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Desert Amphibians in the Southwest
Amphibians are ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates of the class Amphibia.
From Wikipedia:
Modern amphibians are all Lissamphibia.
They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal or freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Thus amphibians typically start out as larvae living in water, but some species have developed behavioral adaptations to bypass this. The young generally undergo metamorphosis from larva with gills to an adult air-breathing form with lungs. Amphibians use their skin as a secondary respiratory surface and some small terrestrial salamanders and frogs lack lungs and rely entirely on their skin.
They are superficially similar to lizards but, along with mammals and birds, reptiles are amniotes and do not require water bodies in which to breed. With their complex reproductive needs and permeable skins, amphibians are often ecological indicators; in recent decades there has been a dramatic decline in amphibian populations for many species around the globe.
The three modern orders of amphibians are Anura (the frogs and toads), Urodela (the salamanders), and Apoda (the caecilians).
Amargosa Toad – Bufonidae (Anaxyrus nelsoni) (Nevada)
American Bullfrog – Ranidae (Lithobates catesbeianus) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Arizona Toad – Bufonidae (Anaxyrus microscaphus) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Arizona Treefrog Hyla wrightorum (New Mexico)
Baja California Treefrog – Hylidae (Pseudacris hypochondriaca) (Pseudacris regilla) (Nevada)
Balcones Barking Frog Craugastor augusti latrans (New Mexico)
Barred Tiger Salamander – Ambystomatidae (Ambystoma mavortium) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Boreal Chorus Frog Pseudacris maculata (New Mexico)
Boreal Toad – Bufonidae (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Bullfrog (Rana catesbiana) (Nevada)
Canyon Treefrog – Hylidae (Hyla arenicolor) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Spea multiplicata stagnalis (New Mexico)
Chiricahua Leopard Frog Lithobates chiricahuensis (New Mexico)
Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) (Nevada)
Couch’s Spadefoot Scaphiopus couchii (New Mexico)
Eastern Cricket Frog Acris crepitans crepitans (New Mexico)
Great Basin Spadefoot – Pelobatidae (Spea intermontana) (Nevada)
Great Plains Toad – Bufonidae (Anaxyrus cognatus) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Jemez Mountain Salamander Plethodon neomexicanus (New Mexico)
Lowland Leopard Frog – Ranidae (Lithobates yavapaiensis) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Northern Leopard Frog – Ranidae (Lithobates pipiens) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Plains Leopard Frog Lithobates blairi (New Mexico)
Plains Spadefoot Spea bombifrons (New Mexico)
Red-spotted Toad – Bufonidae (Anaxyrus punctatus) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Rio Grande Leopard Frog Lithobates berlandieri (New Mexico)
Sacramento Mountains Salamander Aneides hardii (New Mexico)
Sonoran Desert Toad Ollotis alvaria (New Mexico)
Southwestern Woodhouse’s Toad – Bufonidae (Anaxyrus woodhousii australis) (Nevada, New Mexico)
Relect Leopard Frog – Ranidae (Lithobates onca) (Nevada)
Texas Toad Anaxyrus speciosus (New Mexico)
Western Chorus Frog Pseudacris triseriata (New Mexico)
Western Green Toad Anaxyrus debilis insidior (New Mexico)
Western Narrow-mouthed Toad Gastrophryne olivacea olivacea (New Mexico)
Western Toad (Bufo Boreas) (Nevada)
Desert Amphibians in the Southwest Resources
- https://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/nature/amphibians.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_Nevada#Amphibians
Desert Amphibians in the Southwest
I am an outdoor enthusiast who would rather be on a backcountry backpacking trip than a stroll on the beach (although I do love the beach!).
Living in Las Vegas has afforded me the opportunity to easily explore the Southwest region of the United States.
A nature lover, I am often found at the end of the pack taking photos and videos of the wildlife found on the trails. Colorful flowers, desert animals, and unusual geological rock formations are often the majority of my photos.
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