Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas

A larvae from Wallace County, Kansas. Image © Travis W. Taggart.
A neotenic adult from the Cimarron National Grassland, Morton County, KS. © Travis W. Taggart.
An adult Western Tiger Salamander from Stafford County. © Travis W. Taggart.
A seine haul of larval Western Tiger Salamanders from Saline County, Kansas. © Travis W. Taggart.
AMPHIBIA (Amphibians) CAUDATA (Salamanders) AMBYSTOMATIDAE (Mole Salamanders)

Western Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma mavortium Baird 1850
ăm-bĭs-tō-mă — mă-vŏr-tē-ŭm

Conservation Status:
State: None
Federal: None
NatureServe State: S5 - Secure
NatureServe National: N5 - Secure
NatureServe Global: G5 - Secure
CITES: None
Diagnosis:
 The head, limbs, body, and tail of a transformed adult Western Tiger Salamanders are deep brown, dull black, or black, with spots, bars, or blotches of pale brownish olive, dusky yellow, yellow, or orange-yellow. Bars or blotches on the sides of the body may or may not extend onto the belly, which is black or dark gray and mottled with yellow. The chin is usually yellow. During the breeding season, females can be distinguished from males by their heavier bodies, and males have swollen cloacal lips. Females have slightly longer bodies than males, but males have proportionately longer tails than females.
The larvae are typically unspotted and may be brown, tan, gray, or green with three large feathery gills on each side of the neck and a high dorsal fin along the tail. Paedomorphic adults are typically colored as the juvenile larvae, however, is it not uncommon for them to possess many diffuse yellow dorsal spots on the body. New transformed individuals typically have fewer yellow spots and the spots are often smaller and less well-defined. Some newly transformed individuals me be entirely dark brown to black with no spots. As these young salamanders grow, their spots will become larger and more well-defined.
Adults normally 150-215 mm (6- 8½ inches) in total length. The largest terrestrial adult specimen from Kansas is a female (KU 2593) from Morton County with a snout-vent length of 153 mm and TL of 290 mm (11½ inches) collected by Theodore H. White and Edward H. Taylor on 20 August 1926. The largest neotenic specimen from Kansas (KU 155356) was collected by T. Feuerborn and H. McArdle on 25 August 1974 in Wabaunsee County and measured 298.5 mm (11¾ inches) in total length. The maximum length throughout the range is 327 mm (12­7⁄8 inches) (a neotenic individual) (Powell et al. 2016).
Distribution:
 This the only salamander found in the western half of Kansas. It may be found generally west of the Flint Hills, however, its eastern range limits Kansas are not well defined.
(,   Museum Voucher) (,   Observation) (,   Literature Record) (,   iNat Record), (  Fossil)
Open icons are questionable records; Click on a marker to view details.
Full range depicted by light shaded red area. Export Google Earth (.kml)
  • Occurrence Summary:  
  • 1,369
    Records 
  • 1,347
    Museum Vouchers 
  • 22
    Other Observations 
Some county occurrences indicated below may be too imprecise to map above.
 County Breakdown: County Name (# occurrences):
 Barber (40); Barton (9); Butler (2); Chase (8); Chautauqua (1); Cheyenne (12); Clark (17); Clay (1); Cloud (1); Comanche (13); Cowley (16); Crawford (1); Decatur (18); Dickinson (2); Ellis (195); Ellsworth (5); Finney (8); Ford (5); Geary (100); Gove (2); Graham (1); Grant (7); Gray (4); Greeley (1); Greenwood (102); Hamilton (119); Harper (8); Harvey (5); Haskell (2); Hodgeman (2); Jackson (1); Jewell (2); Kearny (2); Kingman (5); Kiowa (4); Lane (1); Lincoln (8); Logan (26); Lyon (4); Marion (36); Marshall (1); McPherson (19); Meade (18); Mitchell (16); Morris (4); Morton (201); Ness (9); Norton (9); Osborne (7); Pawnee (3); Phillips (10); Pottawatomie (14); Pratt (4); Rawlins (8); Reno (10); Republic (6); Rice (4); Riley (68); Rooks (11); Rush (5); Russell (32); Saline (42); Scott (2); Sedgwick (3); Seward (2); Sheridan (1); Sherman (2); Smith (1); Stafford (12); Stanton (5); Stevens (1); Sumner (4); Thomas (3); Trego (6); Unknown (8); Wabaunsee (1); Wallace (14); Wichita (7);

Fossil History:
 Pleistocene fossils of this species have been documented from Rice, McPherson, Meade, Jewell, and Ellis counties in Kansas. Fossils from the Williams Local Fauna of Rice County (Pleistocene: Illinoian) (Preston 1979; Holman 1984; Holman 1995), Sandahl Local Fauna of McPherson County (Pleistocene: Illinoian) (Holman 1971; Preston 1979; Holman 1995), Butler Spring Local Fauna of Meade County (Pleistocene: Illinoian) (Tihen 1962; Preston 1979; Holman 1995), and Courtland Canal/Hall Ash local fauna of Jewell County (Rogers, 1982; Eshelman and Hager, 1984) are referable to this taxon.
