The tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is a species of mole salamander. Tiger salamanders are large, with a typical length of 6–8inches. They can reach up to 14inches in length, particularly neotenic individuals. Adults are usually blotchy with grey, green, or black, and have large, lidded eyes. They have short snouts, thick necks, sturdy legs, and long tails. Their diet consists largely of small insects and worms, though it is not rare for an adult to consume small frogs and baby mice.
The long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum, Baird 1849)[3] is a mole salamander in the family Ambystomatidae. This species, typically 4.1–8.9cm (1+3⁄5–3+1⁄2 in) long when mature, is characterized by its mottled black, brown and yellow pigmentation, and its long outer fourth toe on the hind limbs. Analysis of fossil records, genetics, and biogeography suggest that A.macrodactylum and A.laterale are descended from a common ancestor that gained access to the western Cordillera with the loss of the mid-continental seaway toward the Paleocene. The distribution of the long-toed salamander is primarily in the Pacific Northwest, with an altitudinal range of up to 2,800 meters (9,200ft). It lives in a variety of habitats including temperate rainforests, coniferous forests, montaneriparian zones, sagebrush plains, red fir forests, semi-arid sagebrush, cheatgrass plains, and alpine meadows along the rocky shores of mountain lakes. It lives in slow-moving streams, ponds and lakes during its aquatic breeding phase. The long-toed salamander hibernates during the cold winter months, surviving on protein energy reserves stored in the skin and tail.
The southern torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton variegatus) is a member of the salamander family Rhyacotritonidae. It is a small salamander endemic to the Pacific Northwest from Northern California to Southern Oregon; its distribution reaches the farthest south of the torrent salamanders. They are one of four species of Rhyacotriton, along with R. cascadae, R. kezeri and R. olympicus. All species of Rhyacotriton are small with their body length being less than 5inches. The family Rhyacotritonidae is found only in the Pacific Northwest, extending from Northern California to the Washington Peninsula.
The Larch Mountain salamander (Plethodon larselli) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the United States. The Larch Mountain salamander occurs in the Cascade Mountains of southern Washington and northern Oregon. In Washington, it occurs from the Columbia River Gorge to just north of Snoqualmie Pass. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and rocky areas.
The coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) is a species of frog in the genus Ascaphus, the only genus in the family Ascaphidae/æˈskæfɪdiː/. The "tail" in the name is actually an extension of the male cloaca. The tail is one of two distinctive anatomical features adapting the species to life in fast-flowing streams. It is the only North American frog that reproduces by internal fertilization.[16] Until 2001, the genus was believed to be monotypic, the single species being the tailed frog (Ascaphus trueiStejneger, 1899). However, in that year Nielson, Lohman, and Sullivan published evidence in Evolution that promoted the Rocky Mountain tailed frog (Ascaphus montanus) from a subspecies to its own species. Since then, the former species has been formally called coastal tailed frog.
The Great Basin spadefoot (Spea intermontana) is a species of toad in the family Scaphiopodidae. The natural habitats of the Great Basin spadefoot include pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine, and high elevation spruce-fir forests, semidesert shrubland, sagebrush flats, temperate grasslands, and deserts. They are present in agricultural areas as well. The Great Basin spadefoot can be found from southern British Columbia through the eastern portions of Washington and Oregon and in southern Idaho. Their range extends throughout all of Nevada and into most of Utah; they are also present in small areas in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Western toad
The western toad or boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas) is a large toad species, between 5.6 and 13cm long, of western North America. It has a white or cream dorsal stripe, and is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches.
The American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana),[20][21][22] often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or "true frogs", native to much of North America.[23] This is a frog of larger, permanent water bodies, swamps, ponds, and lakes, where it is usually found along the water's edge.[24] On rainy nights, bullfrogs, along with many other amphibians, travel overland, and may be seen in numbers on country roads.
