Update on the West Virginia Herpetological Atlas

Abstract

Herpetological studies in West Virginia began with Dr. A. M. Reese, a vertebrate zoologist at West Virginia University from 1907 to 1946.  One of his students, Dr. N.B. Green, became the first curator of the state collection located at Marshall University.  Other early herpetologists who contributed to our knowledge of herpetology in the state include Mr. M. Graham Netting, Mr. Neil D. Richmond, Professor Maurice Books, and Dr. Albert H. Wright.  During the nearly 90 years of herpetological studies in West Virginia, numerous undergraduate and graduate students have contributed greatly to the state’s collection and our knowledge of amphibians and reptiles in the state.  Presently, there are 49 species of amphibians and 41 species of reptiles known to occur in West Virginia.  The atlas will contain information from approximately 70,000 records including those of the authors, Dr. N.B. Green, and others who search for and study amphibians and reptiles in the state.  It will also include records from the state amphibian and reptile collection housed at Marshall University (nearly 15,000 specimens) and West Virginia specimens present in all major museums.  In this presentation, we will discuss species with the least amount of data and areas of the state with the least number of records.