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28 Cards in this Set

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Ambystoma californiense (California Tiger Salamander)
Ambystomatidae
Native to Central Valley, Bay Area
Breeds in vernal pools, which are disappearing due to development in and around Central Valley
Large, with small eyes and laterally compressed tail
Black with yellow or cream-colored *spots* diagnostic - compare with stripes of Ambystoma tigrinum
Endangered by habitat loss and hybridization with A. tigrinum - most A. californiense have some genetic information from A. tigrinum

Ambystoma gracile (Northwestern Salamander)
Ambystomatidae
Native to North Coast
Woodland, forest, grassland
Breeds in permanent or weakly seasonal lakes and ponds, some streams
Facultatively neotenic - larvae may breed in certain environmental conditions (related to water temperature)
Intermediate size
Brown to black dorsum, prominent parotoid glands and glandular thickening along dorsal ridge of tail

Ambystoma macrodactylum (Long-toed Salamander)
Ambystomatidae
Native to Great Basin and South Coast
May have large "cannibal morph" larvae
Smallest ambystomatid of the four here
Round head, googley eyes
Long fingers, especially on hind feet
Bright dorsal patterning - yellow or orange dorsal bars, splotches, or stripe on dusky or black dorsum, sides frosted with fine white flecks
Endangered, again due to disappearance of vernal pools across CA

Ambystoma tigrinum (Tiger Salamander)
Ambystomatidae
Introduced to CA, found in Bay Area and in populations across CA
Found in most of contiguous USA
Habitat generalist
Breeds in temporary or permanent lakes, slow streams or ponds
Black with yellow or cream-colored *barring*

-Dicamptodon ensatus (California Giant Salamander)
Dicamptodontidae
Native to North Coast, South Coast, Bay Area
Inhabits conifer forests or mixed conifer and deciduous forests
Usually breeds in streams, streamlined lotic (stream form) larvae
Facultatively neotenic
Heaviest terrestrial salamander, sturdy legs and massive head, laterally flattened tail, large eyes
Dorsum dark brown with irregular marbling

-Rhyacotriton variegatus (Southern Torrent Salamander)
Rhyacotritonidae
Pacific Northwest endemic - North Coast temperate rainforests
Small stream dweller - seldom terrestrial
Low vagility - stay within the same segment of stream
Diagnostic squared-off glands at the vent - only in males!
Short, laterally compressed tail for stream life habit
Reduced lungs, heavy respiration through skin
Salt-and-pepper mottling on dark dorsum and light venter
Compare visually to Hydromantes - R. variegatus is smaller, has more pronounced eyes (visible in top-down silhouette)

-Taricha torosa (Coast Range Newt):
Salamandridae
Native to North Coast, South Coast, Bay Area, Sierra Nevada
Woodlands and coniferous forests
Holds tail straight during unken reflex
Insanely poisonous - arms race with Thamnophis (species?)
Lays eggs in spherical masses in ponds or slow streams
Lentic larvae
Eyes bulge farther out of top-down silhouette
Vomerine teeth in Y-shape, run parallel anteriorly but do not converge
Yellow venter pigmentation more visible between lip and eye

-Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned Newt):
Salamandridae
Native to North Coast, Bay Area
Hybridizes with T. torosa
Curls tail during unken reflex
Lays eggs individually in ponds or slow streams
Lentic larvae
Eyes do not bulge far out of top-down silhouette
Vomerine teeth diverge in V shape, converge anteriorly
Dark dorsum pigmentation extends between lip and eye


-Taricha rivularis (Red-bellied Newt):
Salamandridae
North Coast, woodlands and coniferous forests
Lays eggs in streamlined clusters
Breeds in streams, semi-lotic larvae
Dark eyes, dark dorsum pigmentation in bands on elbows and vent (vent band more prominent in males)
Bright tomato-red venter - compare with yellowish T. torosa and T. granulosa (but this is useless in the lab)
Mnemonic: dorsum color runs in *rivulets* down elbows and vent


-Aneides lugubris (Arboreal Salamander):
Plethodontidae
Native to North Coast, South Coast, Central Valley, Bay Area
All Aneides possess truncated triangular head prehensile tails, specialized for climbing rock walls and tree trunks
Inhabits oak woodlands
Fierce intraspecific competition - biting
Eggs laid hanging from ceiling, as in all Aneides
Chunky jaw with powerful biting muscles, truncated triangle-shaped head
Squared-off toes (may not be visible in specimens), pronounced costal grooves

-Aneides flavipunctatus (Black Salamander):
Plethodontidae
Native to Bay Area, North Coast
Grassland, oak and conifer forests, especially talus slopes
Very low vagility
Smaller jaw musculature than A. lugubris
Squared-off toes, 14-16 costal grooves
Black, sometimes with white or yellow speckling


-Aneides vagrans (Wandering Salamander):
Plethodontidae
North Coast
Dicot and redwood forests, especially at edges of clearings in and under decaying logs
Highly arboreal - may spend entire life in old-growth redwood canopy
Smaller jaw musculature than A. lugubris
Squared-off toes, 16-17 costal grooves
Cloudy/blotchy dorsal patterning

-Batrachoseps attenuatus (California Slender Salamander):
Plethodontidae
North Coast, Bay Area
Woodlands, goniferous forests, sometimes grassland
Colossal fossorial biomass - only show up above ground under cured logs and like objects
Uses worm burrows and root tunnels - VERY low vagility
Eggs laid in communal nests
Tail grows continuously by adding vertebrae
Worm-like with reduced limbs
Hind feet with four toes instead of the normal five
Brown to grey, longitudinal dorsal striping, coloration varies wildly

