Additional Records of Albinistic Amphibians and Reptiles 
from North Carolina 
William M. Palmer and Alvin L. Braswell 
North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, 
P. O. Box 27647, Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 
ABSTRACT. — Albinism has been reported previously in 6 species of 
reptiles from North Carolina: Cemophora coccinea, Crotalus horridus, 
Elaphe guttata, E. obsoleta, Farancia abacura, and Sceloporus undulatus. 
This paper describes 16 additional albinistic specimens of 12 amphibian 
and reptile species from the state. Species represented include the 
salamanders Ambystoma talpoideum, Amphiuma means, Eurycea 
bislineata, and Siren intermedia; the toad Bufo woodhousei; the turtle 
Chelydra serpentina; and the snakes Carphophis amoenus, Diadophis 
punctatus, E. obsoleta, Nerodia fasciata, N. taxispilota, and Virginia 
striatula. A description of a snake (F. abacura ), previously reported but 
not described, also is included. 
INTRODUCTION 
Albinism is well known in amphibians and reptiles and records of its 
occurrence are prevalent in the literature. However, this phenomenon in 
North Carolina has been reported only in the lizard Sceloporus undulatus 
(Hensley 1968) and the snakes Cemophora coccinea (Brimley 1944), 
Elaphe obsoleta (Meacham 1946), and E. guttata, Farancia abacura and 
Crotalus horridus (Hensley 1959). 
This paper records from the state an additional 16 albinistic 
specimens of 12 species: 5 salamanders of 4 species, 1 toad, 1 turtle, and 9 
snakes of 6 species. A description of an albinistic mud snake, F. abacura, 
recorded but not described by Hensley (1959), also is included. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
Color descriptions of a few individuals were made with the aid of 
color swatches, and capitalized color names with swatch numbers in 
parentheses are from Smithe (1975). SVL and TL indicate snout-vent 
length and total length, respectively. Common and scientific names 
follow those recommended by Collins et al. (1978). Specimens in the 
collection of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural History are 
designated by the acronym NCSM and the catalog number. All 
specimens were examined alive unless specified otherwise, and those for 
which no disposition is given are no longer extant. 
ANNOTATED LIST 
Amphibia 
Amphiuma means, Two-toed Amphiuma 
NEW HANOVER CO.: near Seabreeze, March or April 1968. An 
Brimleyana No. 3: 49-52 July 1980. 
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