1

AMPHIBIANS and REPTILES of the

BALCONES CANYONLANDS NWR

Updated: September 22, 2008

Despite intensive field work since 1989, relatively little concerted effort has been focused on searching for

amphibians and reptiles on theRefuge. Except for a few of the most conspicuous diurnal species, most amphibians are

only detected after heavy rains. Many of the snake species are seldom encountered although they may be fairly

numerous. Taxonomy and species sequence generally follows Dixon (1987) and Werner and Dixon (2000) with

common names (e.g., at the subspecific level) sometimes taken from Garrett and Barker (1987).

Amphibians 

Whitethroat Slimy Salamander Plethodon glutinosus albagula Uncommon

Cliff Chirping Frog Syrrhophus marnockii Common

Blanchard's Cricket Frog Acris crepitans blanchardi Abundant

Gray Treefrog Hyla versicolor Rare

[Spotted/Upland Chorus Frog Pseudacris clarki/triseriata Hypothetical]

Strecker's Chorus Frog Pseudacris streckeri Common

Red-spotted Toad Bufo punctatus Rare

Gulf Coast Toad Bufo valiceps Fairly common

Couch's Spadefoot Toad Scaphiopus couchii Uncommon

Rio Grande Leopard Frog Rana berlandieri Abundant

(Note: Some Leopard Frogs appear to be intermediate between R. berlandieri and R.sphenocephala,

the Southern Leopard Frog and even similar to R. blairi, the Plains Leopard Frog.)

Bullfrog Rana catesbiana Rare

Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad Gastrophyne olivacea Uncommon

Reptiles 

Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina serpentina Fairly common

Yellow Mud Turtle Kinosternon flavescens Uncommon

Texas Cooter Pseudemys texana Common

Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornata ornata Introduced and rare resident

Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans Common

Texas Tortoise Gopherus berlandieri (probably) Introduced

Spiny Softshell (ssp.) Trionyx spinifer ssp. Uncommon

Mediterranean Gecko Hemidactylus turcicus Fairly common (structures)

Green Anole Anolis carolinensis Common

Texas Earless Lizard Cophosaurus texanus texanus Common

Eastern Collared Lizard Crotaphytus collaris collaris Uncommon

[Eastern Earless Lizard Holbrookia maculata perspicua Hypothetical]

Texas Spiny Lizard Sceloporus olivaceous Fairly common

Southern Prairie Lizard Sceloporus undulatus consobrinus Fairly common

Eastern Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus ornatus Probably rare

Short-lined Skink Eumeces tetragrammus brevilineatus Uncommon

Ground Skink Scincella lateralis Common

Texas Spotted Whiptail Cnemidophorus gularis gularis Uncommon

Six-lined or Prairie Racerunner Cnemidophorus sexlineatus ssp.? Fairly common

Plains Blind Snake Leptotyphlops dulcis dulcis Uncommon

Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer Coluber constrictor faviventris Uncommon

Prairie Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus arnyi Rare; one report

Great Plains Rat Snake Elaphe guttata emoryi Rare

Texas Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri Fairly common

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake Heterodon platirhinos Rare

Western Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum testaceus Fairly common

Central Texas Whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus girardi Uncommon
2

Blotched Water Snake Nerodia erythrogaster transversa Uncommon

Diamond-backed Water Snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer Uncommon

Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus Fairly common

Bullsnake Pituophis satenifer sayi Rare

Texas Patchnose Snake Salvadora grahamiae lineata Uncommon

Great Plains Ground Snake Sonora semiannulata semiannulata Fairly common

Flat-headed Snake Tantilla gracilis Rare?; two reports

Plains Black-headed Snake Tantilla nigriceps fumiceps Rare; one report

Eastern Black-necked Garter Snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus Uncommon

Checkered Garter Snake Thamnophis marcianus marcianus Rare?; one report

Red-striped Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus Fairly common

Rough Earth Snake Virginia striatula Uncommon?

Texas Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius tener Uncommon

Broad-banded Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus Uncommon

Western Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorous leucostoma Uncommon

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox Common