clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by mikeygraz 5 Omaha, NE (My Page) on Fri, Jul 11, 08 at 15:43 PervinPatty - Obviously you didn't do YOUR research on this subject. You undoubtedly got your information from the following website: www.californiaherps.com This is an excellent resource, and I know some of the people who have put that whole thing together. You obviously didn't look at the species list closely enough, as you will see that the southern leopard frog (Rana utricularia) is an INTRODUCED species - that means it is not native and doesn't belong there! While northern leopard frogs once had a few spots in northerneastern California where they were present, it is likely that they are EXTIRPATED (that means they are gone) from the state now, as it also says on that site and if you actually took the time to read scientific journals (as I do) you'll see that repeated efforts to find relict populations have failed. Also, you'll notice that northern leopard frogs never ranged into Central california, where you say you live...so again, that goes back to my saying you shouldn't be bringing in nonnative or nonlocal species. Obviously you didn't read my original post - do you really think that a northern leopard frog (or leopard toad, as you put it, haha) with its origins in North Carolina would survive in your region? I doubt it...not to mention the fact that it is ILLEGAL. You tried using the word "indigenous" as well - you have to use that word with some measure of scale - there are lots of anurans indigenous to California - but how about YOUR LOCAL area? I guess by your rules, you could take a Couch's spadefoot toad from extreme southeastern CA and put it in your pond...because its indigenous to California, right? Or maybe a Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea), because they are indigenous to the United State, and they sure are pretty! Again, do your research, and if you're too lazy to go find some construction sites or golf courses nearby you, then tough luck. Don't get pissy at me for advising and educating you about the problems that could be caused by your actions. ~Mike An old post but worth repeating!

This was interesting to me I live in Ontario an hour out of Toronto Have never seen a salamander here in any garden I have had over the years But In Florida I have some very nice gardens and the past maybe four years I do have what I think is a salamander family living in the garden down there. They are not colourfull like your tiger salamander. Just a grey colour. I seem to see them each year in the shady gardens not on the sunny side Never found much information about them. Interesting that we have them in Canada as well TO bad it is that people have an instinct to kill such things but most of all snakes I always feel badly to hear people talk about how terrific it was to kill a snake that they found on their property I know instinctively people are frightened of snakes but they do so much good. really enjoyed to see this article and what others had to say

Those are the coolest looking Four Toeds I've ever seen. I also found a Fox snake at your same spot the other day. What County did you find those 4 Toeds in Scott? I know there's populations in Will County. Drop me an email. I've already seen them in the wild but it would be cool to know a spot for when I get a better camera. Dave

