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Amphibians Phosis Has Been Studied Extensively The Amphibian Life Cycle: Visitor Centers The fascinating process of metamor- ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Amphibians phosis has been studied extensively. Fremont (510) 796-0199 The dramatic changes during each life of the phase are often visible to the naked [email protected] eye and allows us a glimpse into the Regional Parks world of cellular growth. BLACK DIAMOND MINES Antioch (925) 757-2620 [email protected] Anthony Fisher COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK Fremont (510) 795-9385 arboreal salamander [email protected] (Aneides lugubris) CRAB COVE at CROWN BEACH LENGTH: 2 ¼ - 4 inches. Alameda (510) 521-6887 This large salamander is grey or brown [email protected] with very small specks of light cream or yellow all over the body. The head is The California newt laying its eggs in SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS wide, the jaw muscles very well-devel- water. (illustration by Robert C. Stebbins) oped, and the eyes bulge slightly. This Sunol (925) 862-2601 salamander is able to make a barking [email protected] noise, which is rare in salamanders and Further reading: they may bite. The arboreal salamander is TILDEN NATURE AREA/EEC found in woodlands and are great climb- Petersen Field Guide to Western Reptiles and LITTLE FARM ers. The eggs are laid on land, suspended and Amphibians, Berkeley (510) 525-2233 from the top of a damp cavity in a tree, Robert C. Stebbins. [email protected] under a log, or underground, and are A Natural History of Amphibians, This brochure is provided as a public guarded by the adults. Stebbins and Cohen. FOOD: beetles, caterpillars, ants, cen- service of the Interpretive and Rec- tipedes, spiders, sowbugs, and slender reation Department of the East Bay salamanders. Text: Jessica Sheppard Regional Park District. For more infor- Cover photos: Nick Cavagnaro mation, call one of the visitor centers Illustrations: Robert C. Stebbins, listed above. Doyle Wegner Design: Doyle Wegner, Exhibit Design East Bay Regional Park District 2950 Peralta Oaks Ct., P.O. Box 5381 Cover: arboreal salamander (juvenile) Oakland, CA 94605-0381 and Pacific treefrog (510) 635-0135 TRS Relay for the Hearing Impaired: 711 CHLO ED R East Bay Regional Park District S IN E www.ebparks.org S E F C R O E R E P www. ebparks.org 2/05 Ensatina salamander with eggs. Amphibians of the foothill yellow-legged frog Frogs (Rana boylii) Regional Parks LENGTH: 1 ½ - 2 7⁄8 inches. Grey, brown, or olive on the back, usu- A mphibians are a familiar group rocks or logs to lay their eggs. Sala- ally plain but sometimes mottled. This of animals to most people. They are manders that hatch out in streams or stream-loving frog blends in well with its known for their double lives: in water ponds are aquatic just like tadpoles. environment. The underside is light, the and on land. Though all amphibians These larvae have a tail for swim- lemony-yellow legs give it the common need moisture to survive, some of ming, gills to breathe, and have four name. The bright color continues up from them complete their whole life cycle legs. They also go through metamor- the leg onto the belly. There may be a light on land. phosis and finally lose their gills triangle-shaped patch on the nose. Found and get oxygen from the air. In some near streams or rivers, the yellow-legged Winter and spring are the best times species they grow lungs, others need Steve Bobzien frog is quick to jump into the water to to see frogs and salamanders. Because only their skin to breath. At this escape danger. The compact egg masses they love the wet weather, a rainy day stage they are sub-adults and will not Pacific treefrog hike might be the only time to see a breed until they are sexually mature. (Hyla regilla) California newt walking on the path, Salamanders are unique in their abil- or a Pacific tree frog hanging out on ity to regenerate both legs and tails LENGTH: 1-2 inches. the vegetation. when broken off. This allows them to Previously called the chorus frog, our escape predators, at a small cost. smallest native frog, possesses a big voice. Amphibian’s skin is not covered with Sometimes found in shrubs or trees, they scales like reptiles, but is damp, and Most amphibian larvae are aquatic can be green, brown, or golden tan but all even slimy for some species. Salaman- and have different diets than the have a dark stripe through the eye. They ders often hide in or under logs and adults. The food items listed are for may change from light to dark in a mat- when the wood is collected as fire- the adult. ter of minutes, but the over-all color does wood, they make an attempt to escape. not