AMPHIBIANS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

Below is a current list representing the one hundred and fifty-nine (159) species and subspecies of amphibians that occur in the region that we have defined as being the American Southwest. Eighty (80) of these are frogs and toads and the remaining seventy-nine (79) are salamanders. Three (3) of the listed frogs are introduced species.

Our goal is to eventually have at least one photo for every species/subspecies. We also plan to eventually provide habitat photographs and range maps for as many species as possible, along with the legal/protective status of each in the states where they occur within our region.

For those species with range maps displayed, please note that these maps have been produced by the U.S. Geological Survey and SWCHR can not guarantee their accuracy. The dark green areas on the maps indicate areas where the occurance of the species has been verified by a vouchered museum specimen. The lighter green areas indicate areas where the species has been documented in literature records or areas where the species is presumed to occur.

The scientific and common names used in this section generally follow The Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 6th edition, 2008, Crother, B. I. (ed.) SSAR Herpetological Circular No 37. However, SWCHR may on occasion deviate from that "standard" herpetological list to reflect SWCHR's preferences in favor of stability and conservative taxonomic practice.

Those species and subspecies that do have photos available are identified as clickable links on the list below. If you have photos of species/subspecies that do not yet have photos, you are encouraged to submit them for possible inclusion. Please see our Call for Papers and Photos section for more information.

ANURA (Frogs and Toads)

BUFONIDAE (True Toads)

Coastal Tailed Frog - Ascaphus truei

LEPTODACTYLIDAE (Neotropical Thin-toed Frogs)

Mexican White-lipped Frog - Leptodactylus fragilis

MICROHYLIDAE (Microhylid Frogs & Toads)

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad - Gastrophryne carolinensis

Western Narrow-mouthed Toad - Gastrophryne olivacea

Sheep Frog - Hypopachus variolosus

PETOBATIDAE (North American Spadefoots & Relatives)

Couch's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus couchii

Hurter's Spadefoot - Scaphiopus hurterii

Plains Spadefoot - Spea bombifrons

Western Spadefoot - Spea hammondii

Great Basin Spadefoot - Spea intermontana

Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata stagnalis

PIPIDAE (Tongueless Frogs)

African Clawed Frog - Xenopus laevis   (Introduced Species in Arizona & Ca.)

RANIDAE (True Frogs)

Southern Crawfish Frog - Lithobates areolata areolata

Rio Grande Leopard Frog - Lithobates berlandieri

Plains Leopard Frog - Lithobates blairi

Bull Frog - Lithobates catesbeiana

Chiricahua Leopard Frog - Lithobates chiricahuensis

Bronze Frog - Lithobates clamitans clamitans

Pig Frog - Lithobates grylio

Relict Leopard Frog - Lithobates onca

Pickerel Frog - Lithobates palustris

Northern Leopard Frog - Lithobates pipiens

Southern Leopard Frog - Lithobates sphenocephala utricularius

Tarahumara Frog - Lithobates tarahumarae

Lowland Leopard Frog - Lithobates yavapaiensis

Foothill Yellow-legged Frog - Rana boylii

Cascades Frog - Rana cascadae

California Red-legged Frog - Rana draytonii

Columbia Spotted Frog - Rana luteiventris

Mountain Yellow-legged Frog - Rana muscosa

Oregon Spotted Frog - Rana pretiosa

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog - Rana sierrae

RHINOPHRYNIDAE (Burrowing Toads)

CAUDATA (Salamanders)

AMBYSTOMATIDAE (Mole Salamanders)

California Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma californiense

Northwestern Salamander - Ambystoma gracile

Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander - Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum

Spotted Salamander - Ambystoma maculatum

Barred Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma mavortium mavortium

Blotched Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma mavortium melanostictum

Arizona Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum

Sonoran Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi

Marbled Salamander - Ambystoma opacum

Mole Salamander - Ambystoma talpoideum

Small-mouthed Salamander - Ambystoma texanum

Eastern Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma tigrinum

AMPHIUMIDAE (Amphiumas)

Three-toed Amphiuma - Amphiuma tridactlum

DICAMPTODONTIDAE (Gaint Salamanders)

California Gaint Salamander - Dicamptodon ensatus

Coastal Gaint Salamander - Dicamptodon tenebrosus

PLETHODONTIDAE (Lungless Salamanders)

Clouded Salamander - Aneides ferreus

Speckled Black Salamander - Aneides flavipunctatus flavipunctatus

Santa Cruz Black Salamander - Aneides flavipunctatus niger

Sacramento Mountains Salamander - Aneides hardii

Aboreal Salamander - Aneides lugubris

Wandering Salamander - Aneides vagrans

California Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps attenuatus

Inyo Mountains Salamander - Batrachoseps campi

Hell Hollow Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps diabolicus

San Gabriel Mountains Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps gabrieli

Gabilan Mountains Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps gavilanensis

Gregarious Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps gregarius

San Simeon Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps incognitus

Sequoia Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps kawia

Santa Lucia Mountains Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps luciae

Desert Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps major aridus

Garden Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps major major

Lesser Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps minor

Black-Bellied Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps nigriventris

Channel Islands Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps pacificus

Kings River Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps regius

Relictual Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps relictus

Kern Plateau Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps robustus

Kern County Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps simatus

Tehachapi Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps stebbinsi

Oregon Slender Salamander - Batrachoseps wrightorum

Southern Dusky Salamander - Desmognathus auriculatus

Yellow-blotched Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii croceater

Monterey Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii

Large-blotched Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii klauberi

Oregon Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii oregonensis

Painted Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii picta

Sierra Nevada Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii platensis

Yellow-eyed Ensatina - Ensatina eschscholtzii xanthoptica

Salado Salamander - Eurycea chisholmensis

Texas Salamander - Eurycea neotenes

San Marcos Salamander - Eurycea nana

Georgetown Salamander - Eurycea naufragia

Fern Bank Salamander - Eurycea pterophila

Dwarf Salamander - Eurycea quadridigitata

Texas Blind Salamander - Eurycea rathbuni

Blanco Blind Salamander - Eurycea robusta

Barton Springs Salamander - Eurycea sosorum

Jollyville Plateau Salamander - Eurycea tonkawae

Comal Blind Salamander - Eurycea tridentifera

Valdina Farms Salamander - Eurycea troglodytes

Austin Blind Salamander - Eurycea waterlooensis

Limestone Salamander - Hydromantes brunus

Mount Lyell Salamander - Hydromantes platycephalus

Shasta Salamander - Hydromantes shastae

Western Slimy Salamander - Plethodon albagula

Dunn's Salamander - Plethodon dunni

Del Norte Salamander - Plethodon elongatus

Jemez Mountains Salamander - Plethodon neomexicanus

Siskitou Mountains Salamander - Plethodon stormi

PROTEIDAE (Waterdogs and Mudpuppies)

Gulf Coast Waterdog - Necturus beyeri

RHYACOTRITONIDAE (Torrent Salamanders)

Southern Torrent Salamander - Rhyacotriton variegatus

SALAMANDRIDAE (Newts)

Black-spotted Newt - Notophthalmus meridionalis

Central Newt - Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis

Rough-skinned Newt - Taricha granulosa

Red-bellied Newt - Taricha rivularis

Sierra Newt - Taricha torosa sierrae

Coast Range Newt - Taricha torosa torosa

SIRENIDAE (Sirens)

Western Lesser Siren - Siren intermedia nettingi

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