Amphibians and Reptiles [of the Sand Hills]

Authors

Patricia W. Freeman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

May 1998

Comments

From An Atlas of the Sand Hills. Ann S. Bleed & Charles A. Flowerday, Editors. Resource Atlas No. 5b. Th ird edition (expanded)–May 1998. Conservation and Survey Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Pages 169–172.

Abstract

Of the 60 species of amphibians and reptiles presently known from Nebraska, 27 are found in the Sand Hills and one more is marginal to the east. Fourteen species of the 60 are essentially state wide in distribution, including the Sand Hills, and eight species of reptiles are strongly influenced by the Sand Hills (Lynch, 1985). Of 12 species that occur widely over the moister eastern part of the state, only four extend into the Sand Hills, and one occurs only under the wet conditions along the rivers of the eastern Sand Hills.

Amphibians: Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum); Great plains toad (Bufo cognatus) ; Rocky mountain toad (Bufo woodhousii); Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans); Western striped chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata) ; Bull frog (Rana catesbeiana); Northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens); Plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons);
Turtles: Snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina); Yellow mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens); Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata); Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta); Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii); Spiny softshell turtle (Trionyx spiniferus) ;
Lizards: Lesser earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata); Northern prairie lizard (Sceloporus undulatus); Six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus); Prairie skink (Eumeces septentrionalis); Many-lined skink (Eumeces multivirgatus) ;
Snakes: Common or northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) ; Plains gartersnake (Thamnophis radix) ; Common or red-sided gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) ; Western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) ; Blue or green racer (Coluber constrictor) ; Glossy snake (Arizona elegans) ; Bull snake (Pituophis catenifer); Milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) ; Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)