Trinity River

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Reptiles and Amphibians of Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge Established in 1994, the 18,000-acre Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge is a remnant of what was once a much larger, frequently flooded, bottomland hardwood forest. You are still able to view vast expanses of ridge and swale floodplain features, numerous bayous, oxbow lakes, and cypress/tupelo swamps along the Trinity River. It is one of only 14 priorityone bottomland sites identified for protection in the Texas Bottomland Protection Plan. This type of habitat is used during migration or nesting by nearly 50 percent of the migratory bird species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Over 275 species of birds occur in the hardwood forest and associated wetlands in eastern Texas; while over 100 bird species are known to breed there. These forests also support a wide diversity of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish including the federally listed bald eagle and alligator. For more information, visit our website: http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/texas/ trinityriver Green Anole Photograph by Garry Tucker This list follows the standard listings in Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles and Crocodilians (5th Edition) by Joseph T. Collins and Travis W. Taggart. Chicken Turtles Chicken Turtle Deirochelys reticalaria Softshells Texas Spiny Softshell Turtle Trionyx spiniferus emoryi Contact the Refuge staff if you should find an unlisted or rare species during your visit and provide a description. Lizards Introduced Geckos Alligators Green Anole Anolis carolinensis carolinensis Skinks Ground Skink Scincella lateralis Five-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatus Broadhead Skink Eumeces laticeps American Alligator Alligator mississippiens Turtles Snapping Turtles Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina serpentina Alligator Snapping Turtles Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys temminckii Cooters Eastern River Cooter Pseudemys concinna Sliders Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans Mediterranean Gecko Hemidactylus turcicusAnoles Snakes Water Snakes Diamondback Water Snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer Yellowbelly Water Snake Nerodia erythogaster flavigaster Broad-banded Water Snake Nerodia fasciata confluens Crayfish Snakes Gulf Crayfish Snake Regina rigida sinicola Garter Snakes Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus orarius Western Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus proximus Earth Snakes Rough Earth Snake Virginia striatula Hognose Snakes Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos Mud Snakes Western Mud Snake Farancia abacura reinwardtii Racers Buttermilk Racer Clouber constrictor anthicus Coachwhip Eastern Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum flagellum Rough Green Snake Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus Rat Snakes Texas Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii Kingsnakes Speckled Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula hobrooki Flathead Snakes Flathead Snake Tantilla gracilis Eastern Coral Snakes Texas Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius tener Copperheads and Cottonmouths Southern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix contortix Western Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Rattlesnakes Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus Salamanders Central Newt Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis Water Moccasin Frogs True Toads Narrowmouth Toads Eastern Narrowmouth Toad Gastrophryne carolinensis Gulf Coast Toad Bufo valliceps valliceps Cricket Frogs Blanchard’s Cricket Frog Acris crepitans blanchardi Tree Frogs Northern Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer crucifer Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea Gray Treefrog Hyla versicolor Photograph by Garry Tucker True Frogs Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana Bronze Frog Rana clamitans clamitans Southern Leopard Frog Rana utricularia Pickerel Frog Rana palustris Updated February 2008