Natural History:
 They spend a substantial portion of their adult life underground in burrows or under thatch. They are primarily nocturnal and are opportunistic feeders on rainy nights when they prowl for invertebrates. Most often the adults are terrestrial, but under extremely dry conditions this salamander may become mature in the larval body form (neoteny).
This species does not appear to have a regular annual activity period , having been found during most months of the year when temperatures are optimal. Little is known of its time of spring emergence or home range.
After sufficient rains from December to March, this species seeks out a breeding site, generally permanent shallow lakes, ponds, ditches, or backwater pools along rivers in open prairie or wooded regions. According to Smith (1956), this amphibian does not appear to migrate to breeding sites like the Smallmouth Salamander. The length of the breeding season in Kansas is not known, but it probably lasts from one to three months. Courtship of the Tiger Salamander takes place in water and consists of males and females rubbing bodies with occasional 'nips' at each other. Much lashing about of bodies and tails may occur, and this "foreplay" eventually stimulates the male to swim in front of the female, who follows with her snout near his cloaca. The male deposits a spermatophore, which the female swims over and mounts with her cloaca! lips. According to Smith (1934, 1956), eggs are deposited singly or in small clumps of two or three and are attached to sticks and weed masses along the water's edge. A female can lay up to 1,000 eggs. The eggs hatch in a few weeks, and the gilled, pondtype larvae may metamorphose into adults the same summer, overwinter until their second summer, or achieve sexual maturity as larvae and remain in that state their entire lives. This latter condition, called neoteny, usually occurs when terrestrial conditions are harsh and habitat for salamanders is minimal. Smith (1934) reported a definite instance of neoteny (discovered by Howard K. Gloyd) from Riley County in which a large larva deposited eggs in an aquarium during March. At least two of the eggs hatched.
The eggs hatch in a few weeks and the gilled larvae live in the pool consuming small invertebrates. They may metamorphose during that summer (3 to 5 inches) or remain in their aquatic larval state and eventually reach sexual maturity.
The Tiger Salamander is opportunistic in its feeding, preying upon any animal small enough for it to swallow. Cragin (1881) re ported removing two grasshoppers from the stomach of an adult collected in Riley County. Hartman (1906) removed aquatic insects, a terrestrial insect, and mud from the stomachs of three larvae found in Kansas. Other food items reported for this species are earthworms, fishes, tadpoles, frogs, toads, other salamanders, and mice.
Perry (1974) reported predation on an adult Ambystoma mavortium in Comanche County by an adult Heterodon platirhinos. They are preyed upon by birds, mammals, and snakes. Holman (1976) reported predation on this species by an owl in Trego County.
Cragin (1880) found two intact grasshoppers in the stomachs of a specimen from Manhattan, Riley County.
Occurrence Activity:
 Number of Unique Obervations (=days): 170; Range: 02 Feb to 20 Dec
Remarks:
 First reported in Kansas by Hallowell (1857) based on a specimen procured by Fort Riley military surgeon William A. Hammond in the vicinity of Fort Riley. The earliest extant specimen (MCZ 2043) was collected "near Manhattan Kan" by Francis Cragin and received by the MCZ around 1879 (see also Moriarty and Collins, 1995)
Specimens from eastern Kansas are needed to better define the range of this taxon in Kansas. Larval Western Tiger Salamanders may be seined/dip-netted by the hundreds from fish-less impoundments, and are commonly used as fish bait. It is illegal to sell them (or any native amphibian or reptile) as fish bait. When using them as bait, care should be taken to not release them into areas away from where they were collected.
Maximum longevity is 12 years 4 months and 30 days (Snider and Bowler, 1992).
Bibliography:
1856 Hallowell, Edward. Notice of a collection of reptiles from Kansas and Nebraska presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences, by Doctor Hammond, U. S. A. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 8():238-253
Contains reference to twenty-four species collected from 'Kansas', and includes the original description of Microps lineatus (=Tropidoclonion lineatum) from Kansas on page 241.
