North Carolina Amphibian and Reptile Photos
Photos by Will Cook, mostly taken in North Carolina.
Reptiles and Amphibians are often referred to as "herps". "Herp" is derived from "herpetology", which is from Greek, meaning the study (-logy) of reptiles (herpeton), though in current usage it includes amphibians, too. Herpeton derives from herpein, "to creep" - the Greeks may not have differentiated the two classes.
Amphibians - Class Amphibia
Frogs and Toads - Order Anura
Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans)
Southern Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus)
American Toad (Bufo americanus)
Fowler's Toad (Bufo fowleri)
Oak Toad (Bufo quercicus) - Craven Co., NC 9/6/03
Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris)
Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)
Pine Woods Treefrog (Hyla femoralis) - Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC 9/6/03
Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla squirella) - Greenville, NC 5/30/03
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriarum feriarum) - Orange Co., NC 2/12/05
Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis) - Pender Co., NC 4/19/08
Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) - Durham, NC 7/22/04
Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) - Durham Co., NC 7/24/03
Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala)
Salamanders - Order Caudata
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) - Orange Co., NC 3/9/08
Dwarf Waterdog (Necturus punctatus) - Durham Co., NC 6/21/09
Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) - Durham Co., NC
White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus) - Orange Co., NC 2/23/08
Salamander sp. - Carroll Co., VA 7/24/10
Salamander sp. - Carroll Co., VA 7/24/10
Reptiles - Class Reptilia
Alligators - Order Crocodylia
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) - Brunswick Co., NC 8/25/07
Lizards - Order Squamata: Sauria (Lacertilia)
Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
Six-lined Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) - Scotland Co., NC 4/20/05
Southeastern Five-lined Skink (Eumceces inexpectatus) - New Hanover Co., NC 8/29/09
Broadhead Skink (Eumeces laticeps)
Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) - Brunswick Co., NC 5/15/04
Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) - Orange Co., NC, 4/7/02
Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis) - Scotland Co., NC 3/22/08
Snakes - Order Squamata: Serpentes
Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) - Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC 8/28/05
Eastern Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus) - Dare Co., NC, 3/24/02
Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) - Glynn Co., GA (photo by Alan Johnston)
Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus) - Dare Co., NC, 9/8/01. The biggest snake I've seen in NC!
Northern Ring-neck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) - Carroll Co., VA 4/26/03
Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata) - Moore Co., NC 3/14/07
Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) - Carroll Co., VA
Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) at bird feeder - Chapel Hill, NC 5/18/06 (photos by David DiGiuseppe)
Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) - Moore Co., NC 4/20/05
Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula getula) - Durham Co., NC 8/16/03
Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides) - Moore Co., NC 3/14/07
Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) - Grayson Co., VA 5/28/06
Red-belly Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster) - juvenile, Dare Co., NC, 3/24/02
Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata) - Scotland Co., NC 4/20/05
Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)
Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)
Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi) - Durham, NC 7/21/05
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) - Durham Co., NC 3/24/07
Turtles - Order Testudines
Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) - Tyrrell Co., NC 9/13/03
Striped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon baurii) - Bladen Co., NC 10/19/2008
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) - New Hanover Co., NC 8/28/04
Yellow-bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta) - females laying eggs
Comments? Questions? E-mail me at cwcook@duke.edu