Snakes
Eastern Worm Snake *(Carphophis a. amoenus)
7- 13" brown dorsum, pink translucent venter,
resembling an eafthworm with a smallflattened
head and small eyes, pointed tail, smooth polished
Northern Water Snake (Nerodio s. sipedon)
Size
t8-42" variable coloration of gray, brown to
with reddish, brown or blue-gray bands,
heavily keeled dorsal scales, venter black, gray, red,
yellow or white, edged with deep red-brown.
black
sca les.
Northern Brown Snake * (Storeria d. dekoyi)
Northern Black Racer *(Coluber c. canstrictor)
9-15" dark brown, chestnut, yellow-brown, light tan
33-72"matte black smooth dorsal scales, blue-black
venter, small head and white chin, large eyes with
prominent brow ridges. Juveniles light gray or olive_
brown with a mid-dorsalrow of dark blotches, D t
dorsum with keeled dorsal scales, with or without
light bands, paired darker stripes on midline, belly
light gray or ivory with one or more black dots at the
edge of each scale, black mark behind eye and on
Amphibians and Reptiles
Matthies Park,
Beacon Falls, CT
neck.
Northern Ringneck Snake * (Diadophis puncidtus
edwordsii)8-16" highly polished slate*gray or black
dorsum, smooth scales, bright orange-yellow venter
may have black spotting, yellow neck ring and
flattened head.
Black Rat Snake * (Etophe o. obsoleta)
45-72" black, weakly keeled dorsal scales, large well_
defined head, thin neck, a white venter with a black
checkerboard pattern.
Eastern Hognose Snake
*
(Heterodon ptatirhinos)
20-32" variable patterns of brown or olive
Ereen or
light and dark blotches of brown, yellow, red or
orange/ keeled dorsal scales and enlarged upturned
snout. SC t
Eastern Milk Snake
Eastern Ribbon Snake * (Thamnophis s. sauritus)
t8-26" black to olive body with three bright yellow
to greenish longitudinal stripes down entire body
Spotted
Salamander
length, two lateral stripes on scale rows 3 and 4,
venter yellow to greenish and unmarked, and
slender head and body, dorsalscales keeled, white
under eyes and chin. 5C t
Eastern Garter Snake (Thomnophis s. sirtotis)
18-30" body black, brown or dark green with
alternating dark and light brown checker board
pattern between light stripes, bright yellow to
greenish with mid-dorsal stripe, 3 longitudinal
stripes on znd and 3rd scale rows, ventervariable
light yellow with variable markings in two rows down
length, keeled dorsal scales. Semiaquatic.
Pickerel
Frog
* (Lampropeltis
t. triangulum)
t8-4O" Polished, unkeeled dorsal scales, cylindrical
body, head slightly widerthan neck, blotches of
varying brown, tan, yellow on dorsum, the venter is
white with black squares. A ',y,,frequently on top of
Snapping
Turtle
*Not recorded within park but possible
from area
historical records or suitable habitat.
ldentification information
is
for adults,
head, eye round with distinct iris.
Smooth Green Snake * (Liochtorophis vernolis)
Endangered (E), Threatened (T), Special Concern
(SC) Species, {D) Declining
L2-25" bright green smooth dorsum and ivoryyellow venter. SC t
tConnecticut Comprehensive Wild I ife Conservation
CT
Strategy (CWCSI
Northern
Water Snake
Salamanders
Jefferson Salamander
*
(Ambystoma
jeffersonionum) 5-7.5" Brownish-gray to brown with
blue-gray or silver flecking on sides and limbs. SC
t
Fowler's Toad (Bufo woodhousii fowleri)
2-3.7" warty green, gray and white skin, dark
irregular spots with 3 or more warts, a distinct
middorsal strip and unmarked white belly. t
4.5-8" Bluish or brownish-black with irregular rows
of yellow spots. D t
Gray Treefrog, {Hyla versicolor) !.3-2.3" light green,
ash to dark brown with irregular light or dark
patches outlined in black, orange inner thighs on
hind legs, toe pads and light spot outlined in black
Marbled Salamander (Ambystomo opocum)
below each eye. D
3-5" Black or purplish-black with crossbands of white
or light gray. D t
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Dusky Salamander * (Desmognothusf.
back, toe pads,
fuscus) 2.5-4.5" Dark brown, olive, or yellowish with
a light line running from the eye to the jaw. D t
Bullfrog (Rano cotesbeiana)
Spotted Salamander (Ambysto mo
Northern Two-lined Salamander
mocu lotum
)
(Euryceo b.
bislinedta)2.5-3.5" Greenish-yellow or orange with
dark brown or black stripe along each side.
a
Four-toed Salamander (Hemidoctylium scutatum)
L.7-3.5" Reddish brown body above, grayish sides
and white undersides flecked with black.
Northern Red-back Salamander (ptethodon
cinereus)2,2-4" Bluish-blackwith light blue flecks on
sides, with or without broad head to tail orange-red
or red dorsal stripe.
Red-spotted Newt (Nofop hthqlmus v. viridescens)
3-5" Terrestrial adult is olive, juvenile is red-orange;
both have rows of black-ringed orange spots along
sides.
t
(Pseudocris c. crucifer) .71.3" light tan to brown with irregular darker "X" on
Toads and Frogs
24.3" warty brown, red-brown, gray, or olive
skin
with dark brown or black spotting and 1-2 warts in
larger spots, white belly with black mottling.
4-8" green to dark olive
Common Snapping Turtle (Chetydra s. serpentina)
shell up to 20" light gray to black may have green
algae cast, long neck and serrated tail, carapace
margin deeply serrated, keeled center scutes keeled,
and huge curved claws,
Painted Turtle * (Chrysemys picta)
4.5-6" smooth black or dark olive carapace with red
markings along sides, head and neck have red and
yellow stripes, light lines across carapace where lead
edges of large scutes line up, plastron is pale yellow
or cream without markings, males have long, thick
tails and long claws on front feet. Often basking on
logs or rocks just above water.
with scattered brown spots, smooth back, ridge
around top and back of ear, males have yellow
throat and large eardrum.
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttdld) 3.5-5.5" smooth
black shell with bright yellow spots on carapace,
Green Frog (Rana clomitans melanota) Z-4" green,
flat or convex plastron, orange ch in, red eyes, and
yellow beak. Primarifu aquatic. D t
olive or brown with dorsolateral ridges from eyes
along back of body, males have yellow throat.
Pickerel Frog (Rona palustris) 1.7-3" light cream,
greenish to pale brown with dark rectangular spots
and yellow or oranBe on underside of inner thighs.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)2-5" brown
or green with dark irregular rounded spots
surrounded by light colored ring, contrasting
dorsolateral ridges, spotted extremities that bled to
bars, and white inner thighs. SC t
Wood Frog
Eastern American Taad (Bufo o. dmericanus)
t
Turtles
(Rana sylvotica) !.5-2.5" light tan to
dark brown with dark brown to black mask across
eyes extending back through eardrum, white upper
lip. D
r
legs, head, and tail, males have a concave plastron
brown or black jaw and brown eyes, females have
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene c. caralina)
4.5-6" pale yellow-brown to black, light yellow to
orange blocky markings with highly domed carapace
and hinged plastron, Males have highly concave
plastron with orange-red eyes, females have convex
plastron and brown eyes. SC t