-Ensatina eschscholtzii (Ensatina):
Plethodontidae
Sierra Nevada, North Coast, South Coast, Bay Area
Woodlands and conifer forests
E. e. eschscholtzii mimics Taricha - example of M¸llerian mimicry
Ring species - this has been done to death, but be familiar with the mechanisms
Marked constriction at base of tail
Male tail is slimmer and longer than females'
Slim untapered fingers
Males with pronounced forking of nasolabial groove near edge of mouth
E. e. xanthoptica possesses eye ring, occurs in Bay Area



-Hydromantes spp. (Web-toed Salamanders):
Plethodontidae
Sierra Nevada
Cave, rock, and crevice specialists
H. platycephalus is California's flattest salamander
Use feet to adhere to slippery surfaces, muscular tail to climb
Toes webbed, no gland under tail
Small to medium in size
Eyes more recessed than those of Rhyacotriton variegatus - also note lack of squared-off vent

-Ascaphus truei (Coastal Tailed Frog)
Ascaphidae
North Coast
Coniferous forests and deciduous woodlands
Cold-adapted, adapted to fast-moving water (lotic)
Fusiform larvae with suction cup mouth
Internal fertilization - males uses "tail" (copulatory organ, cloacal extension) to inseminate female
Tympanum concealed
Short frog (2.5-5cm long) with rough skin


-Scaphiopus couchii (Couch's Spadefoot)
Scaphiopodidae
Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, South Coast
Found in grass plains, mesquite savannahs and creosote deserts
Breeds in temporary ponds
Larvae may be highly cannibalistic - function of brief existence of desert ponds
Sickle-shaped spade
Networked dark coloration on back more visible in females


-Spea hammondii (Western Spadefoot)
Scaphiopodidae
Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, South Coast
Grassland, open woodland, washes, flood plains
Wedge-shaped spade
Grayish, with longitudinal hourglass markings on back

-Bufo boreas (Western Toad)
Bufonidae
Habitat generalist, found in North Coast, Great Basin, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, South Coast, Bay Area
Grasslands, mountain meadows, farmland, open woodland and forests
Breeds in ponds, lakes, slow stream borders
Parotid glands large and round, separated from each other by ~2*(maximum parotid gland width)
Diagnostic white stripe down back


-Bufo canorus (Yosemite Toad)
Bufonidae
Sierra Nevada
Open moist areas with low vegetation and sparse willows and conifers
Breeds in cold pools and small streams
Large flat parotoids separated by less than the maximum width of each gland
Lay eggs in strings or networks
Strongly dimorphic: males boring olive or yellow-green with small scant spots, females with expansive black blotches around orange skin tubercles
Endangered


-Bufo punctatus (Red-spotted Toad)
Bufonidae
Desert
Oases, grassland, canyons, arroyos
Flattened head for crevice-dwelling
Rough round parotoids about the same size as upper eyelids - smaller and more raised than on B. canorus
Skin tubercles red-tipped (lost in specimens), evenly-distributed, and small
Best identified by what it's not



-Bufo cognatus (Great Plains Toad)
Bufonidae
Desert
Prairie and deserts, adapted to semiarid conditions
Parotoids definite, elongate, often kidney-shaped - diagnostic
Cranial crests unite anteriorly to form a boss


-Pseudacris regilla (Pacific Chorus Frog)
Hylidae
Occurs throughout CA - North Coast, Great Basin, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, South Coast, and Bay Area
Very vocal, distinctive call
Round, smooth frog
Eyes bulge out of top-down silhouette more than P. cadaverina
Vocal sac in males may be grey and wrinkled
Broadened toe tips for climbing
Black eye-stripe from nostril to shoulder diagnostic (lost in specimens!)
May change color from brown to green in minutes


-Pseudacris cadaverina (California Chorus Frog)
Hylidae
South Coast
Flatter body, more acute snout, greater hind toe webbing, more acute snout, more dorsal (less prominent in top-down silhouette) eyes than P. regilla
Skin with fine granite texture and color, rougher than P. regilla (lost in specimens)
No eye stripe
Toe tips broader than on P. regilla - more obvious on front feet
Extremely difficult to distinguish from P. regilla post-preservation!

-Rana draytonii (California Red-legged Frog)
Ranidae
North Coast, South Coast, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Bay Area
Woodlands and coniferous forests
Breeds in slow-moving streams, ponds, lakes
Large, with well-developed dorsolateral folds
Tympanum smooth
Webbing on hind feet doesn't extend to 4th toe
Tiger stripes on upper hind-legs
Vulnerable, threatened by R. catesbeiana

-Rana boylii (Foothill Yellow-legged Frog)
Ranidae
North Coast, South Coast, Sierra Nevada, Bay Area
Inhabits woodlands and forests, breeds in streams and rivers - unclear if larvae are lentic or lotic type
Smallish frog
Diagnostic rough tympanum
Faint pale triangle on forehead lost in specimens


-Rana muscosa (Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog)
Ranidae
Sierra Nevada
Breeds in slow streams, ponds, and lakes
Complete webbing on hind feet
"Painted toenails" - dark toe-tips
Endangered, declined dramatically in 20th century


-Rana catesbeiana (American Bullfrog)
Ranidae
Introduced from east of the Rockies, now widespread in California
Largest frog in North America
Burly front legs
Prominent fold of skin from eye over tympanum to base of forearm diagnostic
Sexually dimorphic - (eye width):(tympanum width) is ~1 in females, <1 in males