Herping the Texas Hill Country

[Geckophile Admin]

If you've never had a chance to explore the Texas Hill Country, you are in for such a treat. There are so many different herps to find, and the scenery is amazing! We might actually find a Texas Alligator Lizard. I will be happy to take folks road cruising on Sunday night. I was thinking about heading over to Val Verde County, which is a few hours away. There we can find Baird's Rats, Grey-banded Kings, Texas Banded Geckos, Horned Lizards, several Rattlesnake species, and much more! This will be the perfect time of year to road cruise. Man, I get excited just thinking about it!

Reptiles & Amphibians found in the Hill Country area:



Salamanders

Ambystoma texanum (Smallmouth Salamander)
Eurycea nana (San Marcos Salamander)
Eurycea neotenes (Texas Salamander)
Plethodon albagula/glutinosus (Western Slimy Salamander)
Typhlomolge rathbuni (Texas Blind Salamander)
Typhlomolgge robusta (Blanco Blind Salamander)


Frogs and Toads

Acris crepitans (Cricket Frog)
Bufo debilis (Green Toad)
Bufo punctatus (Red-spotted Toad)
Bufo speciosus (Texas Toad)
Bufo valliceps (Gulf Coast Toad)
Bufo woodhousii (Woodhouse's Toad)
Eleutherodactylus augusti (Barking Frog)
Gastrophryne olivacea (Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad)
Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog)
Hyla versicolor (Gray Treefrog)
Pseudacris clarki (Spotted Chorus Frog)
Pseudacris streckeri (Strecker's Chorus Frog)
Pseudacris triseriata (Striped Chorus Frog)
Rana berlandieri (Rio Grande Leopard Frog)
Rana catesbeiana (Bullfrog)
Scaphiopus couchi (Couch's Spadefoot)
Syrrhopus marnocki (Cliff Chirping Frog)


Crocodilians

Alligator mississippiensis (American Alligator)


Turtles

Apalone (Trionyx) spinifera (Spiny Softshell)
Chelydra serpentina (Snapping Turtle)
Graptemys caglei (Cagle's Map Turtle)
Graptemys versa (Texas Map Turtle)
Kinosternon flavescens (Yellow Mud Turtle)
Kinosternon odoratum (Stinkpot)
Kinosternon subrubrum (Eastern Mud Turtle)
Pseudemys nelsoni (Florida Redbelly Turtle) INTRODUCTION
Pseudemys texana (Texas River Cooter)
Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)
Terrapene ornata (Ornate Box Turtle)
Trachemys scripta (Slider)


Lizards

Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole)
Cnemidophorus gularis (Texas Spotted Whiptail)
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus (Six-lined Racerunner)
Cophosaurus texanus (Greater Earless Lizard)
Crotaphytus collaris (Eastern Collared Lizard)
Eumeces tetragrammus (Four-lined Skink)
Gerrhonotus infernalis (Texas Alligator Lizard)
Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean Gecko)
Holbrookia lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard)
Holbrookia maculata (Lesser Earless Lizard)
Holbrookia propinqua (Keeled Earless Lizard)
Ophisaurus attenuatus (Slender Glass Lizard)
Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard)
Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas Spiny Lizard)
Sceloporus undulatus (Fence Lizard)
Sceloporus variabilis (Rosebelly Lizard)
Scincella lateralis (Ground Skink)
Urosaurus ornatus (Tree Lizard)


Snakes

Agkistrodon contortrix (Copperhead)
Agkistrodon piscivorus (Cottonmouth
Arizona elegans (Eastern Glossy Snake)
Coluber constrictor (Eastern Racer)
Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake)
Crotalus molossus (Blacktail Rattlesnake)
Diadophis punctatus (Ringneck Snake)
Elaphe guttata (Corn Snake)
Elaphe obsoleta (Eastern Rat Snake)
Heterodon nasicus (Western Hognose Snake)
Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hognose Snake)
Hypsiglena torquata (Night Snake)
Lampropeltis calligaster (Prairie Kingsnake)
Lampropeltis getula (Common Kingsnake)
Leptotyphlops dulcis (Texas Blind Snake)
Masticophis flagellum (Coachwhip)
Masticophis taeniatus (Striped Whipsnake)
Micrurus fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake)
Nerodia erythrogaster (Plainbelly Water Snake)
Nerodia rhombifer (Diamondback Water Snake)
Opheodrys aestivus (Rough Green Snake)
Pituophis melanoleucus (Bullsnake)
Rhinocheilus lecontei (Longnose Snake)
Salvadora grahamiae (Mountain Patchnose Snake)
Sonora semiannulata (Ground Snake)
Storeria dekayi (Brown Snake)
Tantilla gracilis (Flathead Snake)
Tantilla hobartsmithi (Southwestern Blackhead Snake)
Tantilla nigriceps (Plains Blackhead Snake)
Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Blackneck Garter Snake)
Thamnophis marcianus (Checkered Garter Snake)
Thamnophis proximus (Western Ribbon Snake)
Thamnophis sirtalis (Common Garter Snake)
Tropidoclonion lineatum (Lined Snake)
Virginia striatula (Rough Earth Snake)


Reptiles & Amphibians found in Val Verde County: (this is where we will night herp/road cruise for those interested)

Salamanders

Ambystoma tigrinum (Tiger Salamander)
Eurycea neotenes (Texas Salamander)