1857 Hallowell, Edward. Note on the collection of reptiles from the neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, recently presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences by Dr. A. Heerman. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 8():306-310
Report on a lot of specimens received at the Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences from Dr. Hammond of Ft. Riley Kansas. Of special note are three specimens of Phyrnosoma douglassii (=Phyrnosoma hernandesi) from Ft Riley (it does not naturally occur there and likely never did). Several of the specimens are marked Bridger's Pass (in Wyoming) (Western Milksnake, Plains Hog-nosed Snake, Slender Glass Lizard, and Western Tiger Salamander; all but the Slender Glass Lizard occur near there). A specimen of the Red-spotted Toad is reported as well, however, it does not occur near Ft. Riley, and as given "One Bufo punctatus, (young of Americanus)." there is some question as to its actual identity.
1868 Cope, Edward D. A review of the species of the Amblystomidae. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 19():166-211
1880 Cragin, Francis W. A preliminary catalogue of Kansas reptiles and batrachians Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 7():112-123
Also listed the Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea) [=Ophibolus doliatus var. coccineus] and Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) [=Spelerpes ruber] from Kansas.
1882 Yarrow, Henry C. Check list of North American Reptilia and Batrachia with catalogue of specimens in U. S. National Museum. Bulletin of the United States National Museum (24):1-249
A summary of all herpetological species known at the time, with reference to specimens in the United States National Museum. Including one three Acris blanchardi from Fort Riley; Agkistrodon contortrix from Fort Riley; three Ambystoma mavortium from "Kansas" and another from Fort Riley; one Anaxyrus woodhousii from "Kansas"; one Anaxyrus cognatus from "Kansas" and another from Fort Riley; one Carphophis vermis from Fort Scott; three Coluber constrictor from "Kansas" and two from Fort Riley; one Crotalus horridus from 1858; one Diadophis punctatus from Hyatt [Hyette sic], Kansas (Anderson County); one Graptemys pseudogeographica from the Republican River in Kansas;   two Heterodon nasicus from Fort Riley; one Lampropeltis calligaster from Neosho Falls; one Lampropeltis holbrooki from Fort Riley, one from "Natchez", Kansas, and one other from Shawnee Mission, Kansas;one Lampropeltis gentilis from Fort Riley and one other from the Republican River, Kansas; one Pantherophis obsoletus from Fort Riley;fourteen Phrynosoma douglassi from "Kansas" and four from Fort Riley; three Phrynosoma cornutum from Fort Riley (Riley County);  three Pituophis catenifer from "Platte Valley", Kansas [likely from eastern Colorado prior to 1861] and two specimens from Fort Riley; one Plestiodon septentrionalis from Neosho Falls (Woodson County); one Plestiodon obsoletus from Fort Riley; one Thamnophis sirtalis from "Kansas"; one Nerodia sipedon from Fort Riley and another from Neosho Falls; one Scincella lateralis from Fort Scott (Bourbon County); one Thamnophis proximus from Fort Riley; four Sceloporus consobrinus from Fort Riley; one Tantilla nigriceps from Fort Riley; four Thamnophis sirtalis from "Kansas" and two from Little Blue River, Kansas; 
1889 Cope, Edward D. The batrachia of North America. Bulletin of the United States National Museum (34):1-525
1) 14 specimens of Ambystoma tigrinum (= Ambystoma mavortium) from Fort Riley, 'Kansas', and 'Southern Kansas' including one with only three phalanges on both feet.from the 'Museum of the Philadelphia Academy' (ANSP). 2) The first record of Spelerpes multiplcatus (= Eurycea tynerensis) from 'southern Kansas' and sent to Cope by Francis W. Cragin. 3) Three specimens of Bufo compactilis (= Anaxyrus speciosus) from Kansas with rudimentary cranial crests and small spots [Anaxyrus speciosus does not occur with 100 miles of Kansas currently, it is possible these specimens are young Anaxyrus woodhousii. They should be reexamined if they still exist.] 4) Lists Bufo lentiginosus americanus (= Anaxyrus americanus) from Kansas. 5) Lists Acris gryllus (= Acris blanchardi) from Kansas. 6) Includes a Chorophilus triseriatus (= Pseudacris maculata) from "Blue River, Kansas".
