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Polk County, Missouri

Species List

Salamanders (Caudata)

Frogs (Anura)

Lizards (Lacertilia)

Snakes (Serpentes)

Turtles (Testudines)

Collection Summary

Polk County has a total of 166 valid, non-duplicated collections representing 43 species and 132 localities. There are a total of 23 collectors and 73 collection dates for the county. This results in a total of 76 expeditions for the county, a measure of unique date / collector(s) combinations. The county's earliest collection year is 1940 and its most recent collection year is 2019. The earliest and latest collection dates (independent of earliest and most recent collection years) are March 4 and November 10, respectively. If you have a new record to report for Polk County, read the New Records section of the FAQ.

Collection Summary by Species

Collection summary for Polk County by species. Some values are unavailable since some records are represented solely by historical literature reports, which sometimes lack complete collecting data. Click on a species or common name to view more information about that species. Click on column headings to sort by that column.
Species Common Name Localities Collections Collectors Dates Expeditions Earliest Year Latest Year
Acris blanchardi Blanchard's Cricket Frog 2 2 2 2 2 1983 2005
Agkistrodon contortrix Copperhead 1 1 2 1 1 2014 2014
Ambystoma maculatum Spotted Salamander 3 3 2 2 2 2000 2017
Ambystoma texanum Small-mouthed Salamander 1 1 1 1 1 1999 1999
Anaxyrus americanus American Toad 4 4 2 3 3 1982 2016
Anaxyrus fowleri Fowler's Toad 1 1 1 1 1 2004 2004
Aspidoscelis sexlineata Six-lined Racerunner 1 5 1 1 1 1961 1961
Carphophis vermis Western Wormsnake 2 3 2 3 3 1961 2005
Chelydra serpentina Snapping Turtle 8 8 4 8 8 1989 2019
Chrysemys picta Western Painted Turtle 1 1 3 1 1 2008 2008
Coluber constrictor North American Racer 8 8 5 7 7 2000 2016
Coluber flagellum Eastern Coachwhip 5 5 4 4 5 2008 2019
Diadophis punctatus Ring-necked Snake 6 6 2 6 6 1959 2016
Eurycea longicauda Long-tailed Salamander 1 1 2 1 1 2010 2010
Gastrophryne carolinensis Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad 1 1 1 1 1 2001 2001
Graptemys geographica Northern Map Turtle 2 2 1 2 2 2012 2017
Haldea striatula Rough Earthsnake 1 1 1 1 1 2005 2005
Heterodon platirhinos Eastern Hog-nosed Snake 1 1 1 1 1 2012 2012
Lampropeltis calligaster Prairie Kingsnake 6 6 6 6 6 1962 2014
Lampropeltis holbrooki Speckled Kingsnake 3 3 4 3 3 2001 2019
Lampropeltis triangulum Eastern Milksnake 1 1 1 1 1 2016 2016
Lithobates catesbeianus American Bullfrog 4 4 2 4 4 1982 2015
Lithobates palustris Pickerel Frog 8 10 3 7 7 1986 2017
Lithobates sphenocephalus Southern Leopard Frog 2 2 2 2 2 1982 2013
Nerodia sipedon Common Watersnake 2 2 4 2 2 1983 2004
Notophthalmus viridescens Central Newt 1 1 1 1 1 2014 2014
Opheodrys aestivus Northern Rough Greensnake 5 5 4 5 5 1982 2015
Ophisaurus attenuatus Western Slender Glass Lizard 3 3 4 3 3 1971 2007
Pantherophis obsoletus Western Ratsnake 8 8 5 8 8 1961 2016
Pituophis catenifer Bullsnake 2 2 4 2 2 1959 2006
Plestiodon fasciatus Common Five-lined Skink 2 3 2 2 2 1986 2016
Pseudacris crucifer Spring Peeper 1 1 1 1 1 2000 2000
Pseudacris maculata Boreal Chorus Frog 1 1 2 1 1 1999 1999
Sceloporus consobrinus Prairie Lizard 2 2 3 2 2 2003 2005
Scincella lateralis Little Brown Skink 3 4 2 3 3 1961 2001
Sternotherus odoratus Eastern Musk Turtle 1 1 2 1 1 1940 1940
Storeria dekayi DeKay's Brownsnake 6 6 6 5 5 1961 2019
Terrapene carolina Three-toed Box Turtle 18 19 4 12 12 1975 2019
Terrapene ornata Ornate Box Turtle 6 6 4 6 6 1982 2017
Thamnophis proximus Orange-striped Ribbonsnake 3 3 5 3 3 1973 2004
Thamnophis sirtalis Common Gartersnake 11 12 6 9 9 1973 2015
Trachemys scripta Red-eared Slider 6 6 3 6 6 2004 2019
Tropidoclonion lineatum Lined Snake 1 1 1 1 1 2012 2012