Columbia spotted frog
The Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) is a North American species of frog. It is a medium-sized frog reaching lengths of up to 3+1⁄2 inches (90cm). Its color ranges from a dark, olive green to light brown with irregularly-shaped black spots on its back and legs (rendering its name). The belly and upper lip are white in color. Individuals can be distinguished from other Rana species by their shorter back legs, narrow snout and upturned eyes. Since they spend most of their time in the water, they also have more webbing in their hind feet than similar species.[25][26]
Northern leopard frog
The northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)[20][21][27]) is a species of leopard frog from the family Ranidae native to parts of Canada and United States. The northern leopard frog is a fairly large species of frog reaching about 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) in length. It varies from green to brown in dorsal colour with large dark circular spots on its back, sides and legs. Northern leopard frogs have a wide range of habitats. They are found in permanent ponds, swamps, marshes and slow moving streams throughout forest, open and urban areas. They normally inhabit water bodies with abundant aquatic vegetation. They are well adapted to cold and can be found above 3,000 meters (9,800 feet)asl.[28][29]
The Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is found in western United States and possibly Canada, mainly in the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains. The Cascade frog was first discovered in the Cascade Mountains in the California regions. It can be found throughout the Cascade Mountains ranging from Washington through Oregon, and California. They concentrate heavily around the volcanic area of the peaks. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate grassland, rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes generally between 665m(2,180ft) and 2,450m(8,040ft) elevation. The range may extend lower in Washington.[37][38]
The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to Louisiana and northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The turtle is the only species of the genus Chrysemys, which is part of the pond turtle family, Emydidae.
Western pond turtle
The western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata or Emys marmorata) or Pacific pond turtle is a small to medium-sized turtle growing to approximately 20cm (8in) in carapace length. It is limited to the west coast of the United States of America and Mexico, ranging from western Washington state to northern Baja California.
Northern alligator lizard
The northern alligator lizard (Elgaria coerulea) is a medium-sized, slender-bodied lizard that occurs on the North American west coast. Adults reach a snout-to-vent length of about 10cm (4in) and a total length of roughly 25cm (10in). They have a distinct skin fold on their sides, separating the keeled scales on the back from the smooth ventral scales. They are brownish in color and often have dark blotches that sometimes blend together into bands. The belly is light gray. The eyes are dark. The northern alligator lizard occurs along the Pacific Coast and in the Rocky Mountains from southern British Columbia through Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana south through Oregon to the coastal range and the Sierra Nevada in central California.[42]
The Great Basin collared lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores), also known as the desert collared lizard or Mojave black-collared lizard, is a species of lizard in the genus Crotaphytus. It is very similar to the common collared lizard (C. collaris) in shape and size, but it lacks the bright extravagant colors of that species. Males can be brown to orange with some red or pink on the belly. Females are more black or dark brown. C. bicintores have elongated scales near the nails and their tail is more triangular in shape than that of C. collaris.
Long-nosed leopard lizard
The long-nosed leopard lizard, Gambelia wislizenii, is a relatively small lizard ranging from 3+1⁄4 – 5+3⁄4 inches (8.2-14.6cm). It has a large head, long nose, and a long round tail that can be longer than its body. It is closely related to the blunt-nosed leopard lizard which it closely resembles in body proportions, but that species has a conspicuously blunt snout. They were once considered part of the genusCrotaphytus. The epithet wislizenii is in honor of the German-American surgeon and naturalist Frederick Adolph Wislizenus, who caught the first specimen near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is a species of phrynosomatidlizard native to western North America. They are often referred to as "horny toads", although they are not toads, but lizards. They typically range from southern Idaho in the north to northern Mexico in the south. There are considered to be two subspecies: the northern desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos) ranging in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, the Colorado front range, and parts of southeastern Oregon; and the southern desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum) ranging in southern Utah and Nevada to southeast California, western Arizona, and northern Baja California.
Common sagebrush lizard
The sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus graciosus) is a common lizard found in mid to high latitudes in the Western United States of America. It belongs to the genusSceloporus (spiny lizards) in the lizard family Phrynosomatidae. Named after the sagebrush plants near which it is commonly found, the sagebrush lizard has keeled and spiny scales running along its dorsal surface.
Western skink
The western skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) is a small, smooth-scaledlizard with relatively small limbs, measuring about 100 to 200mm long. Western skinks are very adaptable. They spend much of their day basking in the sun. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles. Western Skinks will bite if grasped and will flee if they feel threatened. It is a common but secretive species whose range extends throughout Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming and into western Montana and northern Arizona.[44] It is widespread in northern California but restricted to the coast in central and southern California. Found in a variety of habitats, this lizard is most common in early successional stages or open areas of late successional stages. Heavy brush and densely forested areas are generally avoided.[45] Western skinks are found from sea level to at least 2,130m (6,990ft).[46] This diurnal reptile is active during the warm seasons.[45]
Western fence lizard
The western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a common lizard of California and the surrounding area. Because the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. Immature western fence lizards have aquamarine-colored bellies. It is a member of the genusSceloporus, and therefore is a spiny lizard.[47] Although California is the heart of the range of this lizard, it is also found in eastern and southwest Oregon, as well as in the Columbia River Gorge, southwest Idaho, Nevada, western Utah, and northwestern Baja California, and some of the islands off the coast of both California and Baja California.[48] The western fence lizard occupies a variety of habitats. It is found in grassland, broken chaparral, sagebrush, woodland, coniferous forest, and farmland, and occupies elevations from sea level to 10,800ft.[15] They generally avoid the harsh desert.
