Return to Conservation Biology Research on Reptiles
Moriarty, J.J. 1984. Amphibians and reptiles of the Missouri river drainage of southwestern Minnesota. Final report submitted to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 19 pp.
Overview:
The herpetological knowledge of the southwest corner of Minnesota is sketchy. There were several collections of amphibians and reptiles made by Breckenridge and his associates in the early 1940's, with scattered specimens over the following years. The only recent collection has been the discover of the lined snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum) at Blue Mounds State Park. This lack of documented knowledge is one reason this region was recommended by the Amphibian and Reptile Group of the Endangered Species Advisory Committee (Lang et al. 1982) for future study. The U.S.D.I. Fish and Wildlife Services has recently requested information for the herpetofauna occurring on Pipestone National Monument, which lies within the Missouri River drainage.
This study was undertaken to assess the present status of populations of amphibians and reptiles previously found in this region and to search for possible border entrants. These border entrants would include Woodhouse's toad (Bufo woodhousei), plains spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus bombifrons), red milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila) and any other possible new species.
-This report is currently unavailable for download-