A Checklist and Distributional Synthesis of Amphibian and Reptile Species in Columbia County, Pennsylvania

Species inventories and distributional analyses at fine resolutions, such as at the county level, can provide a wealth of data to inform biological research and management as well as provide important baseline data for long-term biological monitoring. This work represents the first herpetological species and distributional inventory for Columbia County in northeastern Pennsylvania. A review of literature, museum records, and vouchered submissions on the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey (PARS) database confirmed the occurrence of 39 species of amphibians and reptiles within the county. The Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) is reported herein as a new county record. Eleven species confirmed within Columbia County are of conservation concern. Known township occurrence data, compiled from museum records, published literature, and field observations are presented for 28 non-imperiled species and (with township names omitted) for seven imperiled species. This work contributes to the understanding of Pennsylvania's herpetofauna and provides important baseline data for long-term monitoring and future research on amphibian and reptile species within Columbia County.