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A review of 60 Virginia Herpetological Society biodiversity surveys conducted between 1991 and 2022 found that geographic, seasonal, habitat, and climate factors are impacting the prevalence of anurans found during surveys. Of 28 anuran species inhabiting Virginia, 25 were documented in surveys with three, Anaxyrus quercicus, Hyla gratiosa, and Pseudacris nigrita not being found at any survey, even when surveys occurred in locations within these species' ranges. Lithobates clamitans was the most commonly found frog, at 54 of 60 surveys (it was found in 90% of surveys occurring in its known range). Eighteen species of anurans were found in 50% or less of the surveys conducted in their known ranges. As a group, chorus frogs (genus Pseudacris), excluding Pseudacris crucifer, were among the least reported anurans during surveys, even when surveys were conducted within their known ranges. Surveys were conducted from March until September, with the majority occurring in May (46%). By conducting a pre-site survey in March and a post-site survey in June, many more species of anurans could be included in the final species tally for a given location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area in Caroline County, Virginia was surveyed for amphibians and reptiles on 11-13 June 2021. A total of 24 species (11 anurans, 3 salamanders, 4 turtles, 3 lizards, and 3 snakes) were observed during the survey. Three of the species are listed in Virginia’s 2015 Wildlife Action Plan as species with special conservation needs; Lithobates virgatipes (Tier IIIa), Scaphiopus holbrookii (Tier IVc), and Terrapene c. carolina (Tier IIIa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides field notes on two amphibian species found in Virginia. The first species is the Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans), which is commonly found throughout Virginia. The field notes report the first county record for Lunenburg County, where a Green Frog was observed and photographed at a private pond in Keysville. The second species is the Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens), which has a statewide distribution in Virginia. The field notes report an observation of adult Red-spotted Newts in Loudoun County, filling in the only county gap in northern Virginia. The observation was made at the Dulles Greenway Mitigation Wetlands by a team from the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. [Extracted from the article]