Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish of the Great Swamp

Snapping Turtle

(Chelydra serpentina)

Common. Bottom dweller in any permanent water including swamps, marshes, ponds, and streams. Some specimens weigh 30 to 40 pounds.

Common Musk Turtle (Stinkpot)

(Sternotherus odoratus)

Common. Inhabits streams and permanent ponds that are still, shallow and muddy-bottomed. Produces a strong musky odor when disturbed.

Eastern Mud Turtle

(Kinosternon subrubrum)

Uncommon. Inhabits still, shallow areas of swamps, marshes, and ponds.

Spotted turtle

(Clemmys guttata)

Common. Inhabits small ponds, marshes, and wet meadows. Emerges from hibernation during the early spring and can be seen most frequently basking on logs.

Bog Turtle*

(Clemmys muhlenbergii)

Rare. (E). One of the rarest and smallest turtles in the eastern United States. Favors open habitats including Sphagnum bogs, swamps and slow moving streams with muddy bottoms. Active from late March through late September but are extremely secretive.

Wood Turtle*

(Clemmys insculpta)

Uncommon. (T). Inhabits streams and small rivers bordered by woodlands and meadows. During the spring and summer this species is highly terrestrial but returns to water during the fall to mate and overwinter.

Eastern Box Turtle

(Terrapene carolina)

Common. This highly terrestrial species inhabits fields, meadows and open woodlands, but is occasionally found in ponds and marshes. Has the ability to close its shell tightly when danger threatens.

Eastern Painted Turtle

(Chrysemys picta)

Very common. This species has the widest range of any turtle in North America. Can easily be seen basking on logs and rocks in both permanent and temporary bodies of water.

Five-lined Skink

(Eumeces fasciatus)

Rare. Inhabits open woodlands and favor damp spots, under leaf litter, rotted logs or stones. Will readily lose part of it's tail when grasped by a predator.

Northern Water Snake

(Nerodia sipedon)

Common. Found in most aquatic habitats, but favors still or slow moving water. Frequently seen swimming or basking on rocks during the spring and summer.

Northern Brown Snake

(Storeria dekayi)

Common. Found in damp woods, swamps, bogs, open fields and roadside. Hides under rocks, logs, brush piles and leaves.

Eastern Garter Snake

(Thamnophis sirtalis)

Common. Widespread species inhabiting moist fields, forests, meadows and marshes. Active from late February through October.

Eastern Ribbon Snake

(Thamnophis sauritus)

Common. Semi-aquatic species that seldom wanders far from stream edges, swamps or ponds. Swims at the surface often skirting the vegetated shoreline.

Smooth Earth Snake

(Virginia valeriae)

Rare. Highly secretive snake that inhabits wooded areas where it spends most of its time under logs and rocks. Emerges only after cool heavy rains.

Eastern Hognose Snake

(Heterodon platirhinos)

Uncommon. Prefers open, sunny woods, especially those with sandy soils, but is also found in fields and meadows.

(Diadophis punctatus edwardsii)

Uncommon. Secretive snake often found on wooded hillsides or in cutover areas with plenty of logs and rocks that serve as hiding places.

Eastern Worm Snake

(Carphophis amoenus)

Uncommon. Burrows in rich moist soil or rotted wood in wet woodlands or moist areas of upland woods.

Northern Black Racer

(Coluber constrictor)

Uncommon. Terrestrial fast-moving snake inhabiting open forests and overgrown fields. Can be seen sunning itself on rocks and shrubs during the spring.

Smooth Green Snake

(Opheodrys vernalis)

Rare. Favors open unforested habitats including meadows and fields. Active from May to November.

Black Rat Snake

(Elaphe obsoleta)

Uncommon. Favors rugged forested terrain with rock outcroppings but is found in wide variety of wooded areas. Excellent climbers.

Eastern Milk Snake

(Lampropeltis triangulum)

Uncommon. Lives in most terrestrial habitats using brush, logs, and rocks as cover. Some refuge visitors may mistake this harmless snake for the copperhead, which is not found here.

