Elusive & Rare Florida Panhandle Amphibians & Reptiles

Northwest Florida Environmental Conservancy, Part 2

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Elusive & Rare Florida Panhandle Amphibians & Reptiles

(Above) E. Coachwhip. Coachwhips are a very active, diurnal snake whose numbers have declined drastically across the Southeast in the past 20 years. Coachwhips are one of the longest (up to 8 ft long!) and fastest snakes in the U.S.! Santa Rosa Co., FL.

(Above) Mole Kingsnake

(Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata).

Very rare in north FL and highly sought

after in the pet trade. Liberty Co., FL.

(Below) Southern Copperhead

(Agkistrodon c. contortrix).

The Copperhead occurs primarily in the

deep ravines, east of the Apalachicola river,

southward to about the boundary of the ANF.

It is also rarely found in other areas of nw FL.

The Copperhead reaches the southern limits

of its range in the FL Panhandle. Liberty Co., FL

Click here for "Copperhead Records of Northwest Florida" - Karl's web page with extensive records and information about the Southern Copperhead in Florida (viewed best in Internet Explorer).

(Below) Flatwoods salamander

(Ambystoma cingulatum).

Federally Threatened species

occuring rarely across the northern

Gulf Coastal States. Liberty Co., FL

(Above) Apalachicola Kingsnake

(Lampropeltis getula).

An unusual color form of the Common kingsnake

occurs in the Apalachicola National Forest &

surrounding region of NW FL. Due to its rare

color phase and limited distribution, it's

unfortunately highly prized within the pet trade.

Liberty Co., FL.

(Above) Karl & Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temmincki), Eglin AFB, 1988. Photo taken by Dr. Dale R. Jackson! Santa Rosa Co., FL.

The Alligator snapper has declined greatly across the deep South, primarily due to the turtle soup industry. The Alligator snapper is also one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, with weights of at least 235 lbs!

(Below) Eastern Tiger salamander

(Ambystoma t. tigrinum). Tiger salamanders

are rare in NW Florida & adjacent Georgia,

Alabama & Mississippi. They utilize

ephemeral wetlands to breed during

winter months. Calhoun Co., FL.




(Above) Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia). Jackson Co., FL. Sirens are very secretive, aquatic salamanders which are very common in many wetlands of the Deep South, but are rarely ever seen by most people. Sirens and other aquatic salamanders are caught on fishing and trot lines, and many people mistakenly believe they are freshwater eels. (Above) Barbour's Map Turtle (Graptemys barbouri). Chipola River - Jackson Co., FL Barbour's Map turtles are only found in the Chattahoochee-Apalachicola and Chipola Rivers in southern Alabama and Georgia and northwest Florida. Pg. 11 Which Snake is Venomous?