Chincoteague

National Wildlife

Refuge

Wildlife Loop

Patuxent 

Research Refuge

Amphibians and 

Reptiles

Fish & Wildlife Service
The following species are known to

occur on Patuxent Research Refuge.

Those species marked with a 

bullet (•), are most frequently

encountered on the refuge.

Please do NOT harass, harm, or

collect any species.

Salamanders 

____ Spotted salamander,

Ambystoma maculatum

____ Marbled salamander,

Ambystoma opacum

____ Northern dusky salamander,

Desmognathus f. fuscus

____ Northern two-lined

salamander, Eurycea b.

bislineata

____ Four-toed salamander,

Hemidactylium scutatum

____ Eastern red-spotted newt,

Notophthalmus v. viridescens

____• Red-backed salamander,

Plethodon cinereus

____ Eastern mud salamander,

Pseudotriton m. montanus

____ Northern red salamander,

Pseudotriton r. ruber

Five-lined skink

Box turtle

This goose, designed by

J.N. “Ding” Darling, has

become a symbol of the

National Wildlife Refuge

System.

Frogs 

____ Eastern spadefoot toad,

Scaphiopus h. holbrooki

____• American toad, Bufo a.

americanus

____• Fowler’s toad, Bufo

woodhousei fowleri

____• Northern cricket frog, Acris c.

crepitans

____ Gray treefrog, Hyla versicolor

____• Spring peeper, Pseudacris

crucifer

____ Upland chorus frog,

Pseudacris triseriata

feriarum

____• Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

____• Green frog, Rana clamitans

melanota

____• Pickerel frog, Rana palustris

____ Wood frog, Rana sylvatica

____• Southern leopard frog, Rana

utricularia

Pickerel frog, cover photo 

Rebecca L. Woods/USFWS
Lizards 

____ Six-lined racerunner,

Cnemidophorus s. sexlineatus

____• Five-lined skink, Eumeces

faciatus

____ Broadhead skink, Eumeces

laticeps

____ Ground skink, Scincella

lateralis

____ Northern fence lizard,

Sceloperus undulatus

hyacinthinus

Spotted turtle

Eastern garter snake

Turtles 

____ Common snapping turtle,

Chelydra s. serpentina

____ Eastern mud turtle,

Kinosternon s. subrubrum

____ Common musk turtle

(stinkpot), Sternotherus

odoratus

____• Eastern painted turtle,

Chrysemys p. picta

____ Spotted turtle, Clemmys g.

guttata

____ Red-bellied turtle, Pseudemys

rubriventris

____• Eastern box turtle, Terrapene

carolina

____ Red-eared slider (introduced,

Trachemys scripta elegans)
The following amphibians and reptiles

m a y occur on Patuxent Research

Refuge, although there are no recent

sightings (sightings after 1988). Their

presence needs to be verified. If you

think you have encountered one of

these species, please take a picture or

write down a detailed description and

report it to Refuge staff.

Salamanders 

____ Long-tailed salamander,

Eurycea l. longicauda

F r o g s

____ Green treefrog, Hyla cinerea

Snakes 

____ Mole kingsnake, Lampropeltis

calligaster rhombomaculata

____ Northern red-bellied snake,

Storeria o. occipitomaculata

____ Northern copperhead

(venomous), Agkistrodon

contortrix mokasen

Spring peeper

Spotted salamander

Eastern hognose snake

Snakes 

____ Eastern worm snake,

Carphophis amoenus

____• Northern black racer, Coluber

constrictor

____ Northern ringneck snake,

Diadophis punctatus

edwardsi

____• Black rat snake, Elaphe

obsoleta

____• Eastern hognose snake,

Heterodon platirhinos

____ Eastern kingsnake,

Lampropeltis g. getula

____ Eastern milk snake,

Lampropeltis t. triangulum 

____• Northern water snake,

Nerodia s. sipedon 

____ Rough green snake,

Opheodrys aestivus

____ Queen snake, Regina

septemvittata

____ Northern brown snake,

Storeria d. dekayi

____ Eastern ribbon snake,

Thamnophis s. sauritus

____• Eastern garter snake,

Thamnophis s. sirtalis

____ Smooth earth snake, Virginia

v. valeriae