Life in a Louisiana bayouSophie Warny, Ph.D.

Museum of Natural Science & BASC

We will talk about…We will talk about… 1. The MNS Collections

2. Field trips to the MNS- Learn about herpetology: Louisiana species and MNS displays

3. Field trips to the MNS: Practical Details

4. Children’s activity book: For the MNS or schools

- English and French

5. Hands on activities to do in your schools

- Learn about scales

- Learn about camouflage

- Learn about life cycles

7 main fields of RESEARCH7 main fields of RESEARCH Ornithology (Birds)Ornithology (Birds) GeneticsGenetics Ichthyology (Fishes)Ichthyology (Fishes) MammalogyMammalogy Herpetology (Reptiles and Amphibians)Herpetology (Reptiles and Amphibians) Vertebrate PaleontologyVertebrate Paleontology Anthropology (Archaeology and Ethnography)Anthropology (Archaeology and Ethnography)

EDUCATIONEDUCATION

1. The MNS collections1. The MNS collections

Collections:- More than 270,000 specimens

Research statement:

- Biodiversity, Conservation, and

- Stream restoration

IchthyologyIchthyology

Dr. Mike Fitzimons

Collections:- > 81,000 specimens - 880 species of snakes- 27 holotypes (new species) - Snake skeletal collection = one of the largest and most diverse in the world.

Research statement:

- Genetics, Systematics, Biogeography…

HerpetologyHerpetology

Dr. Chris Austin

Students help build the

collection during field season:

Masters student Jamie Oaks learn how to collect

herpetology specimens, here with a young

alligator on a Louisiana Bayou.

A make-shift laboratory in Papua New Guinea: PhD student CJ Hayden preserving reptile and amphibian

specimens.

2. FIELD TRIP: CONTENT2. FIELD TRIP: CONTENT

Herpetology

What is herpetology?What is herpetology?

Greek word Greek word herpetonherpeton means “Crawling things” means “Crawling things” Carolus Linnaeus (Swedish scientist who Carolus Linnaeus (Swedish scientist who established the system for naming species) established the system for naming species) called these herpetology species “these foul called these herpetology species “these foul and loathsome animals” … or are they and loathsome animals” … or are they fascinating???fascinating???

The study of amphibians and reptilesThe study of amphibians and reptiles The reptiles used to be the dominant forms on The reptiles used to be the dominant forms on EarthEarth

Now: Now: - Amphibians: ~4,000 species, smallest vertebrate - Amphibians: ~4,000 species, smallest vertebrate groupgroup

- Reptiles: ~7,500 species, second smallest - Reptiles: ~7,500 species, second smallest vertebrate groupvertebrate group

What are amphibians?What are amphibians?

They were the first vertebrates to conquer land.They were the first vertebrates to conquer land. Greek Greek AmphibiosAmphibios: “a being with a double life” - : “a being with a double life” - TypicallyTypically

bi-phasic life cycle with aquatic larval stage bi-phasic life cycle with aquatic larval stage (tadpole)(tadpole)

AllAll = ectothermic: use environmental T to regulate = ectothermic: use environmental T to regulate their T.their T.

Amphibians have moist, scaleless skinsAmphibians have moist, scaleless skins They have permeable skin: high evaporative water They have permeable skin: high evaporative water loss.loss.

They have ears, skull and teethThey have ears, skull and teeth Divided in three orders:Divided in three orders:

Frogs and toads Frogs and toads Salamanders (including newts and sirens)Salamanders (including newts and sirens) Legless caeciliansLegless caecilians

Frogs Frogs

(~5000 sp.)(~5000 sp.) SalamandersSalamanders CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles Lizards and Lizards and SnakesSnakes

CrocodiliansCrocodilians TuatarasTuataras

Polypedates leucomystax

Order Anura- frogs and toads (18)Eastern Spadefoot Scaphiopus holbrookiiSouthern Toad Bufo terrestrisFowler’s Toad Bufo woodhousii fowleriOak Toad Bufo quercicusUpland Chorus Frog Pseudacris triseriata feriarumSouthern Cricket Frog Acris gryllusGreen Treefrog Hyla cinereaBarking Treefrog Hyla gratiosaGray Treefrog Hyla versicolor complexSpring Peeper Hyla cruciferBird-voiced Treefrog Hyla avivocaPine Woods Treefrog Hyla femoralisSquirrel Treefrog Hyla squirellaPickerel Frog Rana palustrisSouthern Leopard Frog Rana sphenocephalaCrawfish Frog Rana areolataBullfrog Rana catesbeianaNarrow-mouthed Toad Gastrophryne carolinensis

