List of amphibians of Minnesota

List of Minnesota amphibians lists all of the salamanders, frogs, and toads found in Minnesota.

Salamanders

There are eight species of salamanders in Minnesota. ^[1]

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Distribution	Size	Picture
Spotted salamander	Ambystoma maculatum	Special Concern [2]	Pine and Carlton Counties	6-8 inches (15–20 cm)
Blue-spotted salamander	Ambystoma laterale	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding southwestern prairies	4-5.5 inches (10–14 cm)
Western tiger salamander	Ambystoma mavortium	Least concern	Extreme western Minnesota	6-8 inches (15–20 cm)
Eastern tiger salamander	Ambystoma tigrinum	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding the northeast Arrowhead Region	6-8 inches (15–20 cm)
Four-toed salamander	Hemidactylium scutatum	Special concern [3]	Mille Lacs north to Itasca County, east to southern St. Louis County	6-8 inches (15–20 cm)
Common mudpuppy	Necturus maculosus	Least concern	Scattered throughout, excluding the Arrowhead Region.	8-13 inches (20–33 cm)
Central newt	Notophthalmus viridescens	Least concern	Scattered populations, absent from southwestern prairies	2.5-4 inches (6–10 cm)
Red-backed salamander	Plethodon cinereus	Least concern	Throughout northeast Minnesota	6-8 inches (15–20 cm)

Frogs

There are eleven species of frogs in Minnesota. ^[1]

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Distribution	Size	Picture
Blanchard's cricket frog	Acris blanchardi	Least concern, endangered in Minnesota	Southeast and extreme southwest Minnesota	1-1.25 inches (2.5–3 cm)
Cope's gray treefrog	Hyla chrysoscelis	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding northeast	1-2 inches (2.5–5 cm)
Gray treefrog	Hyla versicolor	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding southwest	1-2 inches (2.5–5 cm)
Spring peeper	Pseudacris crucifer	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding southwest	~1 inch (2.5 cm)
Boreal chorus frog	Pseudacris maculata	Least concern	Throughout the state	1-1.25 inches (2.5–3 cm)
Bullfrog	Lithobates catesbeianus	Least concern	Native only to Houston and Winona Counties, introduced throughout southern Minnesota	5-7 inches (13–18 cm)
Green frog	Lithobates clamitans	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding southwestern prairies	2-4 inches (5–10 cm)
Pickerel frog	Lithobates palustris	Least concern	Southeastern Minnesota	1.75-3 inches (4.5-7.5 cm)
Northern leopard frog	Lithobates pipiens	Least concern	Throughout the state	2-3.5 inches (5–9 cm)
Mink frog	Lithobates septentrionalis	Least concern	Minnesota north of Twin Cities	2-4 inches (5–10 cm)
Wood frog	Lithobates sylvaticus	Least concern	Throughout the state, excluding the far southwestern counties	2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm)

Toads

There are three species of toads in Minnesota. ^[1]

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Distribution	Size	Picture
American toad	Anaxyrus americanus	Least concern	Throughout the state	2-3.5 inches (5–9 cm)
Great Plains toad	Anaxyrus cognatus	Special Concern [4]	Far western Minnesota	2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm)
Canadian toad	Anaxyrus hemiophrys	Least concern	Far western Minnesota, north from Yellow Medicine County	2-3.5 inces (5–9 cm)

References

1. Minnesota Amphibian and Reptile Survey Accessed February 05, 2018
2. "Ambystoma maculatum : Spotted Salamander | Rare Species Guide". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
3. "Hemidactylium scutatum : Four-toed Salamander | Rare Species Guide". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
4. "Anaxyrus cognatus : Great Plains Toad | Rare Species Guide". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 22, 2025.

External links

• Minnesota Herpetological Society
• Checklist of Amphibian Species and Identification Guide
• Minnesota Amphibian and Reptile Survey