Pike CNHI - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

Reptiles and Amphibians of Pike County
Pennsylvania’s mixed landscapes create a great diversity of habitats for a wide range of reptile and
amphibian species. Pennsylvania’s reptile and amphibian makeup, known as the herpetofauna, is quite
unique in that the ranges of most Pennsylvania reptiles and amphibians are restricted to certain regions of
the state, a testament to the varied topography and physiographic provinces within the region. Today, the
Commonwealth is home to 78 native herptile species, including those common in the glaciated regions of
the Canadian Shield, many of the southern species from the lower regions of the Appalachians, several
associated with western prairies, and a few connected with the coastal plain.
Pike County is home to many common, generalist species, such as the eastern garter snake (Thamnophis
sirtalis), the red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens), the bull and green frogs (Lithobates
catesbeianus, L. clamitans), and the painted and snapping turtles (Chrysemys picta, Chelydra serpentina).
These species occur in many different habitats, exist throughout the entire state, and are the most commonly
encountered reptiles and amphibians in the Commonwealth. Along with these common species, Pike
County includes several less common species of herptiles. Many of these species have restricted ranges or
are considered specialists, meaning their life histories have more specific habitat requirements.
Salamanders
The terrestrial woodland salamanders depend on canopied forests with adequate amounts of leaf litter.
These salamanders are voracious predators of the forest floor. Their role in limiting the numbers of leaf
decomposing invertebrates has been shown to be significant in maintaining a rich layer of organic matter on
the forest floor, often an indicator of forest health. The red-backed and slimy salamanders (Plethodon
cinereus, P. glutinosus) are the most common woodland species in Pike County’s forests.
Long-tailed Salamander ( Eurycea longicauda)
Charlie Eichelberger
The numerous waterways and streams of Pike County
provide habitat for the streamside salamanders,
including the northern and mountain dusky salamanders
(Desmognathus fuscus, D. ochrophaeus), the northern
two-lined and long-tailed salamanders (Eurycea
bislineata, E. longicauda) and the northern spring
salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus). In the coldwater
drainages of the county, the brilliant northern red
salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) can be found under the
litter and rocks in seeps and spring heads. All of the
streamside salamanders require high water quality.
Temporary wetlands and vernal pools are critical to a group of amphibians that rely on the wet/dry annual
cycle that eliminates the possibility of fish populations being established. The spotted, Jefferson, and
marbled (Ambystoma maculatum A. jeffersonianum A. opacum) salamanders are all known from Pike
County and typically cannot reproduce without the presence of fish free ephemeral wetlands. The four-toed
salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) is not a vernal pool obligate but can be found in association with
these habitats. This diminutive salamander lays its eggs in peat mosses (Sphagnum spp.) and can be found
in the margins of seeps, springs, and streamsides where sphagnum moss is found above cool, clear water.
The four-toed salamander tends its clutch, which is laid in vertical mats of sphagnum, until the young hatch.
Frogs and Toads
The wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus), like the Ambystomatid salamanders discussed earlier, is considered
a vernal pool obligate species, however wood frogs are one of the more liberal vernal pool species and can
also be found breeding in shallow marshes and ditches. The American toad (Anaxyrus americanus), spring
Pike County Natural Heritage Inventory – Animals of Pike County / 27