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AMPHIBIAN FACTS • What Is an “Amphibian”? an Amphibian Is Member of the Class Amphibia, Meaning “Dual Life” Based on the Skin Is Rather Rough for a “Frog”

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AMPHIBIAN FACTS • What Is an “Amphibian”? an Amphibian Is Member of the Class Amphibia, Meaning “Dual Life” Based on the Skin Is Rather Rough for a “Frog” AMPHIBIANS OF UTAH Plains Spadefoot Spea bombifrons • A prominent boss between eyes, with a “pug” dog like profile. • Like most spadefoots, commonly breeds during heavy summer rains. • Call resembles rapid trill (quacking duck). Pacific Tree Frog Great Plains Toad Pseudacris regilla Anaxyrus cognatus • Small frog with toe pads & a dark eye- • Large, well-defined pale-bordered dark blotches stripe; highly variable color (green, tan, Boreal (Western) Toad reddish, gray, cream, brown, or black). on back occur in symmetrical patterns. Anaxyrus boreas • Populations in southwestern Utah • Few observations exist for this species in Utah. • Has a dorsal stripe but lacks a cranial crest. • Call resembles a jackhammer (almost deafening may not be native, but imported with • A high elevation species in Utah, that Columbia Spotted Frog nursery trees. when multiple males call). is capable of traveling > 4 miles across Rana luteiventris • Call resembles a “ribbit” or “kreck-ek.” mountain ranges. • Commonly orange or salmon colored belly, dark • Call resembles a distant flock of geese spots on back. (this toad lacks a vocal sack, thus calls are • A high elevation species that has largely absent or generally “quiet”). recovered through habitat restoration efforts. • Call resembles “hollow” sound, like rapidly Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens tapping a hollow log. • White or cream colored belly; well defined, pale-bordered, dark spots & continuous dorso- Woodhouse’s Toad lateral folds on back. Anaxyrus woodhousii • When startled may seek water by way of • Dorsal stripe, prominent cranial crest, & jumping in a “zig-zag” pattern. divergent paratoid glands. • Call resembles a “snore like” sound, like • Occurs at lower elevations across the state rubbing an inflated balloon with thumb, often (< 8,500 feet). followed by chuckling. Mexican Spadefoot • Call resembles an infant’s cry or a bawling calf. Spea multiplicata • Iris often copper colored; lacks a boss. • Like most spadefoots, the spades on hind feet are used for burrowing underground. • Call resembles other spadefoots (trill), but tends Tiger Salamander Canyon Tree Frog Ambystoma tigrinum to be a longer, slower, “metallic vibrating” snore. Hyla arenicolor • Color & pattern may vary greatly depending • Enlarged toe pads for sticking to terrain; on age & locality, generally olive in AMPHIBIAN FACTS • What is an “amphibian”? An amphibian is member of the class Amphibia, meaning “dual life” based on the skin is rather rough for a “frog”. coloration. animals’ use of land and water. Amphibians are ectothermic (cold blooded) and commonly use their skin for • Well-camouflaged, stream dwelling frog • Utah’s only salamander species, commonly respiration. Amphibians include frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians. that commonly occurs near water on found in ponds throughout the state. boulders & cliffs. • Does not vocalize or call. • Decline: Amphibian populations worldwide have declined in the past few decades. • Call resembles a loud rivet gun. • Amphibians play important roles in the ecosystems in which they live, as indicators of environmental health. Although amphibians existed before dinosaurs, today nearly half of the species are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, non-native species introductions, and disease. • Disease: Chytridiomycosis is the infectious disease caused by the chytrid fungus or Bd (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and has caused population declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. Boreal Chorus Frog • Although Bd is known to be a factor in amphibian mortality, some species of amphibians appear to Pseudacris maculata have immunity to chytridiomycosis infection and, for a few susceptible species, some populations con- • Small frog with 3 dark stripes on back, tinue to persist despite infection. highly variable color (gray, brown, green, • Bd is widespread in the US and could be transmitted by direct contact and through other means such olive, or reddish), and no toe pads. as contaminated fishing gear. • Common throughout wetlands of the Great Basin Spadefoot • What if you see an amphibian species of concern? Take a photo of the amphibian, this ensures a record for Wasatch Front & Uinta Mountain ranges. Spea intermontana your observation. Record the location where you observed the species, preferably with a GPS device or by • Call resembles rubbing teeth of a comb • Glandular boss between eye, which may taking notes on the pond, trail or road name that you were near. Record the date and time along with other with finger (similar to the sound of a help protect head when toad extracts itself useful notes (e.g., calling), email the photo and information with your contact info to [email protected]. cricket) from burrow. Red-Spotted Toad • Most common anuran in Utah. • Some amphibian species are protected by state law, thus collecting and possessing some species is prohib- Anaxyrus punctatus ited. For a full list of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ amphibian and reptile regulations please visit: • Call resembles a low pitched snore (“waa- • Small, flat toad with round paratoids and http://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/amphibians_reptiles/ waa-waa”). numerous red or orange warts on a light gray, olive or reddish brown body. • Known to hybridize with other toad species. American Bullfrog Relict Leopard Frog • Call resembles a high pitched musical trill. Lithobates catesbianus Lithobates onca • Large tympanum with mottled green and white bellies; • The dorso-lateral folds not continuous. closely related to the Green Frog (L. clamitans; not • Last seen in southwestern Utah in the Arizona Toad depicted). early 1950’s. Anaxyrus microscaphus Scan this QR Code with your • Non-native & causes large scale damage to ecosystems. • Call resembles Northern Leopard Frog, • Highly variable color (gray, beige, dull yellow, smartphone or camera phone to Illegal to possess, collect, import, or propagate. only not as long or loud. rust, brown, & pink) with small warts. hear calls of the frogs and toads • Call resembles a "light-saber" or deep pitched bellow • Estimated to have disappeared from 75% of INVASIVE! ("jug-o-rum" or "br-wum") sound. its known historical range. found on this poster. • Call resembles a rapid trill, ending abruptly. Amphibians of Utah poster created by and Art work provided by Ben Sutter..
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