Reptiles+and+Amphibians

Reptiles and Amphibians of Connecticut
In Connecticut, as worldwide, habitat for reptiles and amphibians is under attack from over-development. As Connecticut continues its efforts to promote sustainable development we need to consider our frog friends and their habitats. [|Willimantic], famous for the legendary [|Battle of the Frogs], is well-poised to take the lead through a grass-roots movement to protect habitat for amphibians and reptiles. It is home to the interesting and endanged [|Eastern Spadefoot Toad], which burrows itself backwards into the mud to hibernate in the winter. Connecticut DEP has much information about Connecticut's reptiles and amphibians. Follow the link below to DEP's website and learn more about Ct's reptiles and amphibians. http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2723&q=325856&depNav_GID=1655



Mudpuppies are a family of aquatic salamanders. Adults are olive colored and can attain total lengths of 200-430 mm. A common mudpuppy is pictured below.
 * A typical mudpuppy will be eight to thirteen inches in length and reddish brown colored with black spots. Their heads are large and somewhat flat with large maroonish colored gills on the sides (Siebert). This species seems to eat whatever it finds, but some common foods would be worms, crayfish, fish eggs, salamanders and insects. Since their vision is poor they must rely on other senses to catch their prey.**

One of the interesting things about Connecticut reptiles is that Connecticut is home to only one species of lizard, the Five-lined Skink. According to the Department of Environmental Protection Fact Sheet, "Five-lined skinks are smooth, shiny lizards with rows of tiny scales around the center of their body. The coloration is highly variable, depending on the age and sex of the skink. Young skinks have five white or yellowish stripes on a blackish body and a bright blue tail. As the skinks grow older and larger, the pattern becomes less conspicuous; the stripes darken, the black body lightens, and the tail turns gray. Females usually retain some of the striped pattern; the broad dark band along the side of the body remains prominent. Adult males usually show traces of stripes, but tend to become nearly uniform brown or olive in coloration. Orange-red appears on the head and jaws of the males during the spring breeding season".

The Connecticut Range for Five-lined Skinks is shown on the map, below.


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Red-spotted Newt
//(Notophthalmus v. viridescens)// The red-spotted newt is a widespread and familiar species in many sections of Connecticut. Newts have a three part developmental stage, an aquatic larva, a terrestrial "eft" stage, and an adult aquatic stage. The bright red-orange eft is the most familiar, and large numbers of these can be found wandering on the forest floor in damp weather. Newts are most abundant in theupland areas of Connecticut, especially the northwestern highlands. They are far more localized in the low-lying sandy areas of the state, and are absent from large portions of the Central Connecticut Lowland. Newts are secure in many areas of the state, though they are declining in more urban areas. They require large areas of forested habitat adjacent to their breeding sites to support the multiyear terrestrial eft stage. Under Section 26-66-13-C of the Connecticut Code, eggs and juveniles may not be collected, and adults may be taken only by hand or handheld implement. The collection of newts by seine, minnow traps, or with the aid of a motorboat is specifically prohibited. || || ||
 * IDENTIFICATION:** Aquatic adults are smooth-skinned, with an olive green dorsum. A row of red ocelli (red spots ringed with black) are present on each side, and the belly is yellow with black dots. The tail is fin-like. The conspicuous terrestrial eft stage is bright orange to dull carmine brown, with very granular skin, and a row of ocelli along each side as in the adults. Small size, adults 60-110 mm total length.