The Missouri Herpetological Association held its second annual fall field trip on the weekend of 29 - 30 September 2007 mostly at the Drury-Mincy Conservation Area (including Bull Shoals Field Station) but also in the immediate vicinity. Habitats searched included roads, ponds, spring-fed streams, stream beds, flatwoods, wooded hillsides, and glades.
Twenty-one members, representing eleven different institutions, caught more than 130 individual reptiles and amphibians, representing a total of 28 species. Several photographs are available of members and animals but more are welcome! Most collecting activity occurred on Sun 30 September 2007, but some species were observed or caught by members road-hunting Saturday night or on their way to or from the field station on Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon.
Several new localities were documented for the Drury-Mincy Conservation Area, including an "open circle" county record (Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)) and a new county record (Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)).
The entire weekend was characterized by warm temperatures (80oF+) and sunny conditions. The total species list along with numbers of individuals can be seen below. The milksnake was represented solely by a freshly shed skin. Spring peepers were heard calling at one site but were not seen. Oklahoma salamanders, Ozark zigzag salamanders, and a western ribbon snake were not caught at the field station but were found by a small group on the way to the field station on Saturday morning. Also, Glenn Manning provides some great pigmy and hognose photos and some commentary via a post at the Snakes of Arkansas forum site.
Photos from the weekend will be posted as they become available. Please send photos from the field trip! It is also acceptable to post photos on sites such as photobucket.com. We can provide a byline and a link to a personal site if you wish. Also, photos should be submitted for photo specimens so they can be included in the next atlas update.
The MHA would like to thank the Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri State University for providing permission to use public land for the field trip. Special appreciation is extended to Brian Greene for leading the field trip.
| Species | Common Name | Number | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salamanders (Caudata) | |||
| Ambystoma opacum | Marbled Salamander | 3 |  |
| Notophthalmus viridescens | Central Newt | 7 | |
| Eurycea tynerensis | Oklahoma Salamander | 1 | |
| Plethodon albagula | Western Slimy Salamander | 2 | |
| Plethodon angusticlavius | Ozark Zigzag Salamander | 10+ | |
| Frogs (Anura) | |||
| Bufo americanus | American Toad | 2 | |
| Acris crepitans | Cricket Frog | 44+ | |
| Pseudacris crucifer | Spring Peeper | 2+ | |
| Rana catesbeiana | Bullfrog | 2 | |
| Rana clamitans | Green Frog | 6 | |
| Rana sphenocephala | Southern Leopard Frog | 1 | |
| Turtles (Testudinata) | |||
| Terrapene carolina | Three-toed Box Turtle | 4 | |
| Lizards (Lacertilia) | |||
| Sceloporus consobrinus | Eastern Fence Lizard | 11+ | |
| Scincella lateralis | Ground Skink | 4 | |
| Eumeces anthracinus | Coal Skink | 1 | |
| Eumeces fasciatus | Five-Lined Skink | 2 | |
| Snakes (Serpentes) | |||
| Carphophis vermis | Western Worm Snake | 2 | |
| Coluber constrictor | Racer | 3 | |
| Diadophis punctatus | Ringneck Snake | 6 | |
| Elaphe obsoleta | Black Ratsnake | 3 | |
| Heterodon platirhinos | Eastern Hognose Snake | 1 | |
| Lampropeltis triangulum | Red Milksnake | 1 (skin only) | |
| Tantilla gracilis | Flathead Snake | 1 | |
| Thamnophis proxiumus | Western Ribbon Snake | 1 | |
| Virginia valeriae | Smooth Earth Snake | 1 | |
| Agkistrodon piscivorus | Cottonmouth | 1 | |
| Agkistrodon contortrix | Copperhead | 2 | |
| Sistrurus miliarius | Western Pigmy Rattlesnake | 1 | |