Potential Species Records

Potential species for Polk County. Species are listed in descending order of their likelihood of occurrence within the county. Click on a species or common name to view more information about that species. Click on column headings to sort by that column.
Likelihood Species Common Name Rationale Ecoregion / Watershed
2 Ambystoma tigrinum Eastern Tiger Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Springfield Plateau
2 Apalone spinifera Eastern Spiny Softshell Same watershed, within 5 miles Sac
2 Hyla chrysoscelis Cope's Gray Treefrog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Springfield Plateau
2 Lithobates clamitans Green Frog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Springfield Plateau
2 Plestiodon laticeps Broad-headed Skink Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Springfield Plateau
2 Plethodon albagula Western Slimy Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Springfield Plateau
2 Pseudemys concinna River Cooter Same watershed, within 5 miles Sac
2 Storeria occipitomaculata Northern Red-bellied Snake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Central Plateau
2 Storeria occipitomaculata Northern Red-bellied Snake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Springfield Plateau
2 Tantilla gracilis Flat-headed Snake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 5 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
4 Crotaphytus collaris Eastern Collared Lizard Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
4 Eurycea lucifuga Cave Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Springfield Plateau
4 Eurycea spelaea Grotto Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Springfield Plateau
4 Hyla versicolor Gray Treefrog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Springfield Plateau
4 Hyla versicolor Gray Treefrog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
4 Necturus maculosus Mudpuppy Same watershed, within 10 miles Pomme De Terre
4 Nerodia erythrogaster Plain-bellied Watersnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
4 Pantherophis emoryi Great Plains Ratsnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Springfield Plateau
4 Plestiodon anthracinus Southern Coal Skink Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
4 Plestiodon anthracinus Southern Coal Skink Same Level IV ecoregion, within 10 miles Springfield Plateau
6 Agkistrodon piscivorus Western Cottonmouth Same watershed, within 20 miles Sac
6 Ambystoma annulatum Ringed Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Ambystoma annulatum Ringed Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Central Plateau
6 Ambystoma opacum Marbled Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Ambystoma opacum Marbled Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Springfield Plateau
6 Apalone mutica Midland Smooth Softshell Same watershed, within 20 miles Harry S. Truman Reservoir
6 Crotalus horridus Timber Rattlesnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Gastrophryne olivacea Western Narrow-mouthed Toad Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Graptemys ouachitensis Ouachita Map Turtle Same watershed, within 20 miles Sac
6 Hemidactylium scutatum Four-toed Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Central Plateau
6 Lithobates areolatus Northern Crawfish Frog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Springfield Plateau
6 Plethodon serratus Southern Red-backed Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Sonora semiannulata Variable Groundsnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Virginia valeriae Western Smooth Earthsnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
6 Virginia valeriae Western Smooth Earthsnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Central Plateau
6 Virginia valeriae Western Smooth Earthsnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 20 miles Springfield Plateau
8 Graptemys pseudogeographica False Map Turtle Same watershed, within 30 miles Harry S. Truman Reservoir
8 Hyla cinerea Green Treefrog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 30 miles Springfield Plateau
8 Hyla cinerea Green Treefrog Same Level IV ecoregion, within 30 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
8 Nerodia rhombifer Diamond-backed Watersnake Same Level IV ecoregion, within 30 miles Osage/Gasconade Hills
8 Plethodon angusticlavius Ozark Zigzag Salamander Same Level IV ecoregion, within 30 miles Springfield Plateau
10 Lithobates blairi Plains Leopard Frog Same Level IV ecoregion, adjacent county Springfield Plateau
10 Lithobates blairi Plains Leopard Frog Same Level IV ecoregion, adjacent county Osage/Gasconade Hills

Checklist

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