Selected Records of Reptiles and Amphibians from Kansas

Drawing on the extensive amphibian and reptile holdings of Kansas State Teachers College, the authors compile a detailed field notebook of species observed across the state in the mid‑1940s. Each entry notes the precise locality, collector, and specimen number, giving listeners a clear picture of how naturalists documented biodiversity before modern databases. The work also explains the criteria for including records, focusing on specimens not already represented in the University of Kansas museum.

Among the highlights are the first confirmed Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) from Kansas, a handful of westernmost sightings of the American Toad, and new locality data for northern cricket frogs, spadefoot toads, and several salamanders. The authors provide careful measurements and taxonomic remarks that help distinguish nearby subspecies, such as the Cantabrigensis form of the Wood Frog. Listeners will hear a snapshot of the region's herpetofauna, from prairie spadefoots to tree toads, and appreciate the meticulous fieldwork that built the state's early wildlife records.