Side-blotched lizard
The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) is a species of side-blotched lizard common on the Pacific coast of North America, from Washington to western Texas and NW Mexico. It has a peculiar evolutionary strategy following the pattern of the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, with three types of males existing, each of which applies a different technique to acquire mates (Sinervo & Lively, 1996; Sinervo, 2001; Alonzo & Sinervo, 2001; Sinervo & Clobert, 2001; Sinervo & Zamudio, 2001). The specific epithet, stansburiana, is in honor of Captain Howard Stansbury of the United States Corps of Topographical Engineers, who collected the first specimens while leading the 1849-1851 expedition to explore and survey the Great Salt Lake of Utah.[49]
Western whiptail
The western whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris (Baird and Girard, 1852)) is a small lizard (adults average 25 to 35cm - about a foot - in length) that ranges throughout most of the southwestern United States. Most of its populations appear stable, and is not listed as endangered in any of the states comprising its range. It lives in a wide variety of habitats, including deserts and semiarid shrublands, usually in areas with sparse vegetation; also woodland, open dry forest, and riparian growth. It lives in burrows. Major differences between this species and the checkered whiptail (Aspidoscelis tesselatus) include the lack of enlarged scales anterior to the gular fold and the presence of enlarged antebatrachial scales. It was previously known as Cnemidophorus tigris, until phylogenetic analyses concluded that the genus Cnemidophorus was polyphyletic. Since it does not migrate, a number of forms have developed in different regions, several of which have been given sub-specific names - for example the California whiptail, Aspidoscelis tigris munda.
The rubber boa (Charina bottae) is a snake in the genus Charina in the family Boidae. The family Boidae consists of the non-venomous snakes commonly called boas and consists of 43 species. The genus Charina consists of two species found in western North America.
Racer
The racer (Coluber constrictor) is a species of non-venomouscolubrid snake. They are primarily found throughout the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains, but they range north into Canada, and south into Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Racers typically grow to around 3+1⁄2 foot (107cm) long, but some subspecies are capable of attaining lengths of 6 feet (1.8 metres). Their patterns vary widely between subspecies. Most are solid colored as their common names - e.g. black racer, brown racer, blue racer or green racer - imply. "Runner" is sometimes used instead of "racer" in their common name.
The ringneck snake or ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus) is a species of colubrid snake. It is found throughout much of the United States, central Mexico, and south eastern Canada.[15] Ring-necked snakes are secretive, nocturnal snakes that are rarely seen during the day time. They are slightly venomous but their non-aggressive nature and small rear-facing fangs pose little threat to humans who wish to handle them. They are best known for their unique defense posture of curling up their tails exposing their bright red-orange posterior ventral surface when threatened. Ring-necked snakes are believed to be fairly abundant throughout most of their range though no scientific evaluation supports this theory.
Night snake
The night snake (Hypsiglena torquata) is a species of rear-fanged colubridsnake. They are found through the south and western United States, as well as Mexico. The number of subspecies varies depending on the source, but it is generally accepted that there are 17. The night snake has been found as far north as southern British Columbia, and as far south as Guerrero, Mexico. The eastern range of the night snake extends to Texas. Still, not much is known as far as population densities and exact range due to the highly cryptic nature of the night snake.
The California mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata) is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake. It is a coral snake mimic, having a similar pattern consisting of red, black and yellow on its body, but the snake is completely harmless. As its name suggests, the California mountain kingsnake is found mostly in the mountains of California. The California mountain kingsnake is endemic to western North America, in the western United States and northwest Mexico. It ranges from extreme southern Washington state, where it has a disjunct population, through Oregon and California, to northern Baja California.
Striped whipsnake
The striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) is a species of nonvenomous colubridsnake that is closely related to the California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis). It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico. Their range extends from south central Washington south into the Great Basin between the Cascade-Sierran crest and the continental divide, southeast across the continental divide into New Mexico and western and central Texas, and south to Michoacán, Mexico. In the western United States the range also extends outside of the Great Basin into the Rogue River Valley in southwestern Oregon and northern California.