1917 Wooster, Lyman D. Nature Study Bulletin Kansas State Printing Plant, Topeka, Kansas.. 63pp.
1917 Fowler, Henry W. and Emmett Reid Dunn. Notes on salamanders. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 69(1):7-28
1918 Dunn, Emmett R.. The collection of amphibia of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 62():445-471
1925 Wooster, Lyman D. Nature studies (animals). Section IV. Reptiles and amphibians. Kansas State Teachers College Hays Bulletin 15(4):57-64
1927 Burt, Charles E. An annotated list of the amphibians and reptiles of Riley County, Kansas. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (189):12
Accounts on forty species known from the vicinity of Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas. There have been several scientific names changes since publication, which is understandable... however, some usages cannot be explained by subsequent taxonomic reappraisals(e.g.  Gastrophryne carolinensis for Gastrophryne olivacea). The writer lists Eumeces (=Plestiodon) obsoletus and E. guttulatus yet correctly reasoning that the latter is the young of the former. Within the account of Tantilla gracilis (a common form) the writer mentions that T. nigriceps was reported from Riley County by Branson (1904) but that the specimens at Kansas State were absent at the time of publication. The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) was first reported from Riley County by Branson (1904) and is reported by the writer based on a specimen in the museum at Kansas State University by Professor E. A. Popenoe. The Prairie Rattlesnake is not currently native to Riley County, and closest reliable localities are 150 to the west.
1929 Taylor, Edward H. List of reptiles and batrachians of Morton County, Kansas, reporting species new to the state fauna. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 19(6):63-65
Annotated listing of 25 species discovered in southwest Morton County just prior to the Dust Bowl that wreaked havoc on the region and the subsequent creation of the Cimarron National Grassland. Of special note are Heterodon platirhinos, Thamnophis marcianus, and Anaxyrus debilis (all of which have not been found in the area since).
1933 Smith, Hobart M. The Amphibians of Kansas. Thesis. University of Kansas, Lawrence. 383pp.
The first full accounting of the twenty-five species of amphibians known to occur in Kansas. Includes Ambystoma maculatum which is currently not included in the Kansas faunal list.
1934 Smith, Hobart M. The Amphibians of Kansas. American Midland Naturalist 15(4):377-527
The formal publication of Hobart Smith's Master's Thesis (Smith 1933), though there are several updated and additions. In addition to the species accounts for all twenty-five species, the paper includes a history of amphibian biology in Kansas and discussions on taxonomy and physiography. 
1935 Brennan, Lawrence A. Notes on the distribution of Amphibia and Reptilia of Ellis County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 114pp.
1935 Burt, Charles E. Further records of the ecology and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the middle west. American Midland Naturalist 16(3):311-366
1936 Brumwell, Malcolm J. Distributional records of the reptilia and amphibians of Kansas. Privately printed, . 22pp.
County dot maps of the Kansas herpetofauna. This work has been attributed to have been written around 1933, but that may be in error. 
Hypsiglena jani was not known from Kansas until Claude W. Hibbard collected three specimens on the Stevenson Ranch in north-central Clark County (above Clark State Lake) during June 1936 (Hibbard, 1937). Brumwell plotted this locality, which leads me to believe that the 1936 would have been the earliest date this manuscript could have been written.
1936 Hibbard, Claude W. and A. Byron Leonard. The occurrence of Bufo punctatus in Kansas . Copeia 1936(2):114
1937 Brennan, Lawrence A. A study of the habitat of reptiles and amphibians of Ellis County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 40():341-347
1937 Tihen, Joseph A. Additional distributional records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas counties Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 40():401-409
1942 Tihen, Joseph A. A colony of fossil neotenic Ambystoma tigrinum. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 28():189-198
1944 Marr, John C. Notes on amphibians and reptiles from the central United States. American Midland Naturalist 32(2):478-490
1945 Lane, Henry H. A survey of the fossil vertebrates of Kansas, Part II. Amphibia. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 48(3):286-316
1947 Maldonado-Koerdell, Manuel and Irwin L. Firschein. Notes on the ranges of some North American salamanders. Copeia 1947(2):140
Report on a specimen from Meade County assigned to Ambystoma tigrinum slateri.
1949 Hibbard, Claude W. 4. Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology in North America. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America 60():1417-1428
Regarding the faunas discussed: Borchers Fauna, states "Amphibia - remains common"; and Testudo sp.; Jones Fauna, lists Ambystoma tigrinum and "frog and toad remains", and Cudahy Fauna states "Amphibia-numerous remains (unpublished)" and "Reptilia - remains (unpublished)".
1950 Smith, Hobart M. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History, Miscellaneous Publication (2):336
The first modern herpetology of Kansas. Includes locality dot maps within individual species accounts. Reports 96 species from Kansas (table and text say 97 on p. 10) and 13 "probable but unverified" species and subspecies.
1953 Schmidt, Karl P. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.
Schmidt's first edition of his standardized checklist to North American amphibians and reptiles. Includes several specific references to Kansas in the range descriptions.
1956 Smith, Hobart M. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. Second edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication (9):1-356
Hobart M. Smith's updated second edition of his first (1950) modern herpetology of Kansas. Includes locality dot maps within individual species accounts. Reports 96 species from Kansas (table says 97 on p. 10; text says 98 on p. 10) and 11 "probable but unverified" species and subspecies. The second edition has updated taxonomy, added Plestiodon laticeps, and removed Eurycea tynerensis.
