Native Florida Species

Species: Anhinga (Snakebird)Location seen: Shark Valley Everglades Park

Description: It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of 33 in, a wingspan of 46 in, and a mass of up to 3 lb. It is a dark-plumaged piscivore with a very long neck, and often swims with only the neck above water. When swimming in this style the name Snakebird is apparent, since only the colored neck appears above water the bird looks like a snake ready to strike.

Species: Roseate Spoonbill Location seen: Shark Valley Everglades Park

Description: The Roseate Spoonbill is 28–34 in long, with a 47–52 in wingspan and a body mass of 2–4 lb. The tarsus measures 4–5 in, the culmen measures 5–7 in and the wing measures 12–15 in and thus the legs, bill,

neck and spatulate bill all appear elongated. They are a deep pink color and the bill is grey.

Species: Florida Redbelly TurtleLocation seen: Shark Valley Everglades Park

Description: The Florida Redbelly can be distinguished from the other turtles by its distinctive red-tinged belly and two cusps on its upper beak. Like most. It is a fairly large river turtle. Carapace length in mature turtles

can range from 8 to 15 inches.

Species: Great Blue HeronLocation seen: Shark Valley Everglades Park

Description: It has head-to-tail length of 91–137 cm (36–54 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), a height of 115–138 cm (45–54 in), and a weight of 2.1–3.6 kg (4.6–7.9 lb). Notable features of Great Blue Herons include slaty flight feathers, red-brown thighs, and a paired red-brown and black stripe up the flanks; the neck is rusty-gray, with black and white streaking down the front; the head is paler, with a nearly white face, and a pair of black plumes running from just above the eye to

the back of the head. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season. The bill is dull yellowish, becoming orange briefly at the start of the breeding season, and the lower legs gray, also becoming orangey at the start of the breeding season.

Species: Alligator MississippiensisLocation seen: Shark Valley Everglades Park

Description: The average size for an adult female American alligator is 8.2 feet and the average size for a male is 11.2 feet. Both males and females have an "armored" body with a muscular flat tail. The skin on the back is armored with embedded bony

plates called osteoderms or scutes. They have four short legs. Alligators have a long snout with upward facing nostrils at the end

Species: Serpent fern (It’s an epiphyte) Location seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: It is a rhizomatous fern densely covered in the golden-brown scales that give the species its name. They vary in color from bright green to glaucous green and have undulate margins. Several round sori

run along each side of the pinna midrib, and the minute spores are wind-dispersed.

Species: Southern Needleleaf (It is an epiphyte)Location seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: epiphytic, grows to 12 in. long, plants densely clustered, grow in small tufts; leaves swollen at base, curving tips, green to red; flower stalk 3-6 in.; 3-15 violet flowers, 1 in. long; seed capsules ~1 in.

Species: Shoestring FernLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: It gets its name from the long, green fronds that reminded someone of shoestrings. It is an epiphyte, meaning it gets moisture and

nutrients from the air. It requires a host plant for structure, but is not parasitic. It usually grows in the boot of a sabal palm.

Species: Saw PalmettoLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: It is a small palm, normally reaching a height of around 2–4 m (3–6 ft).Its trunk is sprawling, and it grows in clumps or dense thickets in

sandy coastal lands or as undergrowth in pine woods or hardwood hammocks. Erect stems or trunks are rarely produced but are found in some

populations. Saw palmetto is a fan palm, with the leaves that have a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of about 20 leaflets. The petiole is armed

with fine, sharp teeth or spines that give the species its common name.

Species: Spanish MossLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly, heavily scaled leaves 2–6 cm (0.79–2.36 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) broad, that grow vegetatively in chain-like fashion (pendant) to

form hanging structures up to 6 m (240 in) in length. The plant has no aerial roots and its flowers are tiny and inconspicuous. It propagates both by seed and vegetatively by fragments that blow on the wind and stick to tree limbs,

or are carried by birds as nesting material.

Species: Dahoon HollyLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Small evergreen tree. Female trees produce red berries if there is a male tree growing near

by.

Species: Great Egret or Great White HeronLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: The Great Egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to 3 ft. tall, this species can measure 31 to 41 in. in length and have a

wingspan of 52 to 67 in. Body mass has an average of around 2 lb. The Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in

the breeding season. It has a slow flight, with its neck retracted.

Species: SquirrelLocation seen: Fisheating Creek Outpost

Description: Squirrels typically have slender bodies with bushy tails and large eyes. In general, their fur is soft and silky, although much thicker in some

species than others. The color of squirrels is highly variable between—and often even within—species. In general, the hind limbs are longer than the

fore limbs, and they have four or five toes on each paw. Their paws include an often poorly developed thumb, and have soft pads on the undersides.

Species: Yaupon HollyLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Small evergreen tree. Comes in weeping and columnar forms. Female trees

produce red berries.

Species: Red BayLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Evergreen tree. Has fragrant leaves, tiny flowers, and blue-black fruit. Leaf galls are

common.

Species: Walter’s ViburnumLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Small evergreen tree. Can be grown in bush form. Has white flower clusters in winter and have berries.

Species: Pignut HickoryLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Large deciduous shade tree for well drained calcium rich soil. Takes 30 years to

produce first nuts.

Species: Chickasaw PlumLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Deciduous tree. Has fragrant, showy white flower clusters in spring and

provides fruit and shelter for wildlife.

Species: Sand Live OakLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Evergreen. Slow growing suitable for coastal areas or very dry, sandy lots.

Produces acorns.

Species: Sabal/Cabbage PalmLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Evergreen. Florida state tree. Adapts to wide range of sites. Older trees lose

the cross-hatched “boots” along trunk.

Species: Everglades PalmLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Evergreen tree. Tolerates light frost, short periods of drought or standing water, and

light shade.

Species: CoontieLocation seen: Myakka River State ParkDescription: small, tough, woody cycad.

Produces a reddish seed cones with a distinct acuminate tip. This is a low-growing plant.

Species: Live OakLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Evergreen tree. Large, long-lived, sprawling shade tree that replaces leaves as it

loses it. Produces acorns.

Species: Sweet/Silver BayLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: Evergreen tree. Slow grower with large, fragrant white flowers. Grows best in wet areas.

Species: White Tailed DeerLocation seen: Myakka River State Park

Description: The deer's coat is a reddish-brown in the spring and summer and turns to a grey-brown throughout the fall and

winter. The deer can be recognized by the characteristic white underside to its tail.