Departments and Programs involved: Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH); Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (WEC); Department of Zoology (ZOO); Department of Geography (GEO); College of Veterinary Medicine (VME); Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (FAS); Biotechnologies for the Ecological, Evolutionary & Conservation Sciences (BEECS); USGS, Biological Resources Division, Florida Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit (USGS/COOP) and Florida Caribbean Science Center (USGS/FCSC).

WEC, ZOO, GEO and VME are the degree granting departments of the University of Florida involved in herpetological studies. In 2000, there are approximately 20 graduate students enrolled in the UF herp programs, about equally divided between WEC and ZOO with the rest scattered through other departments.

For a quick review of the many people who have graduated from the UF herp programs, or served on the faculty or staff, visit the List of Herp Alumni—if you want to have some fun and see how many people you can recognize, visit the more slowly loading page of Herp Alumni Mug Shots.

Degrees Offered: BS, MS, PhD, DVM.

Herpetology Courses Offered: Herpetology, and a series of courses, one of which is offered almost every semester, on Conservation of Reptiles and Amphibians; Biology of Frogs and Toads; Biology of Salamanders; Biology of Larval Amphibians; Biology of the Crocodylia; Biology of Lizards; Biology of Snakes; Biology of Turtles; and Field Techniques in Herpetology (taught by FLMNH curators through WEC and ZOO). Reptilian Functional Morphology, Herpetology and Climate, and Special Topics in Reptiles & Amphibians (taught by the faculty of ZOO).

The FLMNH Herpetology Collection is a major systematics research resource for faculty, students, and independent researchers.

The BEECS lab provides biochemical systematics services to the university faculty and students, including DNA sequencing.

The FLMNH operates the 9,000 acre (3,642 hectare) Katharine Ordway Preserve and Swisher Memorial Sanctuary 26 miles east of Gainesville. It is the site of much ecological research on Florida reptiles and amphibians.

In addition to the programs on the UF campus, there are cooperative programs between the university and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The FWC's Wildlife Research Laboratory is located just south of the UF campus and is the center for research studies involving American alligator, gopher tortoise, indigo snakes, bog frogs, sirenid salamanders, and a number of other Florida amphibians and reptiles. Other cooperative programs exist between the university and the USGS, Biological Resources Division, Florida Integrated Science Center, whose staff hold courtesy appointments in the FLMNH, WEC, and ZOO—see faculty below.

In addition, the worldwide programs of the Crocodile Specialist Group of IUCN—The World Conservation Union are coordinated out of the FLMNH in affiliation with the Division of Herpetology. The Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, is located in ZOO.

Faculty and Staff:

K. Bjorndal photo coming in the future.

Karen A. Bjorndal, PhD (University of Florida), Associate Professor of Zoology—ecology and conservation of sea turtles, and nutritional biology of reptiles. Tel: (352) 392-5194, Fax: (352) 392-3704, Email: kab@zoo.ufl.edu.

Raymond R. Carthy, PhD (University of Florida), Assistant Unit Leader - Wildlife, Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and Courtesy Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—physiological and behavioral ecology of reptiles and amphibians, wetland ecosystems, with special interests in nesting ecology of sea turtles. Tel: (352) 392-1861, Fax: (352) 846-0841, Email: rayc@zoo.ufl.edu.

R. Carthy with cast of Caretta caretta nest, Melbourne Beach, Florida.

K. Dodd hefting Geochelone yniphora in Madagascar.

C. Kenneth Dodd, PhD (Clemson University), Courtesy Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—ecology and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. Tel: (352) 377-4319, Email: caretta@ufl.edu.

Richard Franz, MS (University of Montana), Associate in Ecosystem Conservation, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Affiliate Associate in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—ecology and systematics of reptiles and amphibians with a focus on Florida, the southeastern US and West Indies. Tel: (352) 392-1721, Fax: (352) 846-0287, Email: dfranz@flmnh.ufl.edu.

R. Franz collecting Florida Seminatrix pygaea.

L. Guillette in his airboat.

Louis J. Guillette, Jr., PhD (University of Colorado), Professor of Zoology—reproductive and endocrine biology, environmental estrogens, evolution of viviparity, endangered species reproduction. Tel: (352) 392-1098, Fax: (352) 392-3704, Email: ljg@zoo.ufl.edu, Personal Webpage: http://nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu/~aeneus/.