Pacific gopher snake
The gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) is a harmless colubridspecies found in North America. Six subspecies are currently recognized.[52] The specific name catenifer is Latin for 'chain bearing', referring to the dorsal color pattern. They can be found in a variety of habitats ranging from desert shrub lands to low mountain areas. Like the racer, gopher snakes are also frequently found in agricultural areas, utilizing the abundant prey available.
The western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans) is a species of colubrid snake found in southwestern Canada and the western United States. Seven subspecies are currently recognized. Most individuals have a yellow, light orange, or white dorsal stripe, accompanied by two stripes on its side of the same color. Some varieties have red or black spots between the dorsal stripe and the side stripes. This snake often inhabits coniferous forests, and is relatively aquatic.
Northwestern garter snake
The northwestern garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides) is a species of colubrid garter snake that lives in Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia. The garter snake is small, with adults averaging around 14-21 inches long. The northwestern garter snake is one of the most variable snakes in the world; however, no subspecies have been confirmed. The snake is most commonly found on the edge of meadows, surrounded by forest, as some sunshine is needed for their survival.
Common garter snake
The common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is a snake indigenous to North America. Most garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a brown background and their average length is about 1 to 1.5 meters (3.3 to 4.9ft). The common garter snake is a diurnal snake. In summer, it is most active in the morning and late afternoon; in cooler seasons or climates, it restricts its activity to the warm afternoons.
Slevin, Joseph Richard (1928). The amphibians of western North America: an account of the species known to inhabit California, Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Sonora, and Lower California. California Academy of Sciences.
↑ Sherbrooke, Wade C. "Introduction to Horned Lizards of North America." California Natural History Guides, 2003
↑ Stebbins, R.C. 1985. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. 2nd ed., revised. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massachusetts. 336 pp
1 2 Tanner, W.W. 1957. A taxonomic and ecological study of the western skink (Eumeces skiltonianus). Great Basin Nat. 17(3-4):59-94.
↑ Zeiner, D.C., W.F. Laudenslayer, Jr., K.E. Mayer, and M. White, eds. 1988. California's Wildlife. Vol. 1. Amphibians and reptiles. Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game, Sacramento, California. 272 pp.
Belize is a country with a rich variety of wildlife, due to its unique position between North and South America, and a wide range of climates and habitats for plant and animal life. Belize's low human population, and approximately 8,867 square miles (22,970 km2) of undistributed land, provides an ideal home for more than 5000 species of plants, and vast numbers species of animals — with several hundred vertebrates including armadillos, snakes, and monkeys.
Batrachoseps is a genus of lungless salamanders (plethodontids) often called slender salamanders. They can be distinguished from other lungless salamanders by the four toes they have on each foot.
The foothill yellow-legged frog is a small-sized frog from the genus Rana in the family Ranidae. This species was historically found in the Coast Ranges from northern Oregon, through California, and into Baja California, Mexico as well as in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range in California. The foothill yellow-legged frog is a Federal Species of Concern and California State Endangered. A federal rule to list four out of six extant distinct population segments (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act was proposed in December 2021.
The San Francisco garter snake is a slender multi-colored subspecies of the common garter snake. Designated as an endangered subspecies since the year 1967, it is endemic to San Mateo County and the extreme northern part of coastal Santa Cruz County in California.
The fauna of Canada consist of approximately 200 mammal species, over 460 native bird species, 43 amphibian species, 43 reptile species, and 1,200 fish species. The biology survey of Canada cites that there are approximately 55,000 species of insects, and 11,000 species of mites and spiders.
The Central Oregon Coast Range is the middle section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, and located in the west-central portion of the state of Oregon, United States roughly between the Salmon River and the Umpqua River and the Willamette Valley and the Pacific Ocean. This approximately 90-mile (140 km) long mountain range contains mountains as high as 4,097 feet for Marys Peak. Portions of the range are inside the Siuslaw National Forest and three wilderness areas exist as well: Drift Creek Wilderness, Cummins Creek Wilderness and Rock Creek Wilderness.
The Cascades frog is a species of frog in the family Ranidae found in the Pacific Northwest, mainly in the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains.
The western terrestrial garter snake is a western North American species of colubrid snake. At least five subspecies are recognized.
Wyoming is home to 12 amphibian species and 22 species of reptiles.
There are 14 species of amphibians and 5 species of reptiles known to occur in Mount Rainier National Park.
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