| Turtles |
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Common
snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Found
in fresh water preferably with a mud bottom and abundant
vegetation. A very large turtle with three, large, saw-tooth
keels. Tail is long and has a saw-toothed upper edge. |
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Yellow
mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens) Found
in slow moving water with a soft bottom, lakes and water filled
ditches. |
|
Painted
Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
This turtle lives
in ponds, lakes, marshes, and in slow-moving rivers that
have soft, muddy bottoms. |
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Red-eared
Slider (Trachemys scripta)
Named
for the distinctive red patch behind the ears. Found in
slow moving waters or lakes with muddy bottoms and abundant
aquatic vegetation. |
|
Ornate
box turtle (Terrapene ornata)
Found
in open prairies and sandy-soiled land. High-domed carapace
with each brown scute having bright yellow lines. Males
have red eyes and females have yellow to brown eyes. |
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Three-toed
box turtle (Terrapene carolina) Found in
moist forest areas or moist open areas. A ridge runs down
the midline of the high-domed carapace which is brown with
light yellow to brown lines or spots on each scute. Older
individuals may have no patterns on shells. Normally these
turtles have only three toes on the hind feet. |
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Spiny
softshell (Apalone spinifera hartwegi)
Found
in rivers, streams, lakes and ponds with sandy or soft bottoms.
The western subspecies has a flat, leathery carapace which
is olive to tan with dark circular patterns. Legs are usually
mottled. Spines extend from anterior end of carapace. |
| |
Midland
smooth softshell (Apalone mutica) Found
in streams, rivers and impoundments preferably with sandy
or soft bottoms. Has a flat, leathery shell, olive to orangish-brown
with dark markings. There area no spines on the anterior edge
of the carapace. |
| Lizards |
|
Earless
lizard (Holbrookia maculata) |
|
Fence
lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) also northern
prairie lizard |
|
Texas
horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
Often
referred to as a "horney toad", it's actually
a lizard. Found in areas where ants and other invertebrates
are prevalent. |
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Prairie-lined
Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus virdis) |
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Ground
skink (Scincilla lateralis) |
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Western
Slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus att.) |
| Other
lizards that may be on the refuge but no confirmed sightings
are: Eastern collared lizard; roundtail horned lizard; Southern
prairie skink; Great Plains skink (not seen in recent years). |
| Snakes |
| |
Ringneck
snake (Diadophis punctatus) |
| |
Blind
snake (Leptotyphlops dulcis) |
|
Kansas
Glossy snake (Arizona elegans elegans)
They
are nonvenomous, nocturnal predators of small mammals and
lizards, and can be found in sandy plains and deserts. As
their name implies, they can generally be described as glossy
on top, particularly their head. They have a plain underbelly. |
|
Eastern
Yellowbelly racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris)
Racers prefer
open prairie, woodland edge, and bluff prairies. They live
in fields, grasslands, and railroad grades adjacent to these
habitats. |
| |
Plainbelly
Water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster) |
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Diamondback
Water snake (Nerodia rhombifera) |
 |
Black
Rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)
Prefers
heavily wooded areas and they are known for having excellent
climbing ability, including the ability to climb the trunk
of large mature trees without the aid of branches. |
|
Great
Plains Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata emoryi)
The
Great Plains Ratsnake is typically an animal of the grassy
plains. This species moves both day and night, depending
upon the temperature. However, throughout much of its range,
daytime temperatures exceed its tolerance levels for much
of the active season, making this animal chiefly nocturnal.
|
|
Bullsnake
(Pituophis melanoleucus) (sayi)
Bullsnakes
have over 40 large, dark body blotches on the body alone.
These blotches are usually black on the neck and fore part
of the body turning lighter into brown or reddish brown
on the body. These blotches turn into black bands on the
tail. There are also smaller lateral spots on the sides,
sometimes connecting and even forming a network or checkerboard
effect. |
|
Prairie
Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster)
This
dark brown to beige-colored snake measures about 30 to 40
inches in length. The back is patterned with brown to reddish
circular blotches with black borders. Two alternating rows
of smaller blotches flank its body, but they sometimes fuse
into a single row. |
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Speckled
Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki) |
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Brown
snake (Storeria dekayi) |
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Western
Ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus) |
|
Red-sided
Garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Garter
snakes have a slim, agile body. Their coloring can be many
shades of green, yellowish, or gray, but they nearly always
have three yellow or red longitudinal stripes that extend
along the length of their back and sides. When alarmed,
many flatten their bodies, making the pattern more prominent. |
| |
Western
coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum
testaceus) |
|
Western
Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus)
The
brown vertebral blotches which run the length of the body
contrast sharply with the grey or tan dorsal background
color. Generally nocturnal animals, massasaugas can often
be seen above ground following spring and summer rain storms. |
| Other
snakes that may be found on the refuge but no confirmed sightings
are: Plains Blackhead snake; Ground snake; Western Hognose
snake; eastern Hognose snake; Texas Longnose snake; Graham's
Crayfish snake; Lined snake; Western Plains Garter snake;
Checkered Garter snake. |