Southern ToadBufo terrestris

Squirrel TreefrogHyla squirella

Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana

Greenhouse FrogEleutherodactylus planirostris

Invasive species

Cycle does not need water

FrogsFrogs Salamanders Salamanders (~400 sp.)(~400 sp.)

CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles Lizards and Lizards and SnakesSnakes

CrocodilianCrocodilianss

TuatarasTuataras

Dicamptodon ensatus

Salamanders (15)Three-toed Amphiuma Amphiuma tridactylumLesser Siren Siren intermediaRed-spotted Newt Notophthalmus viridescens Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinumMarbled Salamander Ambystoma opacumSpotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatumSmall-mouthed Salamander Ambystoma texanumMole Salamander Ambystoma talpoideumMud Salamander Pseudotriton montanusRed Salamander Pseudotriton ruberSouthern 2-lined Salamander Eurycea cirrigeraDwarf Salamander Eurycea quadridigitataThree-lined Salamander Eurycea guttolineataDusky Salamander Desmognathus fuscusSlimy Salamander Plethadon glutinosus

Marbled SalamanderAmbystoma opacum

Three-toed AmphiumaAmphiuma tridactylum

Tiger SalamanderAmbystoma tigrinum

FrogsFrogs SalamandersSalamanders Caecilians Caecilians (~160 sp.)(~160 sp.)

TurtlesTurtles Lizards and Lizards and SnakesSnakes

CrocodiliansCrocodilians TuatarasTuataras

Schistometopum thomense

What are reptiles?What are reptiles? They have dry scales (different than fishes)They have dry scales (different than fishes) They have low evaporative water lossThey have low evaporative water loss Terrestrial ‘egg’ and no larval stage. They either lay Terrestrial ‘egg’ and no larval stage. They either lay

shelled eggs on land or bear their young aliveshelled eggs on land or bear their young alive Ectothermic: depend upon external temperatureEctothermic: depend upon external temperature They can survive on hardly any food (desert)They can survive on hardly any food (desert) They include:They include:

TurtlesTurtles Lizards Lizards SnakesSnakes CrocodiliansCrocodilians TuatarasTuataras

FrogsFrogs SalamandersSalamanders CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles

(~300 sp.)(~300 sp.) Lizards and Lizards and SnakesSnakes

CrocodiliansCrocodilians TuatarasTuataras

Geochelone radiata

Turtles and tortoises (20)Common Musk Turtle Sternotherus odoratus Razor-backed Musk Turtle Sternotherus carinatusEastern Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrumSlider Trachemys scriptaCooter Pseudemys floridanaRiver Cooter Pseudemys concinnaFalse Map Turtle Graptemys pseudogeographicaMississippi Map Turtle Graptemys kohnilPascagoula Map Turtle Graptemys gibbonsiRinged Map Turtle Graptemys oculiferaDiamond-backed Terrapin Malaclemys terrapinEastern Box Turtle “3-toed” Terrapene carolinaOrnate Box Turtle Terrapene ornataPainted Turtle Chrysemys pictaChicken Turtle Deirochelys reticulariaSmooth Softshell Apalone muticaSpiny Softshell Apalone spiniferaAlligator Snapping Turtle Macroclemys temminckiiSnapping Turtle Chelydra serpentinaGopher Tortoise Gopherus polyphemus

Razor-backed Musk TurtleSternotherus carinatus

Smooth SoftshellApalone mutica

Gopher TortoiseGopherus polyphemus

Alligator Snapping TurtleMacroclemys temminckii

Slider Trachemys scripta

FrogsFrogs SalamandersSalamanders CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles Lizards Lizards

(~4500 sp.)(~4500 sp.) and Snakesand Snakes

CrocodiliansCrocodilians TuatarasTuataras

Emoia caeruleocauda

Lizards and Skinks (11)

