Tag: Photos

Florida Frogs and Toads: Photos and Identification Guide to Common Species

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Florida frogs and toads are spoilt for choice with the Sunshine State’s varied aquatic ecosystems.

On this page, you’ll find a selection of frog and toad species and subspecies that are commonly encountered or hold particular significance in Florida’s natural history, such as the Cope’s Gray Treefrog, Florida Bog Frog, and Southern Leopard Frog, among others.

Page Index

Cope’s Gray Tree Frog

copes gray tree frog
  • Scientific name: Dryophytes chrysoscelis
  • Family: Hylidae
  • Rank: species

Cope’s Gray Tree Frog is recognizable by its mottled gray or greenish skin that provides excellent camouflage against tree bark. This small frog measures about 1.25 to 2 inches in length. It has a distinctive white or yellowish spot beneath each eye and strong toe pads that help it cling to vertical surfaces. The skin texture is rough and warty compared to smoother treefrogs.

In Florida, this species is commonly …

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Texas Lizards: Photos and Identification Guide to Common Species

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Texas lizards: identification guide with pictures and facts to help you identify lizards in Texas.

Introduction

Texas is home to a diverse array of lizard species, many of which are notable for their distinctive appearances and behaviors.

On this page, you’ll find a selection of especially characteristic and regionally significant lizards found across the state, including species such as the Texas Horned Lizard, Eastern Collared Lizard, and Texas Spiny Lizard.

Page Index

Banded Rock Lizard

banded rock lizard
  • Scientific name: Petrosaurus mearnsi
  • Family: Phrynosomatidae
  • iNaturalist rank: species

The banded rock lizard can be recognized by its distinct dark and light bands running across a flattened body and tail. It typically measures 4 to 7 inches in total length. Its rough, spiny scales and broad head give it a rugged appearance. Coloration ranges from gray to brown, helping it blend into rocky environments.

This …

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Florida Owls: Photos and Identification Guide to Common Species

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Florida owls inhabit a wide range of habitats across the Sunshine State, from dense forests and swamps to suburban neighborhoods. In this guide, we’ll explore the different Florida owls you may encounter, including their identification features, habitats, and behaviors.

Owls in Florida play an important role in their ecosystems by helping control populations of rodents and other small animals, which helps maintain ecological balance.

As predators, owls are also indicators of healthy habitats and contribute to the stability of food webs across forests, wetlands, and grasslands.

This guide focuses on a representative selection of owls commonly found in Florida, including the American Barn Owl, Barred Owl, and Great Horned Owl, among others…

Page Index

American Barn Owl

american barn owl
  • Scientific name: Tyto furcata
  • Rank: species

The American Barn Owl is easily recognized by its distinctive heart-shaped, white face, which contrasts with its …

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Texas Spiders: Photos and Identification Guide to Common Species

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Texas spiders – an identification guide with photos to common (and not-so-common) spider species found in Texas.

Introduction

Texas is home to a wide variety of spiders, from conspicuous orbweavers in gardens and woodlands to hunting spiders found on walls, grass, and the ground.

On this page is a list of spider species found in Texas, forming a broad overview of the types of species found in the state. We have included representative species that readers are likely to notice or may want help identifying, including jumping spiders, wolf spiders, cobweb spiders, recluses, widows, lynx spiders, and tarantulas.

Because Texas has a large and diverse spider fauna, the species covered here do not form a complete state checklist, but rather an identification-focused selection of notable, widespread, or commonly encountered spiders.

This guide focuses on appearance, habitat, behavior, and natural history …

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Texas Mammals: Photos and Identification Guide to Iconic Species

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A list of notable Texas mammals, with photos and an identification guide to each species. Read on to discover interesting and iconic mammals of Texas.

Introduction

Texas is home to a wide variety of mammals across deserts, plains, forests, rivers, and brush country.

On this page, you’ll find a list of especially characteristic, iconic, or regionally notable Texas mammals, including familiar animals such as White-tailed Deer, Coyote, Bobcat, and Nine-banded Armadillo, along with lesser known mammals such as collared peccary, hispid cotton rat, and ringtail.

The list below is intended as an introduction to Texas mammal identification and natural history, with attention to the habitats and features that make these species distinctive. It is not a complete checklist of Texas mammals, but a useful overview of the Lone Star State’s mammalian inhabitants.

Texas Mammals List

American Beaver

North American Beaver
North American Beaver
…

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Texas Frogs & Toads: Photos, Identification Guide to Common Species

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A list of Texas frogs and toads that includes features useful for identification, such as physical characteristics, typical habitats, calls, behavior, and general distribution.

The state of Texas is home to a wide range of frogs and toads, from widespread species such as the American Bullfrog and Gulf Coast Toad to more localized species such as the Houston Toad and Cliff Chirping Frog.

On this page, you’ll find a guide to common and less common Texas frog species, giving you a useful overview of the amphibian population of Texas.

Because ranges and appearances can vary, especially among similar leopard frogs, treefrogs, and toads, careful observation of size, pattern, habitat, and vocalizations is often important for accurate identification.

Page Index

American Bullfrog

American bullfrog
  • Scientific name: Lithobates catesbeianus
  • Family: Ranidae
  • Rank: species

The very large size and exposed round eardrum are the best …

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Florida Woodpeckers: Photos & Identification Guide to Common Species

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Florida Woodpeckers play an important role in the Sunshine state’s forest ecosystems by controlling populations of insects that can damage trees, including beetles, ants, and other wood-boring pests.

The nesting cavities excavated by woodpeckers also provide shelter for many other wildlife species, such as owls, bluebirds, squirrels, and bats, making woodpeckers valuable contributors to forest biodiversity.

This guide highlights key woodpecker species commonly found in Florida, including the Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Each species is described with a focus on identification features and natural history to assist birdwatchers and naturalists in recognizing these birds in the field.

Have you seen any of these woodpecker species in Florida? Share your own observations, thoughts and questions in the comments section at the bottom of the page –

…

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