An Online Guide to the Reptiles & Amphibians of the United States

Herpedia™.com is not a reference for keeping reptiles or amphibians in your home, nor is it a truely scientific type encyclopedia that covers all of the different biological difference between two subspecies (i.e. genetic diferences). It leans more to listing and identifying the species & subspecies of every reptile and amphibian in North America that have been recognized to date. Information such as the scientific name, distribution maps, photographs, and information pages for each that contain the size, general description, range, habitat, mating/breeding, etc.

 

Amphibians

There are two of the three major groups of amphibians present in the United States and they are represented by 194 species. They are the salamanders (including newts) (112 species) and the frogs & toads (82 species).

Salamanders resemble lizards in that they have slender bodies, long tails, distinct body regions, and usually front and hinds legs of nearly the same size. Like most amphibians, they have a moist scaleless skin. Salamanders lack the scales, claws, and external ear opening that are present in lizards.

Frogs and Toads are easily identified by their hind feet. True frogs have webbed toes, Tree frogs have toe pads and webbing, Toads have tubercles and no webbing, Spadefoot Toads have a horny projection (the spade) and no webbing.

Reptiles

Crocodilians, with their size alone, are easily identified as the giants of the reptiles in the U.S. Their size, massive heads, protruding eyes and nostrils, and heavily muscular bodies, compressed tails distinguish them from their cousins, the lizards.

Turtles are recognized by everyone by their shells, which are generally used to distinguish species.

Snakes are the most specializes group of reptiles. They are distinctive in having a long scaled body. Unlike lizards, they have no arms or legs, external ear openings, or eyelids.

Lizards share characteristics with the crocodilians and snakes, but unlike the crocodilians they lack the size, and unlike snakes, they have arms, legs, eyelids, and external ear openings. Snakes and lizards have three types of scales: smooth, keeled, and granular.

And the single species of Amphisbaenid is found in Florida and has a long limbless body that resembles an earthworm. The body scales have formed into rings that encircle the body.