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List of amphibians and reptiles of West Virginia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Cheat Mountain salamander (Plethodon nettingi)
The hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)
An adult red-spotted, or eastern, newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
The northern dusky salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) with egg clutch
The eastern American toad (Bufo americanus)
The spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
The gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor)
A female American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
The northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)
Northern red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris)
Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina)
Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
Northern pine snake (P. m. melanoleucus)
Snake handlers worshipping with a timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
Eastern snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Black rat snakes (Pantherophis obsoletus) mating
Northern copperhead (A. c. mokasen)
Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)

89 species of amphibians (class Amphibia) and reptiles (class Reptilia) are known to inhabit the state of West Virginia. The ranges of some 34 salamander species, 15 species of frogs and toads, 21 species of snakes, 13 turtle species, and 6 lizard species extend into some portion of the state. Two of these — the Cheat Mountain salamander and West Virginia spring salamander — are endemic to West Virginia. The former species is considered threatened and the latter is considered endangered by federal authorities.[1]

The taxa

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The following letters indicate the likelihood of finding each species in West Virginia:[2]

C Common Can be commonly seen in suitable habitat within current range.
U Uncommon Seldom seen because habitat restricted and/or behavior secretive.
R Rare Not often present even in suitable habitat.

In addition, the IUCN classifies three of these species as endangered (EN), two as vulnerable (VU), and six as near-threatened (NT).

Order Urodela (salamanders)

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Family Cryptobranchidae (giant salamanders)

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Family Proteidae (waterdogs and mudpuppies)

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Family Ambystomatidae (mole salamanders)

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Family Salamandridae (true salamanders)

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Family Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders)

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Order Anura (frogs)

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Family Scaphiopodidae (American spadefoot toads)

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Family Bufonidae (true toads)

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Family Hylidae (tree frogs and allies)

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Family Ranidae (true frogs)

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Order Testudines (turtles)

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Family Chelydridae (snapping turtles)

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Family Emydidae (pond turtles)

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Family Kinosternidae (mud turtles and musk turtles)

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Family Trionychidae (softshells)

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Order Squamata (scaled reptiles)

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Family Phrynosomatidae (spiny lizards)

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Family Teiidae (whiptails)

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Family Scincidae (skinks)

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Family Colubridae (colubrid snakes)

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Family Viperidae (vipers)

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Amphibians & Reptiles". West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Amphibians and Reptiles of West Virginia: A Field Checklist" (PDF). West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. December 2003. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  3. ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2022). "Cryptobranchus alleganiensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T59077A82473431. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T59077A82473431.en. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. ^ Geoffrey Hammerson (2004). "Ambystoma barbouri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59053A11875949. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59053A11875949.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  5. ^ Geoffrey Hammerson (2004). "Plethodon virginia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59360A11908996. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59360A11908996.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  6. ^ Geoffrey Hammerson (2004). "Plethodon nettingi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T17627A7207626. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T17627A7207626.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  7. ^ Geoffrey Hammerson, Joseph Mitchell (2004). "Plethodon punctatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59351A11921999. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59351A11921999.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  8. ^ Geoffrey Hammerson, Christopher Beachy (2004). "Gyrinophilus subterraneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59283A11897278. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59283A11897278.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  9. ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2022). "Aneides aeneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T200106367A118971788. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T200106367A118971788.en. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  10. ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2023). "Eurycea cirrigera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T78918210A78918104. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  11. ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2023). "Eurycea bislineata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T78918774A64162498. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  12. ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Eurycea lucifuga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T59269A196339688. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T59269A196339688.en. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  13. ^ van Dijk, P.P. 2011. Clemmys guttata (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T4968A97411228. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4968/97411228. Downloaded on 29 October 2018.
  14. ^ van Dijk, P.P. & Harding, J. 2011. Glyptemys insculpta (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T4965A97416259. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4965/97416259. Downloaded on 29 October 2018.
  15. ^ van Dijk, P.P. 2011. Terrapene carolina (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T21641A97428179. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21641/97428179. Downloaded on 29 October 2018.
  16. ^ van Dijk, P.P. 2011. Pseudemys rubriventris (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T18460A97427406. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18460/97427406. Downloaded on 29 October 2018.