1956 Loomis, Richard B. The chigger mites of Kansas (Acarina, Trombiculidae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 37():1195-1443
Examined 2,628 Kansas reptiles of 48 species consisting of 27 turtles of 4 species, 1,736 lizards of 12 species and 892 snakes of 32 speciesfor chiggers. Eleven species of chiggers were recovered from reptiles.
For amphibians, 1188 individuals of 21 species were examined. Five species of chigger mite were recovered from amphibians.
1957 Brame, Arden H. A list of the world's recent caudata. Privately Published, Los Angeles, California.. 24pp.
1957 Brame, Arden H. A list of the world's Recent caudata. Privately Published, University of Southern California. 31pp.
1958 Tihen, Joseph A. Comments on the osteology and phylogeny of ambystomatid salamanders. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 3(1):1-50
1960 Hibbard, Claude W. and Dwight W. Taylor. Two Late Pleistocene Faunas from southwestern Kansas. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan 16(1):1-223
1962 Gish, Charles D. The Herpetofauna of Ellis County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 34pp.
1967 Gehlbach, Frederick R. Ambystoma tigrinum. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (52):1-4
1967 Brame, Arden H., Jr. A list of the world's recent and fossil salamanders. Herpeton 2(1):1-26
1967 Gier, Herschel T. Vertebrates of the Flint Hills. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 70(1):51-59
1969 Tihen, Joseph A. Ambystoma. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (75):1-4
1971 Holman, J. Alan. Herpetofauna of the sandahl local fauna (Pleistocene: Illinoian) of Kansas. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan 23(22):349-355
1974 Eshelman, Ralph E. Geology and paleontology of the early Pleistocene Belleville Formation of north central Kansas. Dissertation. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 137pp.
1974 Collins, Joseph T. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (1):283 pp
Joseph T. Collins first Kansas herpetology. <Need to get species total and principal differences with previous 'version' (= Smith 1956)>
1974 Perry, Janice. KHS members take trip to southwest Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (3):2-3
Account of a search for Crotalus atrox and other species discovered in Comanche County.
1974 Karns, Daryl, Ray E. Ashton, Jr., and Thomas Swearingen. Illustrated Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas: An Identification Manual. University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History Public Education Series(2):viii + 18
1975 Rundquist, Eric M. Amphibians and Reptiles of Kingman County, Kansas. Privately Printed, Lawrence, Kansas. 3pp.
Short accounts for twenty-nine recognized amphibians and reptiles from Kingman County, Kansas. With habitat descriptions and for some species, estimates of population density.
1975 Reese, Robert W. The taxonomy and distribution of the Tiger Salamander in Colorado. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 75(2):128-140
1975 Holman, J. Alan. Herpetofauna of the WaKeeney local fauna (Lower Pliocene: Clarendionian) of Trego County, Kansas. Pages 49-66 in Studies on Cenozoic Paleontology and Stratigraphy in honor of Claude W. Hibbard. Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. pp.
1976 Rundquist, Eric M. Field checklist (of) amphibians and reptiles of Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society, Lawrence. pp.
1976 Caldwell, Janalee P. and Gregory. Glass. Vertebrates of the Woodson County State Fishing Lake and Game Management Area. Pages 62-76 in Preliminary inventory of the biota of Woodson County State Fishing Lake and Game Management Area. Report No. 5. State Biological Survey of Kansas, Lawrence. pp.
1976 Black, Jeffrey H. and Richard L. Lardie. A record sized Barred Tiger Salamander in Oklahoma. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society 12():54-55
1976 Rickart, Eric A. A new horned lizard (Phrynosoma adinognathus) from the early Pleistocene of Meade County, Kansas, with comments on the herpetofauna of the Borchers locality. Herpetologica 32(1):64-67
Contains the original description of Phrynosoma adinognathus.
1977 Knight, James L. and Joseph T. Collins. The amphibians and reptiles of Cheyenne County, Kansas, Report Number 15. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 19pp.
1978 Curl, Richard L. Final Environmental Statement: Milford Lake Kansas operation and maintenance. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. 158pp.
Notable mentions: Spotted Salamander, Smooth Green Snake
1978 Capron, Marty B. Four county collecting raid: A south central Kansas herping saga. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (26):9-12
1978 Brame, Arden H., Jr. II, Ronald Hochnadel, Hobart M. Smith and Rozella B. Smith. Bionumeric codes for amphibians and reptiles of the world. I. Salamanders. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 81(1):43-56
1979 Martin, Larry D. Survey of fossil vertebrates from east-central Kansas: Kansas River bank stabilization study. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. 55pp.
