to
of Illinois
Edward O. Moll
Ronald A. Brandon
In memory of Phil Smith (1921-1986)
Contents
Foreword xiii
Biology and Life History 1Geologic and Climatic History of Illinois 4
Conservation 7
Explanation of Species Accounts 13
Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois 20
Adult and Larval Salamander Key 20Adult Frog and Toad Key 29
Adult Turtle Key 35
Adult Lizard Key 42
Adult Snake Key 44
All of the keys are available as a downloadable PDF file (~ 250K). Click here to download.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is necessary for viewing and is available.
Species Accounts 55
Class Amphibia
Order Caudata - Salamanders 56
Jefferson salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum 58
Blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale 60
Spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum 62
Marbled salamander Ambystoma opacum 64
Silvery salamander Ambystoma platineum 66
Mole salamander Ambystoma talpoideum 68
Smallmouth salamander Ambystoma texanum 70
Tiger salamander Ambystoma tigrinum 72
Eastern tiger salamander A. tigrinum tigrinum 72
Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis 74
Eastern hellbender C. alleganiensis alleganiensis 74
Dusky salamander Desmognathus fuscus 76
Spotted dusky salamander D. fuscus conanti 76
Southern two-lined salamander Eurycea cirrigera 78
Longtail salamander Eurycea longicauda 80
Longtail salamander E. longicauda longicauda 80
Cave salamander Eurycea lucifuga 82
Four-toed salamander Hemidactylium scutatum 84
Redback salamander Plethodon cinereus 86
Zigzag salamander Plethodon dorsalis 88
Eastern zigzag salamander P. dorsalis dorsalis 88
Northern slimy salamander Plethodon glutinosus 90
Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus 92
Mudpuppy N. maculosus maculosus 92
Eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens 94
Central newt N. viridescens louisianensis 94
Lesser siren Siren intermedia 96
Western lesser siren S. intermedia nettingi 96
American toad Bufo americanus 100
Eastern American toad B. americanus americanus 100
Fowler’s toad Bufo fowleri 102
Cricket frog Acris crepitans 104
Blanchard’s cricket frog A. crepitans blanchardi 104
Bird-voiced treefrog Hyla avivoca 106
Green treefrog Hyla cinerea 108
Gray treefrogs Hyla chrysoscelis, Hyla versicolor 110
Spring peeper Pseudacris crucifer 112
Upland chorus frog Pseudacris feriarum 114
Strecker’s chorus frog Pseudacris streckeri 116
Illinois chorus frog P. streckeri illinoensis 116
Western chorus frog Pseudacris triseriata 118
Eastern narrowmouth toad Gastrophryne carolinensis 120
Eastern spadefoot Scaphiopus holbrookii 122
Eastern spadefoot S. holbrookii holbrookii 122
Crawfish frog Rana areolata 124
Northern crawfish frog R. areolata circulosa 124
Plains leopard frog Rana blairi 126
Green frog R. clamitans melanota 130
Pickerel frog Rana palustris 132
Northern leopard frog Rana pipiens 134
Southern leopard frog Rana sphenocephala 136
Class Reptilia
Order Testudines&endash;Turtles 140
Snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina 142
Common snapping turtle C. serpentina serpentina 142
Alligator snapping turtle Macroclemys temminckii 144
Painted turtle Chrysemys picta 146
Western painted turtle C. picta bellii 146
Spotted turtle Clemmys guttata 148
Blanding’s turtle Emydoidea blandingii 150
Common map turtle Graptemys geographica 152
Ouachita map turtle Graptemys ouachitensis 154
Ouachita map turtle G. ouachitensis ouachitensis 154
False map turtle Graptemys pseudogeographica 156
River cooter Pseudemys concinna 158
Eastern river cooter P. concinna concinna 158
Eastern box turtle Terrapene carolina 160
Eastern box turtle T. carolina carolina 160
Ornate box turtle Terrapene ornata 162
Ornate box turtle T. ornata ornata 162
Red-eared slider T. scripta elegans 164
Yellow mud turtle Kinosternon flavescens 166
Illinois mud turtle K. flavescens spooneri 166
Eastern mud turtle Kinosternon subrubrum 168
Eastern mud turtle K. subrubrum subrubrum 168
Common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus 170