change. The underside is a pale cream Steve Bobzien But, contrary to folklore, amphibians The East Bay Regional Park District with yellow on the hind quarters. Males are deposited underwater, attached to can’t crawl unharmed through fire. protects the open spaces for amphib- have a wrinkled, dusky throat. Egg clus- stream substrate including small boulders ians and other wildlife. Some areas ters of 5-10 eggs are usually attached to and pebbles. The tadpoles are small and The frog life cycle begins when adult outside the parks are threatened by submerged vegetation enclosed in a loose, mature quickly. Since they vocalize under- males sing at breeding sites to attract development that destroys habitat clear protective fluid. These diminutive water, the call of the male is rarely heard: females. Eggs are fertilized in water. for our native wildlife. We hope that frogs have the most common and famil- a grating sound in one pitch, or rising at Tadpoles (pollywogs) hatch out and you will join us in protecting both the iar voice along the Pacific Coast, a loud the end, lasting less than a second. They remain in water, breathing with gills. animals and the habitats that support two-parted sequence of “kreck-ek” that is may call quickly several times in a row. The change to adult form is called them by leaving some natural areas in repeated; often many will sing together in FOOD: grasshoppers, hornets, ants, metamorphosis. your garden and not using pesticides a lovely frog chorus. flies, mosquitoes, water-striders, beetles, or herbecides. Together we can ensure FOOD: leafhoppers, flies, ants, beetles, moths, and snails. Salamanders have a similar life cycle, their survival for future generations and spiders. and need water to lay eggs. Some spe- to study and enjoy. cies only require damp spots under Salamanders Steve Bobzien Steve Bobzien Steve Bobzien bullfrog California red-legged frog Western toad Steve Bobzien (Rana catesbeiana) (Rana aurora draytonii) (Bufo boreas) LENGTH: 3 ½ - 8 inches. LENGTH: 1 ¾ - 5 ¼ inches. LENGTH: 2 ½ - 5 inches. California tiger salamander These large olive-green frogs have be- This large beautiful frog was listed as It looks like a frog, but the skin is dry and (Ambystoma californiense) come more common in the East Bay a Federally threatened sub-species in bumpy. You won’t get warts from han- Parks. Not native to California, bullfrogs 1996. Often confused with the non- dling them! There is a light colored stripe LENGTH: 3 - 5 inches. will eat anything they can catch, even native bullfrog, our native species is down the middle of the back, overall Black with yellow or cream colored other frogs that live here! They look slightly smaller and usually has a dark color is grey, tan or greenish with black spots or bands, this stocky salamander similar to the smaller red-legged frog, but mask bordered by a light jaw stripe. splotches. The warts are poison glands is increasingly rare in most of its historic they do not have folds of skin down the They get their name from the red on the which secrete a milky fluid that repels range. Living in underground burrows of back. However there is a fold of skin that lower abdomen and underside of the predators. The bumpy skin prevents mammals for most of the year, the rainy goes from behind the eye, around the ear- back legs. Two long creases, or folds of drying out. Toads can absorb moisture season brings them out to find ponds or drum and down to the front leg. The ear- skin run along the back, and are another through their thin skin on the underside, wetlands to breed. The adults are chiefly drum is nearly as big as their large eyes. key to identification. They have become so finding moist areas is important to sur- nocturnal and are active during or just Bullfrogs compete with native wildlife for more rare because of loss of habitat and vival. They lay a string of eggs in shallow after rains. Often their presence is not food and other resources, especially with also direct competition for food with the water. The toad’s call is a low, mellow noticed until they are found dead on the the red-legged frog that has similar needs. non-native, larger bullfrogs and exotic chirping like that of a peeping chick. roads that cross the migration routes. Thousands of eggs are laid in a large raft fish. Red-legged frog eggs are laid in FOOD: flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, Eggs are laid in small clusters or singly in floating in the water. The tadpoles take a floating mass near or at the water’s caterpillars, bees, moths, crayfish, sow- shallow water attached to vegetation. two years to mature into frogs. Bullfrogs surface. Their call is more like a growl, a bugs, snails, and spiders.
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