1979 Ports, Mark A. Occurrence and density studies of nongame wildlife in southwestern Kansas - May 16-August 16, 1979. Kansas Fish and Game Commission, Pratt, Kansas. 83pp.
1979 Knight, James L. Herps observed or collected during the first three months of 1979. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (30):6-7
Authorship listed as Anonymous in Collins et al. (2010).
1979 Collins, Joseph T. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1978. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survery of Kansas 8():56-66
1979 Holman, J. Alan. Herpetofauna of the Nash local fauna (Pleistocene: Aftonian) of Kansas. Copeia 1979(4):747-749
1980 Clarke, Robert F. Herptiles and fishes of the western Arkansas River in Kansas. United States Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 55pp.
A summary of known information on the amphibian, reptile, and fish faunas of the Arkansas River above Great Bend. The report details associated field activities for procuring fish, however no new surveys for amphibians and reptiles were undertaken. Information on herps from Finney County was provided by Michael Rush (FHSU) and thus made available before the publication of his thesis (Rush, 1981). The western Arkansas River drainage had experienced little attention by herpetologists before this study, and the species accounts reflect that paucity of data. Additionally, the report omits several older records (e.g. for Anaxyrus debilis, Thamnophis cyrtopsis, and Lampropeltis calligaster) from the westernmost reaches of the Arkansas River drainage in Kansas.
1980 Spencer, Dwight. Spencer, D. 1980. Ross Natural History Reservation: the first twenty years, 1959 to 1979. Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas.. 64pp.
1980 Altig, Ronald and Ren Lohofener A bibliography of larval and neotenic salamander biology. Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service (47):1-53
1980 Collins, Joseph T. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1979. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survery of Kansas 9():1-11
1981 Collins, Joseph T. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1980. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survery of Kansas 10():7-19
1982 Collins, Joseph T. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. 2nd edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (8):
Joseph T. Collins second Kansas herpetology. <Need to get species total and principal differences with previous 'version' (= Collins 1974)>
1982 Rogers, Karel L. Herpetofaunas of the Courland Canal and Hall Ash Local Faunas (Pleistoncene: Early Kansas) of Jewell Co., Kansas. Journal of Herpetology 16(2):174-177
1983 Ballinger, Royce E. and John D. Lynch. How to Know the Amphibians and Reptiles. Wm. C. Brown,, Dubuque, Iowa. pp.
1983 Trott, Gene. Chikaskia River wildlife study. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (52):3-4
1983 Ireland, Patrick H. and Ronald Altig. Key to the gilled salamander larvae and larviform adults of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Southwestern Naturalist 28(3):271-274
1984 Holman, J. Alan. Herpetofaunas of the Duck Creek and Williams Local Faunas (Pleistocene: Illinoian) of Kansas. Pages 20-38 in Contributions in Quaternary Vertebrate Paleontology: A Volume in Memorial to John E. Guilday. Special Publication Number 8. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. pp.
1984 Eshelman, Ralph and Michael Hager. Two Irvingtonian (Medial Pleistocene) vertebrate faunas from northcentral Kansas. Pages 384-404 in Contributions in Quaternary Vertebrate Paleontology: A Volume in Memorial to John E. Guilday. Special Publication Number 8 Special Publication Number 8, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. pp.
1984 Brown, Kenneth L. Pomona: A plains village variant in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Dissertation. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 519pp.
1984 Heinrich, Mark L. Herpetofauna of the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in the Flint Hills region of Kansas with respect to habitat selection. Thesis. Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. 57pp.
1984 Secor, Stephen M. and Charles C. Carpenter. Distribution maps of Oklahoma reptiles. Oklahoma Herpetological Society Special Publication (3):1-57
1984 Collins, Joseph T. New records of fishes, amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1984. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (58):14-20
1984 Altig, Ronald and Patrick H. Ireland. A key to salamander larvae and larviform adults of the United States and Canada. Herpetologica 40(2):212-218
1985 Capron, Marty B. Thunder snakes, blow vipers, and others. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (60):9-10
1985 Lynch, John D. Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nebraska. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Science 13():33-57
1986 Capron, Marty B. In praise of the tiger. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (63):12-13
1986 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1985. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (63):4
1986 Holman, J. Alan. Butler Spring herpetofauna of Kansas (Pleistocene: Illinoian) and its climatic significance. Journal of Herpetology 20(4):568-569
1987 Simmons, John E. September 1987 field trip report. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (69):42894
1988 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1987. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (71):13-19
1988 Nulton, Michael T. and Michael S. Rush. New county records of amphibians and reptiles in Gray County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (74):10-12
1989 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1989. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (78):16-21
1990 Collins, Joseph T. Results of second Kansas herp count held during April-May 1990. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (81):10-12
1990 Collins, Joseph T. Maximum size records for Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (81):13-17
1991 Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. pp.