Smooth softshell turtle Apalone mutica 172
Midland smooth softshell A. mutica mutica 172
Spiny softshell turtle Apalone spinifera 174
Eastern spiny softshell A. spinifera spinifera 174
Order Squamata
Suborder Sauria&endash;Lizards 177
Slender glass lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus 178
Western slender glass lizard O. attenuatus attenuatus 178
Fence lizard Sceloporus undulatus 180
Northern fence lizard S. undulatus hyacinthinus 180
Collared lizard Crotaphytus collaris 182
Eastern collared lizard C. collaris collaris 182
Ground skink Scincella lateralis 184
Five-lined skink Eumeces fasciatus 186
Broadhead skink Eumeces laticeps 188
Six-lined racerunner Cnemidophorus sexlineatus 190
Six-lined racerunner C. sexlineatus sexlineatus 190
Suborder Serpentes&endash;Snakes 193
Worm snake Carphophis amoenus 194
Midwest worm snake C. amoenus helenae 194
Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea 196
Northern scarlet snake C. coccinea copei 196
Kirtland’s snake Clonophis kirtlandii 198
Blue racer C. constrictor foxii 200
Ringneck snake Diadophis punctatus 202
Prairie ringneck snake D. punctatus arnyi 202
Great Plains rat snake E. guttata emoryi 204
Black rat snake E. obsoleta obsoleta 206
Western fox snake E. vulpina vulpina 208
Mud snake Farancia abacura 210
Western mud snake F. abacura reinwardtii 210
Western hognose snake Heterodon nasicus 212
Dusty hognose snake H. nasicus gloydi 212
Eastern hognose snake Heterodon platirhinos 214
Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster 216
Prairie kingsnake L. calligaster calligaster 216
Common kingsnake Lampropeltis getula 218
Speckled kingsnake L. getula holbrookii 218
Milk snake Lampropeltis triangulum 220
Eastern milk snake L. triangulum triangulum 220
Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum 222
Eastern coachwhip M. flagellum flagellum 222
Mississippi green water snake Nerodia cyclopion 224
Plainbelly water snake Nerodia erythrogaster 226
Yellowbelly water snake N. erythrogaster flavigaster 226
Southern water snake Nerodia fasciata 228
Broad-banded water snake N. fasciata confluens 228
Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer 230
Diamondback water snake N. rhombifer rhombifer 230
Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon 232
Midland water snake N. sipedon pleuralis 232
Rough green snake Opheodrys aestivus 234
Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis 236
Bullsnake Pituophis melanoleucus 238
Bullsnake P. melanoleucus sayi 238
Graham’s crayfish snake Regina grahamii 240
Queen snake Regina septemvittata 242
Brown snake Storeria dekayi 244
Midland brown snake S. dekayi wrightorum 244
Redbelly snake Storeria occipitomaculata 246
Northern redbelly snake S. occipitomaculata occipitomaculata 246
Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis 248
Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus 250
Western ribbon snake T. proximus proximus 250
Plains garter snake Thamnophis radix 252
Eastern plains garter snake T. radix radix 252
Eastern ribbon snake Thamnophis sauritus 254
Eastern ribbon snake T. sauritus sauritus 254
Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis 256
Chicago garter snake T. sirtalis semifasciatus 256
Lined snake Tropidoclonion lineatum 258
Northern lined snake T. lineatum lineatum 258
Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae 260
Western earth snake V. valeriae elegans 260
Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix 262
Northern copperhead A. contortrix mokasen 262
Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus 264
Western cottonmouth A. piscivorus leucostoma 264
Massasauga Sistrurus catenatus 266
Eastern massasauga S. catenatus catenatus 266
Timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus 268
Species of Questionable Occurrence in Illinois 270
Citation:
Phillips, C.A., R.A. Brandon, and E.O. Moll. 1999. Field guide to amphibians and reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Manual 8. 300 pp.