot *n ctl Salientia Pelobatidae Scaphiopus holbrooki

Northern Crawfish Frog Salientia Ranidae Rana areolata circulosa

Plains Leopard Frog *e Salientia Ranidae Rana blairi

Bullfrog Salientia Ranidae Rana catesbeiana

Green Frog Salientia Anura Rana clamitans

Pickerel Frog *#1 Salientia Ranidae Rana palustris

Southern Leopard Frog Salientia Ranidae Rana sphenocephala

Wood Frog Salientia Ranidae Rana sylvatica

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad *n Salientia Microhylidae Gastrophyrne carolinensis

American Toad Salientia Bufonidae Bufo americanus

Fowler’s Toad Salientia Anura Bufo fowleri

Woodhouse Toad *n Salientia Bufonidae Bufo woodhousei fowleri

Northern Cricket Frog Salientia Hylidae Acris crepitans

Bird-voiced Treefrog Salientia Hylidae Hyla avivoca avivoca

Cope's Grey Treefrog Salientia Hylidae Hyla chrysoscelis (diploid)

Grey Treefrog Complex Salientia Hylidae Hyla versicolor-chrysoslis

Eastern Grey Treefrog Salientia Anur Hyla versicolor (tetraploid)

Green Treefrog *n ctl Salientia Hylidae Hyla cinera

Spring Peeper Salientia Hylidae Hyla crucifer

Strecker's "Illinois" Chorus Frog !! *#2 Salientia Hylidae Pseuacris streckeri

Upland Chorus Frog Salientia Hylidae Pseuacris feriarum

Western (Striped) Chorus Frog *s Salientia Hylidae Pseuacris triseriata

Snapping Turtle Testudines Chlydridae Chelydra serpentia

Alligator Snapper !! Testudines Chlydridae Macroclemys temmincki

Mississippi Mud Turtle *n Testudines Kinosternidae Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis

Eastern Mud Turtle *n ctl Testudines Kinosternidae Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum

Stinkpot/Common Musk Turtle Testudines Kinosternidae Sternotherus odoratus

Cooter/Hieroglyphic Slider !! *n ctl Testudines Emydidae Chrysemys concinna concinna

Missouri Slider (Cooter) *ne Testudines Emydidae Chrysemys floridana hoyi

Painted Turtle Testudines Emydidae Chrysemys picta

Pond Slider Testudines Emydidae Chrysemys scripta

Chicken Turtle *n ctl Testudines Emydidae Clemmys muhlenbergi

Map Turtle *s ctl Testudines Emydidae Graptemys geographica

Mississippi Map Turtle *ne Testudines Emydidae Graptemys kohni

False Map Turtle Testudines Emydidae Graptemys pseudogeographica

Eastern Box Turtle Testudines Emydidae Terrapene carolina carolina

Midland Smooth Softshell IWL Testudines Trionychidae Trionyx muticus muticus

Spiny Softshell Testudines Trionychidae Trionyx spiniferus

Eastern Collared Lizard IWL *ne Squamata Iguanidae Crotaphytus collaris collaris

Eastern Fence Lizard *n ctl Squamata Iguanidae Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus

Slender Glass Lizard (Western) *ne ctl Squamata Anguidae Ophisurus attenuatus attenuatus

Six-lined Racerunner *ne ctl Squamata Teiidae Cnemidophorus sexlineatus sexlineatus

Five-lined Skink Squamata Scincidae Eumeces fasciatus

Broad-headed Skink Squamata Scincidae Eumeces inexpectatus

Ground Skink *n ctl Squamata Scincidae Scincella lateralis

Midwest Worm Snake Squamata Colubridae Carphophis amoenus belenae

Northern Scarlet Snake *nw ctl Squamata Colubridae Cemophora coccinea copei

Southern Black Racer *n ctl Squamata Colubridae Coluber constrictor priapus

Ringneck Snake Squamata Colubridae Diaophis puntatus

Great Plains Rat Snake0 !! *n ctl Squamata Colubridae Elaphe guttata emoryi

Black Rat Snake Squamata Colubridae Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta

Gray Rat Snake *n ctl Squamata Colubridae Elaphe obsoleta spiloides

Western Mud Snake *n ctl Squamata Colubridae Farancia abacura reinwardti

Eastern Hognose Snake Squamata Colubridae Heterodon platyrhinos

Prarie Kingsnake Squamata Colubridae Lampropeltis calligaster

Common Kingsnake (Speckled) *e ctl Squamata Colubridae Lampropeltis getulus holbrooki

Common Kingsnake (Black) *nw Squamata Colubridae Lampropeltis getulus niger

Red Milk Snake *ne Squamata Colubridae Lampropeltis triangulum syspila

Eastern Milk Snake #1 *sw Squamata Colubridae Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum

Green Water Snake ! *n Squamata Colubridae Nerodia cyclopion cyclopion

Plain-bellied Water Snake *n ctl Squamata Colubridae Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster

Yellow-bellied Water Snake *n Squamata Colubridae Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster

Copper-bellied Water Snake *sw Squamata Colubridae Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta

Broad-banded So. Water Snake !! *ne Squamata Colubridae Nerodia fasciata confluens

Diamondback Water Snake *ne Squamata Colubridae Nerodia rhombifera

Northern Water Snake Squamata Colubridae Nerodia sipedon sipedon

Midland Water Snake *ne Squamata Colubridae Nerodia sipedon pleuralis

Rough Green Snake Squamata Colubridae Ophyeodrys aestivus

Western Smooth Green Snake *s ctl Squamata Colubridae Ophyeodrys vernalis blanchardi

Graham's Crayfish Snake *e ctl Squamata Colubridae Regina grahami

Midland Brown Snake Squamata Colubridae Storeria dekayi wrightorum

Northern Red-bellied Snake Squamata Colubridae Storeia o. occipitomaculata

Flat-headed Snake *ne Squamata Colubridae Tantilla gracilis

Eastern Ribbon Snake !! *w ctl Squamata Colubridae Thamnophis sauritus sautitus

(Northern) Eastern Ribbon Snake *w ctl Squamata Colubridae Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis

Western Ribbon Snake !! *e ctl Squamata Colubridae Thamnophis proximus proximus

Common Garter Snake Squamata Colubridae Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Eastern Plains Garter Snake *s Squamata Colubridae Thamnophis radix radix

Western Smooth Earth Snake Squamata Colubridae Virginia valeriae elegans

Viperidae

^ Southern Copperhead *n ctl Squamata Viperidae Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix

^ Northern Copperhead #2 *w Squamata Viperidae Agkistrodon contortrix mokeson

^ Western Cottonmouth *n ctl Squamata Viperidae Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma

^ Timber Rattlesnake ! Squamata Viperidae Crotalus horridus

NOTES:

#1 Subspecies:
Eastern Milk Snake *sw Squamata Colubridae Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum

#2 Subspecies:
^ Northern Copperhead, A. c. mokasen; and intergradation between northern and southern copperhead, A. c. contortrix.^

To the right is a photo of a portion of the generally lazy Cache River flowing adjacent to timeless Heron Pond. Period flooding results in faster currents that have obviously eroded the stream bank.

In this case, this erosion is not a natural phenomenon. A half century of "managed" water level in the Cache River Basin has led to more erratic and self-antagonist swamp conditions, conditions not present in a natural swampland.

Historically the Cache River Basin was a coherent swamp / river system that functioned as a singular hydrologic unit.

Today's "management" forces the basin to function as a series of parts who do not equal the whole.

Efforts are being made to restore more natural conditions.

Photo by Susan Kyle