Blue-spotted Salamander*

(Ambystoma laterale)

Common but secretive. (E). Adults live underground for most of the year but emerge to breed in small temporary ponds during the first thaw (March). Known only from Essex, Morris and Somerset Counties in New Jersey.

Red-spotted Newt (Red Eft, land stage)

(Notophthalmus viridescens)

Common. Adults and larvae favor ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation. Terrestrial juveniles, called efts, are found in moist woodlands typically under damp leaf litter.

Northern Dusky Salamander

(Desmognathus fuscus)

Uncommon. Found in woodlands along edges of swift flowing brooks and springs. Favored sites are large flat rocks and logs which provide both shelter and food.

Redback Salamander

(Plethodon cinereus)

Common. Found under logs, bark or rocks in moist wooded areas. In many individuals, called leadbacks, the dorsal red color is lacking.

Northern Slimy Salamander

(Plethodon glutinosus)

Uncommon. Inhabits steep moist slopes in wooded areas where it lives under rotted logs or under rocks. These are "sticky" salamanders whose skin secretions cling to your hands.

Four-toed Salamander

(Hemidactylium scutatum)

Rare. This terrestrial salamander can be found under logs, rocks and debris in both moist and dry woodlands as well as Sphagnum bogs and wooded swamps.

American Toad

(Bufo americanus)

Common. Breeds on the edges of shallow ponds and pools during March and April. Adults are common in moist shady woods.

Fowler's Toad

(Bufo woodhousii fowleri)

Common. Breeds in meadows, shallow ponds and swamp margins during April and May. Adults are common in a variety of habitats but favor dry woodlands and poorly vegetated rocky sites.

Northern Cricket Frog

(Acris crepitans)

Common. Breeds in May or June in the shallow margins of any standing water. Prefers open areas but is also found in woods.

Gray Treefrog

(Hyla versicolor)

Common. Breeds during late April and May in pools of standing water in moist woodlands. During the remainder of the year, adults live in trees of wooded swamps.

Northern Spring Peeper

(Pseudacris crucifer)

Very common. Peepers are among the first amphibians to breed in March and April. This tiny frog will breed in any shallow standing water. During the rest of the year, adults are abundant in moist woodlands, brushlands, meadows and fields.

New Jersey Chorus Frog

(pseudacris triseriata kalmi)

Common. Breeds during March or early April in grassy areas of any standing water. Adults are secretive when not breeding.

Upland Chorus Frog

(Pseudacris triseriata feriarum)

Uncommon. Inhabits grassy swales, moist woodlands, swamps, ponds and bogs. Breeds during March and April.

Bullfrog

(Bufo catesbeiana)

Common. Breeds during May and June near the shoreline of large bodies of permanent water that contain emergent vegetation. Adults are widespread in all aquatic habitats.

Green Frog

(Rana clamitans melanota)

Very common. Breeds in any standing water during late April or early May. Adults are abundant along the edges of streams, swamps, ponds and marshy areas. Seldom far from water.

Wood Frog

(Rana sylvatica)

Common. Prefers wooded areas with small temporary ponds for breeding during March and April. Adults common in leaf litter of wet woodlands, often considerable distances from water.

Northern Leopard Frog

(Rana pipiens)

Very common. Breeds during April in swamps, ponds and flooded meadows. Adults are common in wet open meadows and fields and wet woods during summer months.

Pickerel Frog

(Rana palustris)

Uncommon. Breeds during March and April around vegetated margins of ponds and along streams. In summer found in fields or woodlands often at a distance from water.

Creek Chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus)

Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoluecas)

Brown Bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus)

Chain Pickerel (Esox niger)

Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea)

Redfin Pickerel (Esox americanus)

American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui)

Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus)

Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus)

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus)

Fallfish (Semotilus corpoalis)

Common Shiner (Notropis cornutus)

Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonicus)

Yellow Bullhead (Ictalurus natalis)

Bluespotted Sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus)

Satinfin Shiner (Notropis analostanus)

Mud Sunfish (Acantharchus pomotis)

Spotfin Shiner (Notropis spilopterus)

Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)

Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)

Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus)

Brook Trout (Salvelinus frontinalus)