Padre Island National Seashore             

Flora and Fauna

Padre Island has a rich variety of both plants and animals.  These are described in detail in the Nature and Science section, which you can access by following this link.  This page describes the specimens we have preserved in our museum collection and which are available for study by researchers.

The National Seashore's collection of natural specimens can be divided into six major sections.  The great number of samples in each section prohibits showing photographs of all in this website.   Therefore, only a few are displayed here. 

First of these is the herpetological section.  This collection contains numerous specimens of snakes, lizards, frogs, sea turtles, and other reptiles found on the island. Almost all are preserved as wet specimens.

 Western coachwhip spotted in a dune field near the six mile marker.

The park also has a large collection of several dozens species of mollusks.  A few are shown here.

Next is the park's collection of a few hundred plants, the largest sections of which are grasses, flowers, and other plants from the grasslands and dune environments. 

Tumble Lovegrass

Marine sea grass

The park also has a collection of a several dozen insect specimens, most of which are butterflies, moths, and beetles.  Most recently the park has added 23 specimens of fire ants found on spoil islands within the park's boundaries in the Laguna Madre.

The tomato worm moth (Protoparce quinquemaculatus)

 (top) Pholus vitis

(center) White-lined sphinx moth (celerio lineata)

(bottom) Pholus vitis

Assorted stiletto flies, robber flies, and others.

The collection also contains a selection of rats and mice common to Padre Island.  

Skull of the Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster)

(top)         Fulvous harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens intermedius)

                  Fulvous harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens)

                  Northern pygmy mouse (Baiomys taylori)

                           (bottom)  Fulvous harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens)

The last section is the miscellany of specimens that do not fit into the above categories.  Photos of some of these may be included at a later date.

Send an e-mail to the Virtual Museum Curator via PAIS_Museum@nps.gov.

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