1991 Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. Reptiles and Amphibians of the Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, Kansas. U. S. Forest Service, Elkhart, Kansas. 60pp.
1991 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1990. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (83):7-13
1992 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1991. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (87):12-17
1992 Collins, Joseph T. Results of the fourth Kansas herp count held during April-May 1992. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (89):10-
1992 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the KHS annual field trip to Sheridan County State Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (90):3-4
1993 Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. Third Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Lawrence. 397pp.
Joseph T. Collins third Kansas herpetology. <Need to get species total and principal differences with previous 'version' (= Collins 1982)>
1993 Viets, Brian E. An annotated list of the herpetofauna of the F. B., and Rena G. Ross Natural History Reservation. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 96(1/2):103-113
1994 Taggart, Travis W. The natural history and distribution of the Green Toad (Bufo debilis) in Kansas, with a report on an effort to reintroduce the species into the Cimarron National Grasslands. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. 12pp.
1994 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1993. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (97):15-19
1994 Rundquist, Eric M. Results of the sixth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1994. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (97):5-14
See, 1994 Rundquist, Eric M. Additions and corrections [to the results of the sixth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1994]. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (98):4.
1995 Holman, J. Alan. Pleistocene Amphibians and Reptiles. Oxford University Press, New York. 243pp.
1995 Moriarty, Emily C. and Joseph T. Collins. First known occurrence of amphibian species in Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (100):28-30
1996 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1995. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (103):13-15
1996 Rundquist, Eric M. Results of the eighth annual KHS herp counts Held 1 April-31 May 1996. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (104):6-17
1996 Rundquist, Eric M. Notes on the natural history of some Kansas amphibians and reptiles: Parasites. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (105):16-17
1996 Rakestraw, J. Spring herp counts: A Kansas tradition. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine (March-April):75-80
1997 Taggart, Travis W. Status of Bufo debilis (Anura: Bufonidae) in Kansas Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (109):7-12
The specimens (KU) cited from Hamilton County, have been corrected.
1997 Irschick, Duncan J. and H. Bradley Shaffer. The polytypic species revisited: Morphological differentiation among tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) (Amphibia: Caudata). Herpetologica 53(1):30-49
1998 Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. pp.
1998 Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. A Key to Amphibians & Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 131pp.
1998 Rundquist, Eric M. Results of the tenth annual KHS herp counts for 1998, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (112):11-18
1999 Rundquist, Eric M. Kansas Herpetological Society herp counts: A 10 year summary and evaluation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (115):42962
2000 Van Doren, Mark D. and Curtis J. Schmidt. A herpetological survey of the Fort Larned National Historic Site, Pawnee County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):8-11
2001 Schmidt, Curtis J. The amphibians, turtles, and reptiles of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):9-11
2001 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the KHS spring field trip west. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):10
2001 Rundquist, Eric M. Results of the thirteenth annual KHS herp counts for 2001, held 1 April-30 June. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):13-16
2001 Kretzer, Justin E. and Jack F. Cully, Jr. Effects of Blacktailed Prairie Dogs on reptiles and amphibians in Kansas shortgrass prairie. Southwestern Naturalist 46(2):171-177
2002 Kingsbury, Bruce and Joanna Gibson. Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest. Publication of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Address not given. 152pp.
2002 Fogell, Daniel D. Occurrence and relative abundance of amphibians and reptiles at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network. Interim Report. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 6pp.
2002 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the spring 2002 KHS field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (3):6-7
To the Cimarron National Grassland, in Morton and Stevens counties.
2003 Fogell, Daniel D. A herpetofaunal inventory of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 59pp.
This is the version the author submitted to the NPS. Their final publication was modified.
2003 Suleiman, G. Fort Riley herpetofaunal count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):11-12
2003 Taggart, Travis W. Kansas Herpetological Society 2003 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):3-4
2003 Suleiman, Gibran. Fort Riley herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):9
2003 Schmidt, Curtis J. Geographic distribution: Ambystoma mavortium. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (8):19
2004 Schmidt, Curtis J. Natural history and status of the exploited Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) in western Kansas and a herpetofaunal inventory of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. pp.
2004 Delisle, Jennifer M. and William H. Busby. Biological inventory for vertebrates at Fort Larned National Historic Site of the southern plains network. Natural Heritage Inventory, Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 61pp.
2004 Taggart, Travis W. Kansas Herpetological Society 2004 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (9):2
2004 Collins, Joseph T. New records of amphibians, turtles, and reptiles in Kansas for 2003. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (9):8-11
2004 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the KHS 2004 fall feld trip . Journal of Kansas Herpetology (12):15-16
2006 Taggart, Travis W. Addendum report to biological inventory of the sandsage prairie near Holcomb, Kansas. Sunflower Electric Cooperative, Hays, Kansas. 31pp.