E. Jacobson examining a Python molurus bivitattus.

Elliott R. Jacobson, DVM and PhD (University of Missouri), Professor of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine—diagnosis and treatment of disease in reptiles. Tel: (352) 392-4700 ext. 4773, Fax: (352) 392-6125, Email: JacobsonE@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu.

Wiley M. Kitchens, PhD (North Carolina State University), Unit Leader - Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and Courtesy Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—ecology and conservation of wildlife, including reptiles. Tel: (352) 392-1861, Fax: (352) 846-0841, Email: wiley@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.
	W. Kitchens photo coming in the future.

	Kenneth L. Krysko, PhD (University of Florida) Herpetology Collection Manager, Florida Museum of Natural History—ecology and systematics of reptiles and amphibians, with focus on invasive species. Tel: (352) 273-1945, Fax: (352) 846-0253, Email: kenneyk@flmnh.ufl.edu.
Kenney Krysko feeding Bahama Cyclura.

Harvey B. Lillywhite, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles), Professor of Zoology—physiological, morphological and behavioral adaptations of amphibians and reptiles, with emphasis on physiological ecology of snakes. Tel: (352) 392-1101, Fax: (352) 392-3704, Email: hbl@zoo.ufl.edu.

H. Lillywhite in the field.

	Frank J. Mazzotti, PhD (Pennsylvania State University), Assistant Extension Scientist, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—ecology, ecological physiology, and conservation of reptiles and amphibians, with special interest in crocodilians and Florida urban species. Tel: (305) 370-3730, Fax: (305) 370-3732, Email: fjma@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.
F. Mazzotti photo coming in the future.

Max A. Nickerson, PhD (Arizona State University), Curator of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History—systematics and ecology of amphibians and reptiles, with special interests in Cryptobranchus and venom glands. Tel: (352) 273-1946, Fax: (352) 846-0253, Email: maxn@flmnh.ufl.edu.

M. Nickerson with Basiliscus plumifrons in Costa Rica.

F. Percival collecting Alligator mississippiensis eggs.

H. Franklin Percival, PhD (Clemson University), Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and Courtesy Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—ecology and conservation of wildlife, with a focus on the American alligator. Tel: (352) 392-1861, Fax: (352) 846-0841, Email: hfp@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.

J. Perran Ross, PhD (University of Florida), Associate Scientist in Herpetology, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation—conservation biology, conflict mitigation and stakeholder input, crocodilian and sea turtle ecology, international trade and sustainable use. Tel: (352) 392-7137, Email: rossp@wec.ufl.edu.

P. Ross holding Trachemys terrapen on Cat Island, Bahamas.

N. Smith at Teotonio Falls, Rio Madeira, Rondonia, Brazil.

Nigel J.H. Smith, PhD (University of California, Berkeley), Professor, Department of Geography—policy issues surrounding the linkages between biodiversity and agriculture. Tel: (352) 392-4652, Fax: (352) 392-8855, Email: nsmith@geog.ufl.edu.

Kent A. Vliet, PhD (University of Florida), Associate in Biological Sciences, Department of Zoology—ecology and behavior of crocodilians. Tel: (352) 392-8130, Fax: (352) 392-3704, Email: kent.vliet@zoo.ufl.edu.

K. Vliet working with Alligator mississippiensis.

If you did not find the faculty member you were looking for on this page, he or she may no longer be at UF––please check the List of Herp Alumni or visit our less complete page of Herp Alumni Mug Shots.

Information on Admission to the UF Herpetology Program:

Information on Admission to the University of Florida provides links to: Undergraduate and Graduate Admission, Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogues, Financial Aid, General Information, a Campus Tour, and other topics of interest to students.

Florida Museum of Natural History provides links to the FLMNH programs. As noted above, the FLMNH is not a degree granting unit of the University of Florida. Herpetology students studying in the FLMNH or with FLMNH faculty are actually enrolled in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, in Zoology, or in Veterinary Medicine.

UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation provides information on wildlife programs and faculty.

UF Department of Zoology provides information about zoology programs and faculty.

Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit provides information on research programs, faculty and students.

UF Department of Geography provides information about geography programs and faculty.

UF College of Veterinary Medicine provides information on a number of herpetology related programs and faculty.

UF School of Natural Resources and the Environment provides information on SNRE programs and faculty.