Siren spp. (only need to ID to genus)

Family Sirenidae

• long, eel-like body
• external gills
• forelimbs, but no hindlimbs

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

Family Cryptobranchidae

• very large
• fleshy folds of skin on sides of body
• no external gills

Ambystoma talpoideum

Family Ambystomatidae

• dark body with gray speckling
• large head and feet
• can be confused with Ambystoma mabeei, which has a smaller head and long toes

Ambystoma mabeei

Family Ambystomatidae

• dark body with grayish speckling
• small head
• long toes
• similar to Ambystoma talpoideum, which has a larger head

Ambystoma opacum

Family Ambystomatidae

• dark background with gray/white crossbands
• no light markings on sides

Ambystoma maculatum

Family Ambystomatidae

• dark body with irregular row of orange/yellow spots
• no markings on sides

Ambystoma tigrinum

Family Ambystomatidae

• dark body with olive/yellow patches that extend down sides
• olive/yellow belly

Notophthalmus viridescens (adult)

Family Salamandridae

• rough, pebbly skin
• no nasolabial grooves or distinct costal grooves
• red spots outlined in black
• flattened tail for swimming

Notophthalmus viridescens (eft)

Family Salamandridae

• bright orange body
• red/orange spots with dark outline
• no distinct costal grooves

Necturus spp. (only ID to genus)

Family Proteidae

• bushy external gills
• flattened tail for swimming
• have front and hindlimbs
• darker spots on back

Amphiuma means

Family Amphiumidae

• long, eel-like body
• tiny forelimbs and hindlimbs
• no external gills
• two toes on each foot

Leurognathus marmoratus

Family Plethodontidae

• hind limbs larger than forelimbs
• keeled tail
• head slants downward well behind eyes
• dark brown/black back with irregular, light blotches

Desmognathus monticola

Family Plethodontidae

• tail half of total length
• mottled back
• unmarked, pale belly

Desmognathus fuscus

Family Plethodontidae

• tail less  than half of total length
• mottled back and belly

Desmognathus orestes/carolinensis/ocoee

Family Plethodontidae

• can only differentiate between species by location
• variable coloration
• tail greater than half of total length
• tail round in cross-section (not keeled)

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Eurycea longicauda

Family Plethodontidae

• tail takes up two-thirds of total length
• dark markings along tail
• leopard-like markings (but patterns vary with subspecies; local subspecies has lateral stripes)

Plethodon jordani

Family Plethodontidae

• black body, sometimes red spots on cheeks/legs
• may have white spots along sides/back

Plethodon glutinosus

Family Plethodontidae

• black body, white/silvery spots across entire body

Pseudotriton ruber

Family Plethodontidae

• red salamander with irregular black spots
• lose red color when preserved
• pale belly, black chin
• robust body

Scaphiopus holbrookii

Family Scaphiopodidae

• squat, plump body
• smooth skin with tiny warts
• light lines from behind eye down back
• sickle-shaped spade on hind feet
• vertically elliptical pupils
• no well-developed parotoid gland

Bufo americanus

Family Bufonidae

• enlarged paratoid glands
• horizontal pupil
• chest usually spotted with dark pigment
• only 1-2 warts per spot
• paratoid gland separate from cranial crest or connected by a spur

Bufo quericus

Family Bufonidae

• light mid-dorsal stripe (white/yellow/orange)
• little or no cranial crest

Bufo terrestris

Family Bufonidae

• Prominent cranial knobs at rear of interorbital crest

Bufo woodhousei fowleri

Family Bufonidae

• parotoid gland touches cranial crest
• 3 or more warts in largest dark spots
• chest usually unspotted

Pseudacris crucifer

Family Hylidae

• pale back with dark X
• toe pads

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Pseudacris feriarum

Family Hylidae

• dark stripe from snout through eye to groin
• dorsal pattern striped/spotted, basically in three rows/stripes
• often dark triangle between eyes
• light line along upper lip

Hyla versicolor/chrysoscelis (can only differentiate by call or genetics)

Family Hylidae

• toe pads
• light spot beneath each eye
• underside of hind legs orange/yellow
• darker blotches on back
• warts, but no parotoid glands

Hyla cinerea

Family Hylidae

• bright green
• toe pads
• white/yellow line extending backward from corner of mouth

Acris crepitans

Family Hylidae

• tiny
• warts
• usually dark triangle/bar between eyes
• dark stripe on thigh

Gastrophryne carolinensis

Family Microhylidae

• small, plump
• short limbs
• pointed head
• mottled brown/black back

Rana utricularia

Family Ranidae

• scattered dark spots (leopard-like), no lighter border around them
• light spot in center of tympanum surrounded by a darker ring
• fewer spots on side and longer, pointier head than Rana pipiens

Rana pipiens

Family Ranidae

• scattered dark spots with lighter border
• shorter head, more spots on sides than Rana utricularia
• no light spot with dark border in tympanum

Rana catesbeiana

Family Ranidae

• blunt snout
• no dorsolateral folds
• ridge over tympanum
• bars on hind legs

Rana capito

Family Ranidae

• stout, body wide behind front legs
• spotted body, bars on legs
• dorsolateral folds

Rana clamitans

Family Ranidae

• prominent dorsolateral ridges ending on body
• dorsum unmarked/lightly motled, spotting/bars on legs

Rana palustris

Family Ranidae

• light dorsolateral ridges
• 2 rows of irregular square spots
• large, blunt head
• long legs/feet

Chelydra serpentina

Family Chelydridae

• large head, powerful jaws
• long tail, saw-toothed on upper side
• reduced plastron

Sternotherus odoratus

Family Kinosternidae

• small turtles
• 3 long keels on shell
• triangular pectoral scutes
• two light stripes on head (above and below eye)
• two small barbels on chin

Kinosternon subrubrum

Family Kinosternidae

• smooth carapace
• head spotted, mottled, or streaked with yellow
• triangular pectoral scutes

Terrapene carolina

Family Emydidae

• high domed carapace with variable markings (tan/yellow/orange)
• single hinge on plastron

Chrysemys picta

Family Emydidae

• smooth shell
• black, yellow, and orange on head and around shell

Geoemyda spengleri

Family Geoemydidae

• 3 keels on shell
• sawback on edge of carapace
• thick black stripe on plastron
• from Asia--will be provided with location

Cuora flavmarginata

Family Geoemydidae

• high domed shells (like Emydid box turtles)
• hinged plastron
• from Asia--will be provided with location

Gopherus spp

Family Testudinidae

• highly domed shells
• columnar foot, webless toes, heavily scaled limbs

Apalone spinifera

Family Trionychidae

Alligator mississippiensis

Family Alligatoridae

• mandibular teeth not visible when jaws are closed
• broad snout
• unwebbed front feet