Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research - Amphibians of the American Southwest

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 provide one or more photographs 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.
To help maintain some degree of taxonomic stability and reduce confusion, we here at the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research (SWCHR) have elected to take a conservative taxonomic approach when deciding which scientific and common names to utilize in this species listing.

          The Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea) is native to most of the southeast
           United States, but in our region it only occurs in the eastern half of
          Texas and there is also an isolated western record for this species in
          Brewster County, Texas.                       Photo by Tom Lott, SWCHR

   Please click here for an explanation of our philosophy regarding taxonomic issues. In cases where we feel that the
   current taxonomy of a species/subspecies is either controversial, or if we for any reason elected not to follow either
   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 by Brian I. Crother, et al or Standard Common and
   Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians, 7th Edition (2009) by
   Joseph T. Collins and Travis W. Taggart, we have linked a taxonomic note to the listing which explains our
   reasoning.

   Those species and subspecies that have photos available are identified as clickable links on the list below. If you
   have quality images that you have taken 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)

Dwarf American Toad - Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithi
Boreal Toad - Anaxyrus boreas boreas
California Toad - Anaxyrus boreas halophilus
Arroyo Toad - Anaxyrus californicus
Yosemite Toad - Anaxyrus canorus
Great Plains Toad - Anaxyrus cognatus
Eastern Green Toad - Anaxyrus debilis debilis
Western Green Toad - Anaxyrus debilis insidior
Black Toad - Anaxyrus exsul
Houston Toad - Anaxyrus houstonensis
Arizona Toad - Anaxyrus microscaphus
Armargosa Toad - Anaxyrus nelsoni
Red-spotted Toad - Anaxyrus punctatus
Sonoran Green Toad - Anaxyrus retiformis
Texas Toad - Anaxyrus speciosus
Southwestern Woodhouse's Toad - Anaxyrus woodhousii australis
Rocky Mountain Toad - Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii
Sonoran Desert Toad - Ollotis alvaria
Gulf Coast Toad - Ollotis nebulifer
Cane Toad - Rhinella marina

ELEUTHERODACTYLIDAE (Free-toed Frogs)

Puerto Rican Coqui - Eleutherodactylus coqui (Introduced Species in California)
Rio Grande Chirping Frog - Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides campi
Spotted Chirping Frog - Eleutherodactylus guttilatus
Cliff Chirping Frog - Eleutherodactylus marnockii
Greenhouse Frog - Eleutherodactylus planiostris (Introduced Species in Texas)

CRAUGASTORIDAE (Fleshbelly Frogs)

Western Barking Frog - Craugastor augusti cactorum
Balcones Barking Frog - Craugastor augusti latrans

HYLIDAE (Treefrogs and Their Allies)

Eastern Cricket Frog - Acris crepitans crepitans
Coastal Cricket Frog - Acris crepitans paludicola
Canyon Treefrog - Hyla arenicolor
Cope's Gray Treefrog - Hyla chrysoscelis
Green Treefrog - Hyla cinerea
Squirrel Treefrog - Hyla squirella
Gray Treefrog - Hyla versicolor
Arizona Treefrog - Hyla wrightorum
California Treefrog - Pseudacris cadaverina
Spotted Chorus Frog - Pseudacris clarkii
Spring Peeper - Pseudacris crucifer
Cajun Chorus Frog - Pseudacris fouquettei
Northern Baja California Treefrog - Pseudacris hypochondriaca curta
Boreal Chorus Frog - Pseudacris maculata
Northern Pacific Treefrog - Pseudacris regilla
Sierran Treefrog - Pseudacris sierra
Strecker's Chorus Frog - Pseudacris streckeri
Western Chorus Frog - Pseudacris triseriata
Mexican Treefrog - Smilisca baudinii
Lowland Burrowing Treefrog - Smilisca fodiens

LEIOPELMATIDAE (Tailed Frogs)

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
New Mexico 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 catesbeianus
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)

Mexican Burrowing Toad - Rhinophrynus dorsalis

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
Arboreal 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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