Reptiles and Amphibians
This is a list provided by Joe Collins of the most common amphibians
and reptiles that are seen on or near the Kansas River. Photographs
taken by Suzanne Collins are provided on our Critter Corner
along with links to the Kansas Herpetological Society species accounts
(if you click on the photos you will get a pop-up window with the
species account in it).
Download the enitre booklet as a pdf file:
2009 Collins,
Joseph T. & Suzanne L. Collins. A Pocket Guide to Kansas Snakes.
Second Edition. Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita,
Kansas. Pp. 69. (2.31 MB)
You can contact Joe at:
Joseph T. Collins, Director
The Center for North American Herpetology (CNAH)
1502 Medinah Circle, Lawrence, Kansas 66047
email: jcollins@ku.edu
http://www.cnah.org
Common Name
|
Scientific Name |
Amphibians |
|
Eastern Tiger Salamander
|
Ambystoma tigrinum |
Plains Spadefoot |
Spea bombifrons |
Great Plains Toad |
Anaxyrus cognatus |
Woodhouse's Toad |
Anaxyrus woodhousii |
Blanchard's Cricket Frog |
Acris blanchardi |
Plains Leopard Frog |
Lithobates blairi |
Bullfrog |
Lithobates catesbeianus |
|
|
Turtles |
|
Common Snapping Turtle |
Chelydra serpentina |
Common Musk Turtle |
Sternotherus odoratus |
Northern Painted Turtle |
Chrysemys picta |
False Map Turtle |
Graptemys pseudogeographica |
Slider |
Trachemys scripta |
Smooth Softshell |
Apalone mutica |
Spiny Softshell |
Apalone spinifera |
|
|
Reptiles |
|
Western Rat Snake |
Scotophis obsoletus |
Eastern Racer |
Coluber constrictor |
Northern Water Snake |
Nerodia sipedon |
Common Garter snake |
Thamnophis sirtalis |
Eastern Hognose snake |
Heterodon platirhinos |
Birds
This is a list provided by Dr. Raymond Pierotti, Division of
Biological Sciences, University of Kansas. Birds—common/conspicuous
species found associated with the river and discussed in the lesson The Winged Ones. Species lists by counties can be downloaded from the Kansas Ornithological Society website.
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
Waterbirds
|
|
Wood Duck |
Aix sponsa
|
Blue-winged Teal |
Anas discors
|
Mallard |
Anas platyrhyncos
|
Canada Goose |
Branta candensis
|
Bufflehead |
Bucephala albeola
|
Snow Goose |
Chen carerulescens
|
American Coot |
Fulica americana
|
Herring Gull |
Larus argentatus
|
Ring-billed Gull
|
Larus delawarensis
|
Common Merganser |
Mergus merganser
|
Pied-billed Grebe
|
Podilymbus podiceps
|
Double-crested Cormorant
|
Phalacrocorax auritis
|
Least Tern |
Sterna antillarum
|
Forster’s Tern |
Sterna forsteri
|
Common Tern |
Sterna hirundo
|
Wading Birds
|
|
Spotted Sandpiper
|
Actitis macularia
|
Great Egret |
Ardea alba
|
Great Blue Heron |
Ardea herodias
|
Green Heron |
Buteroides viresecens
|
Killdeer |
Charadrius vociferous
|
Birds of Prey
|
|
Bald Eagle |
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
|
Osprey
|
Pandion haliaetus
|
Perching Birds
|
|
Belted Kingfisher |
Ceryle alcyon
|
Mammals
This is a list provided by Dr. Raymond Pierotti, Division of
Biological Sciences, University of Kansas. Common mammals that can be
seen near or in the Kansas River.
Species accounts can be found online at
http://www.ksr.ku.edu/libres/Mammals_of_Kansas/list.html
You can contact Ray at:
Dr. Ray Pierotti
Division of Biological Sciences
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
Pierotti@ku.edu
Notes:
* Aquatic species: likely to be seen in the river itself
+ Rare or exceptionally shy: Sightings of this species are special.
Opossums (Family Didelphidae)
Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana
The only Marsupial native to North America.
Hares and Rabbits (Family Leporidae)
Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
The only rabbit (of 4 Kansas species) likely to be seen along the Kaw.
Squirrels (Family Sciuridae)
Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans +
Beautiful and graceful, likely to be seen at night. Has huge dark eyes.
Woodchuck Marmota monax +
Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger
Beavers (Family Castoridae)
Beaver Castor canadensis *
New World Mice and Rats (Family Cricetidae)
Woodland Vole Microtus pinetorum
Small dark mouselike creature, with small ears and short tail.
