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Reptiles & Amphibians

NOTES:

Species listed. Unless otherwise noted, species names are according to Crother (2012). Following the main list is a list of species reported in the ‘Observed and Expected Fauna’ in the 1999 EIR but not confirmed by observation.

Photos and descriptions. Links labeled ‘BFS’ are pages created for the Bernard Field Station. Photos on the BFS pages may be used for any personal or academic purposes as long as notification of use is sent to the BFS Webmaster and the image is clearly credited with ©[Name of photographer]. For higher-resolution images, please contact the photographer. Note that no photos taken at the BFS may be used for commercial purposes without the express permission of the Claremont University Consortium. You must have pop-ups enabled to view the BFS pages.

Links labeled ‘WERC’ are to species accounts in A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California by Robert N. Fisher and Ted J. Case, available online from the the USGS Western Ecological Research Center.

‘CP’ links will return all photographs of the listed taxon in the CalPhotos, Digital Library Project database. As indicated above, some of these taxa may not, in fact, occur on the BFS. Note that you must check the stipulations with each photograph for permissible uses of the CalPhotos images.

Additional sources of information:
Common name Species name (and notes) Status* Source* Photos & descriptions*

Lizards:
California Legless Lizard Anniella pulchra

Reported in the 1999 EIR as Anniella pulchra pulchra, but A. p. pulchra and A. p. nigra are no longer recognized as separate subspecies.

 CSC, USFS S BFS, CP, WERC
San Diegan Tiger Whiptail Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri

Originally reported as Cnemidophorus tigris multiscutatus; however, in 2001 the coastal Southern California species was assigned to C. t. stejnegeri, and in 2003 the species was assigned to genus Aspidoscelis. The Field Station Manual reported the whiptail on the BFS as C. t. mundus (now A. t. munda), but this identification is almost certainly in error — see range map.

 S, R, E, M BFS, CP, WERC
Southern Alligator Lizard Elgaria multicarinata

Formerly known as Gerrhonotus multicarinatus

 S, M BFS, CP, WERC
Blainville’s Horned Lizard Phrynosoma blainvillii

Phrynosoma blainvillii was until fairly recently considered a subspecies of Phrynosoma coronatum; however, in 2004 it was elevated to a separate species.

 CSC,BLMS, USFS S, M BFS, CP, WERC
Skilton’s Skink Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus

Formerly Eumeces skiltonianus skiltonianus; now assigned to genus Plestiodon.

 S BFS, CP, WERC
Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis

Reported in the 1999 EIR as Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus, but the subspecies designation seems unlikely given its range.

 S, R, M BFS, CP, WERC
Western Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana elegans

Reported in the 1999 EIR as Uta stansburiana hesperis, but this subspecies is no longer recognized.

 S, R, E, M BFS, CP, WERC

Snakes:
California Striped Racer Coluber lateralis lateralis

Originally reported as Masticophis lateralis lateralis, but now considered to be in genus Coluber.

 S, E BFS, CP, WERC
San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus modestus USFS S BFS, CP, WERC
San Diego Night Snake Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi

Originally reported as Hypsiglena torquata klauberi; assigned to H. ochrorhyncha supspecies klauberi in 2006.

 S, M CP, WERC
California Kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae S CP, WERC
San Diego Gophersnake Pituophis catenifer annectans

Originally reported as Pituophis melanoleucus, but this species is now restricted to the related Pinesnakes found in the Eastern U.S.

 S BFS, CP, WERC
Western Black-headed Snake Tantilla planiceps S CP, WERC

Turtles:
Western Pond Turtle Actinemys marmorata

Previously reported as Clemmys marmorata pallida; now assigned to genus Actinemys. The subspecies pallida is no longer recognized.

 CSC, BLMS, USFS S, J, R, E BFS, CP, WERC
Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans

Not native to Californai – introduced, especially in populated areas, primarily as a result of the release of pets by negligent owners.

 S BFS, CP, WERC

Frogs & Toads:
Western Toad Anaxyrus boreas

Previously reported as Bufo boreas halophilus. The genus Bufo was recently determined to be paraphyletic; North American toads are now placed in Anaxyrus. The subspecies pallida is no longer recognized.

 S BFS, CP, WERC
American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus

Exotic. Native to the Eastern U.S., L. catesbeianus has now been introduced into many places in the Western U.S., including California. Formerly Rana catesbeiana.

 J, S BFS, CP, WERC
Baja California Treefrog Pseudacris hypochondriaca

Listed in the 1999 EIR as Hyla regilla; now placed in genus Pseudacris, and the Pseudacris in our area has been determined to be a distinct species from P. regilla.

 S BFS, WERC

Salamanders:
Garden Slender Salamander Batrachoseps major major

Listed in the 1999 EIR as Batrachoseps pacificus major; however, recent revision elevates this taxon to a species, B. major, with two subspecies.

 S BFS, CP, WERC
Species listed in ‘Observed and Expected Fauna’ in the 1999 EIR, but not confirmed at the BFS:
Western Yellow-bellied Racer Coluber constrictor mormon
Red Racer Coluber flagellum piceus

Originally reported as Masticophis flagellum piceus, but now assigned to genus Coluber.
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus helleri

Rattlesnakes have been extirpated from the BFS. Listed in the EIR as Crotalus viridis helleri; now assigned to C. oreganus.
California Mountain Kingsnake Lampropeltis zonata

Originally reported as Lampropeltis zonata pulchra, but subspecies of L. zonata are no longer recognized.
Southwestern Threadsnake Rena humilis humilis

Formerly Leptotyphlops humilis humilis. Leptotyphlops is now restricted to old world species.
Coast Patch-nosed Snake Salvadora hexalepis virgultea
California Lyresnake Trimorphodon lyrophanes

Formerly Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanes; now a separate species.
Arboreal Salamander Aneides lugubris
Black-bellied Slender Salamander Batrachoseps nigriventris
Monterey Ensatina Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii

*Key:

Status:
CSC = California Department of Fish & Game Reptile Species of Special Concern [pdf]
BLMS = California-Bureau of Land Management Sensitive Species [pdf]
USFS = US Forest Service “Sensitive” according to their 1998 list. A new list should be forthcoming soon.
Sources:
E = Envicom field survey on the Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station, September 28 and October 13, 1998
M = Field Station Manual, undated
R = RECON Environmental, Inc. survey of the Bernard Biological Field Station, 1996
J = JNE & Assoc., Inc. 1996 surveys of pHake Lake
S = Confirmed sightings by BFS faculty and researchers since 1996
Links to Photos and Descriptions:
BFS = Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station. Some of the reptiles and amphibians were photographed at the BFS. Additional photographs taken elsewhere have been generously provided to the BFS by Claremont Colleges faculty, students, and staff, and additional photographers.
WERC = Fisher, R.N., and T.J. Case. A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center
References:
Crother (2012) = Committee on Standard and Scientific Names, B.I. Crother, Committee Chair. 2012. Scientific and Standard English and French Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in our Understanding., 7th ed. Herpetological Circular No. 39. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
EIR = Envicom Corporation. 1999. Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Claremont Colleges North Campus Master Plan. March 1999.

© 2001-2012 Bernard Field Station Faculty Advisory Committee
Page last updated 3 December 2012 by Nancy Hamlett.