2006 Taggart, Travis W. Distribution and status of Kansas herpetofauna in need of information. State Wildlife Grant T7. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. vii + 106pp.
2007 Taggart, Travis W., Joseph T. Collins, and Curtis J. Schmidt. Estimates of amphibian, reptile, and turtle mortality if Phostoxin is applied to 10,000 acres of prairie dog burrows in Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. 5pp.
2007 Taggart, Travis W. A biological inventory of the Sunflower Electric Site near Holcomb, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology 23():11-16
2009 Murrow, Daniel G. KHS 2009 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (29):42769
2010 Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. 400pp.
Joseph T. Collins fourth Kansas herpetology. <Need to get species total and principal differences with previous 'version' (= Collins 1993)>
2010 Murrow, Daniel G. Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):2-3
2010 Hubbs, Brian and Curtis J. Schmidt. Geographic distribution: Ambystoma mavortium, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):6
County record, Lincoln County, Kansas.
2011 Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of the Cimarron National Grassland, Kansas. Second (Revised) Edition. U. S. Forest Service, . pp.
2011 Taggart, Travis W. Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 spring field trip to be held in Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (37):5-7
2011 Taggart, Travis W. and Daniel Murrow. KHS to conduct summer field trip to western Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (38):5
2011 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 Summer Field Trip to Scott State Park Journal of Kansas Herpetology (39):2
2012 Rohweder, Megan R. Spatial conservation prioritization of Kansas for terrestrial vertebrates. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 151pp.
2012 Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada: Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 152pp.
2013 Taggart, Travis W. KHS 2012 Summer Field Trip to Meade County State Park. Collinsorum 2(3/4):3
2013 Taggart, Travis W. KHS 2013 Summer Field Trip to Coldwater Lake, Comanche County. Collinsorum 2(3/4):5
2013 Mardis, Dexter and Kevin Scott. 2013 Kansas Herpetofaunal Counts. Collinsorum 2(3/4):7
2013 Sievert, Greg and Andrew W. Coleman. The rediscovery of Barred Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium) in Lyon County, Kansas. Collinsorum 2(3/4):9
2014 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the 2014 KHS Spring Field Trip to Barber County Collinsorum 3(2-4):11
2014 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the 2014 KHS summer field trip to Morton County and adjacent Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Collinsorum 3(2-4):12
2014 Taggart, Travis W. Recent scientific and standard English name changes effecting the Kansas herpetofauna. Collinsorum 3(2-4):9-10
2015 Brown, Kasandra A. Occupancy Modeling Of Herpetofauna And Grassland Nesting Birds At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 72pp.
2015 Taggart, Travis W. Spring Field Trip to the Greenhorn Limestone of Russell County. Collinsorum 4(3):2
2015 Taggart, Travis W. Summer Field Trip In The Harvey County Sandhills. Collinsorum 4(3):3
2016 Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. 494pp.
2016 Taggart, Travis W. Spring 2016 KHS field trip to Clark County was a soggy success. Collinsorum 5(2-3):2-3
2016 Taggart, Travis W. Results of the KHS ‘Fall’ field trip to Barber County. Collinsorum 5(2-3):6-7
2017 Taggart, Travis W. and J. Daren Riedle. A Pocket Guide to Kansas Amphibians, Turtles and Lizards. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, Kansas. 69pp.
2017 Crother, Brian I. (editor) Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102
2019 Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. Third Edition. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 192pp.
2020 Riedle, J. Daren. Revisiting Kansas Herpetological Society field trip and Herp Count data: Distributional patterns and trend data of Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Collinsorum 9(1):7-16
2021 Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. Herp Count: Comanche County: KHS-2020-15. Collinsorum 9(3):13-14
2021 Everson, Kathryn M., Levi N. Graya, Angela G. Jones, Nicolette M. Lawrence, Mary E. Foley, Kelly L. Sovacool, Justin D. Kratovil, Scott Hotaling, Paul M. Hime, Andrew Storferd, Gabriela Parra-Oleaf, Ruth Percino-Daniel, X. Aguilar-Miguel, Eric M. O’Neill, Luis Zambranof,H. Bradley Shaffer, and David W. Weisrock Geography is more important than life history in the recent diversification of the tiger salamander complex. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 118(17 e2014719118):10
2023 Connely, Faith, Keith Geluso, and Daniel D. Fogell. Geographic distribution: Ambystoma mavortium: Nebraska Herpetological Review 54(4):588
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Travis W. Taggart © 1999-2025 — w/ Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University