Coal Skink Eumeces anthracinusFive-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatusFive-lined Skink Eumeces inexpectatusBroad-headed Skink Eumeces laticepsGround Skink Scincella lateralis

Green Anole Anolis carolinensis

Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatusTexas Horned Lizard Phrynosoma cornutum

Eastern Glass Lizard Ophisaurus ventralisSlender Glass Lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus

Gila monster Heloderma suspectum

Broad-headed SkinkEumeces laticeps

Green AnoleAnolis carolinensis

Texas Horned LizardPhrynosoma cornutum

Eastern Glass LizardOphisaurus ventralis

Gila monsterHelodermasuspectum

Many geckos have millions of microscopic structures on the undersurface of their toes that allow them to cling

to walls and ceilings.

FrogsFrogs SalamandersSalamanders CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles Lizards and Lizards and Snakes Snakes (~ 2900 (~ 2900 sp.)sp.)

CrocodiliansCrocodilians TuatarasTuataras

Venomous snakes (all 6)

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridusPigmy Rattlesnake Sistrurus milliariusCottonmouth (=water moccasin) Agkistrodon piscivorusCopperhead Agkistrodon contortrix

Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius

CopperheadAgkistrodon contortrix

Eastern DiamondbackRattlesnakeCrotalus adamanteus

Pigmy Rattlesnake Sistrurus milliarius

Cottonmouth(=water moccasin)Agkistrodon piscivorus

Timber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus

Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius

Non-Venomous Snakes (26)Six-lined Racerunner Cnemidophorus sexlineatusMississippi Green Water Snake Nerodia cyclopionGulf Salt Marsh Snake Nerodia clarkiiPlain-bellied Water Snake Nerodia erythrogasterSouthern Water Snake Nerodia fasciata Broad Banded Water Snake Nerodia f. confluens Graham’s Crayfish Snake Regina grahamiiGlossy Crayfish Snake Regina regidaMilk Snake Lampropeltis triangulumScarlet Snake Cemophora coccineaCommon Kingsnake Lampropeltis getulaCommon Kingsnake Lampropeltis getulaPine Woods Snake Rhadinaea flavilataFlat-headed Snake Tantilla gracilisSoutheastern Crowned Snake Tantilla coronataRing-necked Snake Diadophis punctatusWorm Snake Carphophis amoenus Brown Snake Storeria dekayiRed-bellied Snake Storeria occipitomaculataSmooth Earth Snake Virginia valeriaeRough Earth Snake Virginia striatula Rough Green Snake Opheodrys Aestivus Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis Corn Snake Elaphe guttataWestern Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximusMud Snake Farancia abacura

Southern Water SnakeNerodia fasciata

Milk SnakeLampropeltis triangulum

Brown SnakeStoreria dekayi

Common KingsnakeLampropeltis getula

FrogsFrogs SalamandersSalamanders CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles Lizards and Lizards and SnakesSnakes

Crocodilians Crocodilians (~23 sp.)(~23 sp.)

TuatarasTuataras

Order Crocodilia- Alligators and Crocodilia (1)

American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis

FrogsFrogs SalamandersSalamanders CaeciliansCaecilians TurtlesTurtles Lizards and Lizards and SnakesSnakes

CrocodiliansCrocodilians Tuataras Tuataras

(2 sp.)(2 sp.)

Sphenodon punctatus

3. FIELD TRIP: PRACTICAL DETAILS3. FIELD TRIP: PRACTICAL DETAILS

Practical DetailsPractical DetailsGeneral Info

& Tours

Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

FREE!

SchedulingMaterialsRulesParking

…

4. MNS ACTIVITY BOOKLET4. MNS ACTIVITY BOOKLET

Activities forSelf-guided tours

The MNS book is available:- in French thanks to:… Anne-Sophie & Stanislas Dubois

- in Spanish thanks to:… Ana Morales

Learn about wetland!

Learn aboutinsects!

Learn aboutsnakes!

Use this topic to introduce venomous species!

Use this topic to introduce invasive species!

5. HANDS ON ACTIVITIES FOR THE CLASSROOM5. HANDS ON ACTIVITIES FOR THE CLASSROOM

Learning about:LIFE IN THE BAYOU SCALES:

with Adrienne

LIFE CYCLE and CAMOUFLAGE:with Rebecca