Some of the numbers are still a couple of trips behind but I think that the species list is mostly caught up-- Missouri/Kansas/Oklahoma Red milk (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)------------------------38 Central plains milk (Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis) -----------21 Prairie king (Lampropeltis c. calligaster)----------------------------8 (3 DOR) Speckled king (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki)--------------------29 (3 DOR) (and speckled/desert intergrade) Osage copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster)---------15 Broad-banded copperhead, (Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus)--6 (3 DOR) Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)------------------------------4 (1 DOR) Western Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri)-------2 (1 DOR) Western Cottonmouth, (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)----1 Western massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus)------------10 (DOR) (dead lifer) Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis)-------------------------------1 (DOR) (dead lifer) Northern Scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea copei)---------------1 (DOR) Western coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus)------------ 2 (1 DOR) Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum)------------1 (DOR) Black rat snake (Elaphe/Pantherophis o. obsoleta)-----------------12 (2 DOR) Great plains rat (Elaphe guttata emoryi)-----------------------------8 Bull snake (Pituophis catenifer sayi)---------------------------------20 (8 DOR) Northern water (Nerodia sipedon sipedon)---------------------------1 Blotched water (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa)-----------------2 Rough green snake (Opheodrys a. aestivus)--------------------------6 (5 DOR) Graham's Crayfish Snake (Regina grahamii)-------------------------1 Smooth earth snake (Virginia valeriae elegans)---------------------8 Rough earth snake (Virginia striatula)--------------------------------1 (lifer) Flathead snake (Tantilla gracilis)--------------------------------------4 (lifer) Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix)-------------------------------1 (lifer) Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)------------------------13 (8 DOR) Collared lizard (Crotaphytus c. collaris)------------------------------11 Western slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus a. attenuatus)------------4 Prairie lizard (Sceloporus consobrinus)--------------------------------7 Gray tree frog (Hyla Versicolor)---------------------------------------15+ Smallmouth Salamander (Ambystoma texanum) --------------------10 Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)------------------------1 (lifer) Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma t. tigrinum)-----------------1 (DOR) (dead lifer) Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)-----------------------------------------2 (lifer) Great plains toad (Bufo cognatus)--------------------------------------1 (DOR) Midland Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica mutica) ---------- ? 1 Too many to counts: Yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris) Prairie ringneck (Diadophis punctatus arnyi) (1000s) Texas brown snake (Storeria dekayi texana) Red-sided garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) Western worm snake (Carphophis vermis) Great plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus) Five-lined skink (Eumeces fasciatus) Chorus frog (Pseudacris t. triseriata) Cricket frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi) Southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala utricularius) Plains leopard frog (Rana blairi) Bullfrog (Rana Catesbeiana) Central newt (Notophthalmus viridens louisianensis) Uncounted species (laziness) Ribbon snake (Thamnophis p. proximus) Lined snake (Tropidoclonian lineatum) Prairie racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis) Fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus) Ground skink (Scincella lateralis) Ornate box turtle (Terrapene o. ornata) Three toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Common snapping turtle (Chelydra s. serpentina) G.P. narrowmouth toad (Gastrophryne olivacea) American toad (Bufo a. americanus) Woodhouse's Toad (Bufo woodhousii woodhousii) Northern Spring Peeper - Pseudacris crucifer crucifer (heard) So. California Southern Rubber Boa (Charina umbratica) 1 Desert Rosy Boa (Charina/ Lichanura trivirgata gracia) 1 Coastal Rosy Boa (Charina/ Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca) 3 Rosy Boa (Charina/ Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca x gracia) 1 California Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata) 3 California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus californiae) 2 (1 DOR) Striped Racer/whipsnake (Masticophis l. lateralis) 2 (1 DOR) Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanes) 3 Red Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum piceus) 6 (DOR) Southwestern blind snake (Leptotyphlops humilis humilis) 1 Desert Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans eburnata) 8 (3 DOR) Shovelnose snake (Chionactis occipitalis annulata) 4 (1 DOR) Great Basin Gopher Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus deserticola) 5 (DOR) San Diego Gopher Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus annectens) 7 (3 DOR) Spotted Leafnose Snake (Phyllorhynchus decurtatus) 15 Desert Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata deserticola) 2 Desert Patchnose (Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis) 1 (DOR) Western Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus l. lecontei) 2 (1 DOR) Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) 3 (1 DOR) Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) 1 (DOR) Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus) 1 (DOR) Colorado Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes laterorepens) 2 Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) 3 Southern Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum) 2 (1 DOR) Flat-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii) 1 Desert Iguana (Diposaurus d. dorsalis) 2 (1 DOR) Western skink (Eumeces s. skiltonianus) 15+ Western Zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus) 2 Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansbutiana stejnegeri) TMTC Granite Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus orcutti) (and probably S. magister uniformis also) TMTC Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes) TMTC Desert Banded Gecko (Coleonyx v. variegatus) 46+ (5+ DOR) Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii) 1 Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma notata) 20+ Southern Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus) Granite Night Lizard (Xantusia henshawi) 4 Western Red-tailed Skink (Eumeces "gilberti" rubricaudatus) 1 Orange-throated Whiptail (Aspidoscelis hyperythra) 1 Great Basin Whiptail (Aspidoscelis t. tigris) 5+ Coastal Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri) 3+ Mountain Yellow-legged Frog (Rana muscosa) 1 California Treefrog (Pseudacris (Hyla) cadaverina) 1 Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris (Hyla) regilla) 1 Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus) 1 California Toad (Bufo boreas halophilus) 1 Large Blotched Ensatina (Ensatina eschsholtzi klauberi) 1 Ensatina (Ensatina eschsholtzi klauberi x E. e. croceator (or x E. e. eschsholtzi?)) 1 ("+" after a number = counted to that number then lost count)