Thanks, everyone. I was there for a little less than 4 weeks and got to travel through most of the state, except the extreme south and southeast (where there is some cool stuff, but where we would have been fried for sure in summer). I met with and was helped by a few local herpers along the way, that I had contacted through
http://www.fieldherpforum.com. On top of that, I was really surprised how lucky I got to see some species just herping solo (with Stefanie's ears providing some useful help every now and then).
It was great, especially for something which some of you would call "not a herping trip"
. Let's say it was more like a partial herping trip, perhaps, but it sure turned out more like one, as more species popped up everywhere. If I would have been "really" herping, I am rather sure I would have been able to add 10 or more additional species.
It was refreshing to herp in a place where even the most common species is new and exciting to admire. Also funny how the Californian herpers have a different relative appreciation for certain species related to their abundance, while to me all was new, so common stuff that looked cool was just as nice (or nicer) to find than some rarer species.
Here's a beta list, for who might like that.
1
Ambystoma gracile Northwestern Salamander
2
Dicamptodon tenebrosus Coastal Giant Salamander larva ?
3
Batrachoseps attenuatus California Slender Salamander
4
Batrachoseps luciae Santa Lucia Mountains Slender Salamander
5
Ensatina eschscholtzii Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii Monterey Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii picta Painted Ensatina
6
Plethodon elongatus Del Norte Salamander
7
Taricha granulosa Rough-skinned Newt
8
Taricha torosa California Newt
9
Anaxyrus boreas Western Toad
Anaxyrus boreas boreas Boreal Toad
Anaxyrus boreas halophilus California Toad
10
Ascaphus truei Coastal Tailed Frog
11
Lithobates catesbeianus I American Bullfrog
12
Rana boylii Foothill Yellow-legged Frog
13
Rana draytonii California Red-legged Frog no picture
14
Pseudacris cadaverina California Treefrog
15
Pseudacris hypochondriaca Baja California Treefrog
16
Pseudacris regilla Northern Pacific Treefrog
17
Pseudacris sierra Sierran Treefrog
18
Actinemys marmorata Pacific Pond Turtle
*
Trachemys scripta Pond Slider only semi-captive
Trachemys scripta elegans I Red-eared Slider
*
Apalone spinifera Spiny Softshell only semi-captive
19
Elgaria coerulea Northern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria coerulea coerulea San Francisco Alligator Lizard
20
Elgaria multicarinata Southern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria multicarinata webbii San Diego Alligator Lizard
21
Crotaphytus bicinctores Great Basin Collared Lizard
22
Dipsosaurus dorsalis Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis Northern Desert Iguana
23
Sauromalus ater Common Chuckwalla
24
Callisaurus draconoides Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus Western Zebra-tailed Lizard
25
Sceloporus graciosus Common Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus gracilis Western Sagebrush Lizard
26
Sceloporus occidentalis Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii Coast Range Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis longipes Great Basin Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis occidentalis Northwestern Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis taylori Sierra Fence Lizard
27
Sceloporus uniformis Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
28
Uma inornata Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard
29
Uta stansburiana Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana elegans Western Side-blotched Lizard
30
Plestiodon skiltonianus Western Skink no picture
Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus Skilton's Skink
31
Aspidoscelis tigris Tiger Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tigris tigris Great Basin Whiptail
32
Charina bottae Northern Rubber Boa
33
Lichanura orcutti Northern Three-lined Boa ? aka
Lichanura trivirgata Rosy Boa
34
Arizona elegans Glossy Snake 1 DOR + 1 Dying OR
Arizona elegans candida Mohave Glossy Snake
35
Chionactis occipitalis Western Shovel-nosed Snake
Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake
36
Coluber constrictor North American Racer no picture
Coluber constrictor mormon Western Yellow-bellied Racer
37
Coluber lateralis Striped Racer no picture
Coluber lateralis lateralis California Striped Racer
38
Diadophis punctatus Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus occidentalis Northwestern Ring-necked Snake
39
Lampropeltis getula Common Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula californiae California Kingsnake
40
Pituophis catenifer Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer catenifer Pacific Gopher Snake
41
Rhinocheilus lecontei Long-nosed Snake
42
Salvadora hexalepis Western Patch-nosed Snake only a single DOR
Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis Mohave Patch-nosed Snake
43
Thamnophis atratus Aquatic Gartersnake
subspecies intergrade subspecies intergrade
44
Thamnophis elegans Western Terrestrial Gartersnake
Thamnophis elegans terrestris Coast Gartersnake
45
Thamnophis hammondii Two-striped Gartersnake
46
Thamnophis ordinoides Northwestern Gartersnake
47
Thamnophis sirtalis Common Gartersnake
Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi Valley Gartersnake only a single DOR
Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis California Red-sided Gartersnake
48
Trimorphodon biscutatus Western Lyresnake
Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanes Baja California Lyresnake
49
Crotalus cerastes Sidewinder
Crotalus cerastes cerastes Mohave Desert Sidewinder
50
Crotalus oreganus Western Rattlesnake
Crotalus oreganus helleri Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
52
Crotalus scutulatus Mojave Rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus Northern Mohave Rattlesnake