Eastern Woodrat Neotoma floridana
Big and attractive, look for its nests which are complex piles of sticks.
Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus *
Smaller than a beaver, does not have a flat tail.
White-footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus
Small, beautiful mice with large ears and big dark eyes.
Dogs (Family Canidae)
Coyote Canis latrans
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus +
Graceful, with small ears, moves like a cat. Can even climb trees.
Procyonids (Family Procyonidae)
Raccoon Procyon lotor
Weasels (Family Mustelidae)
River Otter Lutra canadensis *
Big and playful. Slides down muddy banks.
Striped skunk Mephitis mephitis
Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata +
Mink Mustela vison *
Smaller than otter. Might be confused with a small dark cat.
Cats (Family Felidae)
Mountain Lion Felis concolor +
Look for the big long tail. It is unmistakeable.
Bobcat Lynx rufus +
Short tail. Might be mistaken for a big short-tailed housecat.
Deer (Family Cervidae)
White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus
Big ears. Only seen in the western counties along the river.
* Aquatic species: likely to be seen in the river itself.
+ Rare or exceptionally shy⎯Sightings of this species are special.
Mussels
LIST OF KANSAS FRESHWATER MUSSELS
This list was provided by Craig Thompson, Biologist, EPA Region 7
Notes: * Extirpated in Kansas
(T/E) = Threatened or Endangered in Kansas
Common Name
|
Scientific Name |
In Kansas River |
Mucket (T/E)
|
Actinonaias ligamentina |
|
Slippershell mussel *
|
Alasmidonta virdis |
|
Elktoe (T/E)
|
Alasmidonta marginata |
|
Threeridge
|
Amblema plicata |
|
Flat floater (T/E)
|
Anodonta suborbiculata |
|
Giant floater
|
Pyganadon grandis |
Yes |
Paper pondshell
|
Anodonta imbecillis |
|
Cylindrical papershell
|
Anodontoides ferussacianus |
|
Rock pocketbook (T/E)
|
Arcidens confragosus |
|
Western fanshell (T/E)
|
Cyprogenia aberti |
|
Butterfly (T/E)
|
Ellipsaria lineolata |
|
Spike
|
Elliptio dilitata |
|
Snuffbox *
|
Epioblasma tiquetra |
|
Wabash pigtoe
|
Fusconaia flava |
|
Plain pocketbook
|
Lampsilis cardium |
|
Neosho mucket (T/E)
|
Lampsilis rafinesqueana |
|
Fat mucket |
Lampsilis siliquoidea |
weathered/relict shells
|
Yellow sandshell |
Lampsilis teres |
weathered/relict shells
|
Fluted-shell (T/E)
|
Lasmigona costata |
|
White heelsplitter
|
Lasmigona complanata |
Yes |
Fragile papershell
|
Leptodea fragilis |
Yes |
Black sandshell *
|
Ligumia recta |
|
Pondmussel
|
Ligumia subrostrata |
weathered/relict shells |
Washboard
|
Megalonaias nervosa |
|
Threehorn wartyback
|
Obliquaria reflexa |
weathered/relict shells |
Hickorynut *
|
Obovaria olivaria |
weathered/relict shells |
Round pigtoe
|
Pleurobema coccineum |
|
Pink heelsplitter
|
Potamilus alatus |
Yes |
Pink papershell
|
Potamilus ohioensis |
Yes |
Bleufer
|
Potamilus pupuratus |
|
Ouachita kidneyshell (T/E)
|
Ptychobranchus occidentalis |
|
Rabbitsfoot (T/E)
|
Quadrula cylindrical |
|
Monkeyface
|
Quadrula metanevra |
|
Wartyback
|
Quadrula nodulata |
|
Pimpleback
|
Quadrula pustulosa |
weathered/relict shells |
Mapleleaf
|
Quadrula quadrula |
Yes |
Creeper
|
Strophitus undulatus |
|
Lilliput
|
Toxolasma parvus |
|
Pistolgrip
|
Tritogonia verrucosa |
|
Deertoe
|
Truncilla truncata |
weathered/relict shells |
Fawnsfoot
|
Truncilla donaciformis |
Yes |
Pondhorn
|
Uniomerus tetralasmus |
Yes |
Ellipse (T/E)
|
Venustaconcha ellipsiformis |
|
Purple wartyback
|
Cyclonaias tuberculata |
|
Notes:
Asiatic Clams, Corbicula fluminea, are an introduced species that now occurs in the Kansas River
* Extirpated in Kansas
(T/E) = Threatened or Endangered in Kansas