Frogs and Toads

Acris crepitans (Cricket Frog)
Bufo debilis (Green Toad)
Bufo punctatus (Red-spotted Toad)
Bufo speciosus (Texas Toad)
Bufo valliceps (Gulf Coast Toad)
Eleutherodactylus augusti (Barking Frog)
Gastrophryne olivacea (Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad)
Rana berlandieri (Rio Grande Leopard Frog)
Rana catesbeiana (Bullfrog)
Scaphiopus couchi (Couch's Spadefoot)
Spea multiplicata (New Mexico Spadefoot)
Syrrhopus marnocki (Cliff Chirping Frog)


Crocodilians

None

Turtles

Apalone (Trionyx) mutica (Smooth Softshell)
Apalone (Trionyx) spinifera (Spiny Softshell)
Gopherus berlandieri (Texas Tortoise)
Kinosternon flavescens (Yellow Mud Turtle)
Pseudemys gorzugi (Western River Cooter)
Terrapene ornata (Ornate Box Turtle)
Trachemys scripta (Slider)


Lizards

Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole)
Cnemidophorus gularis (Texas Spotted Whiptail)
Cnemidophorus inornatus (Little Striped Whiptail)
Cnemidophorus laredoensis (Laredo Striped Whiptail)
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus (Six-lined Racerunner)
Cnemidophorus tesselatus (Colorado Checkered Whiptail)
Cnemidophorus tigris (Western Whiptail)
Coleonyx brevis (Texas Banded Gecko)
Cophosaurus texanus (Greater Earless Lizard)
Crotaphytus collaris (Eastern Collared Lizard)
Eumeces obsoletus (Great Plains Skink)
Eumeces tetragrammus (Four-lined Skink)
Gerrhonotus infernalis (Texas Alligator Lizard)
Hemidactylus turcicus* (Mediterranean Gecko)
Holbrookia lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard)
Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard)
Phrynosoma modestum (Roundtail Horned Lizard)
Sceloporus merriami (Canyon Lizard)
Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas Spiny Lizard)
Sceloporus poinsetti (Crevice Spiny Lizard)
Sceloporus undulatus (Fence Lizard)
Scincella lateralis (Ground Skink)
Urosaurus ornatus (Tree Lizard)
Uta stansburiana (Side-blotched Lizard)


Snakes

Agkistrodon contortrix (Copperhead)
Agkistrodon piscivorus (Cottonmouth) QUESTIONABLE
Arizona elegans (Eastern Glossy Snake)
Bogertophis subocularis (Trans-Pecos Rat Snake)
Coluber constrictor (Eastern Racer)
Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake)
Crotalus lepidus (Rock Rattlesnake)
Crotalus molossus (Blacktail Rattlesnake)
Diadophis punctatus (Ringneck Snake)
Drymarchon corais (Western Indigo Snake)
Elaphe bairdi (Baird's Rat Snake)
Elaphe guttata (Corn Snake)
Gyalopion canum (Western Hooknose Snake)
Heterodon nasicus (Western Hognose Snake)
Hypsiglena torquata (Night Snake)
Lampropeltis alterna (Gray-banded Kingsnake)
Lampropeltis getula (Common Kingsnake)
Lampropeltis triangulum (Milk Snake)
Leptotyphlops dulcis (Texas Blind Snake)
Leptotyphlops humilis (Western Blind Snake)
Masticophis flagellum (Coachwhip)
Masticophis taeniatus (Striped Whipsnake)
Micrurus fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake)
Nerodia erythrogaster (Plainbelly Water Snake)
Nerodia rhombifer (Diamondback Water Snake)
Opheodrys aestivus (Rough Green Snake)
Pituophis melanoleucus (Bullsnake)
Rhinocheilus lecontei (Longnose Snake)
Salvadora grahamiae (Mountain Patchnose Snake)
Sonora semiannulata (Ground Snake)
Tantilla cucullata (Big Bend Blackhead Snake)
Tantilla gracilis (Flathead Snake)
Tantilla hobartsmithi (Southwestern Blackhead Snake)
Tantilla nigriceps (Plains Blackhead Snake)
Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Blackneck Garter Snake)
Thamnophis marcianus (Checkered Garter Snake)
Thamnophis proximus (Western Ribbon Snake)

 

[TameYourself]

mmmm turtles...

 

[GeckoFiend]

Sounds awesome. Have you ever seen Typhlomolge rathbuni in the wild?

 

[ScottW]

West Texas man. Its November and Im already psyched about the west next year. Ofcourse this will just be another year for me to kick your butt in the field. J/K.
I think you should add River Road to the list too.

 

[G&MGeckos]

Val Verde County sound cool! TB Geckos can't wait!

 

[klondike4001]

If the proper licenses are aquired, would anyone mind a couple specimens that are found to be added to collections?

 

[Geckokid82]

Sounds awesome. Have you ever seen Typhlomolge rathbuni in the wild?

tyaliseana reahtin wat? lol, u ppl are confusin when u use all these COomplicateded scientific names... its like u see a big snake in a bush right, and ur like " o theres a euknainarisn rathintuni" lol- someone from the city would say "AHHH big skaley serpeant in bush- RUNNNNN" lol

 

[GeckoFiend]

Just google the name, geckokid. You'll find pics.

 

[botkin04]

val verde county

right now the border is going through a drug/gang war the looks like its not going to end soon.i wouldnt condone going nowhere near the border.but would like to welcome all to austin for the show.