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Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog SPECIES: Scientific [common] Ascaphus montanus [Rocky Mountain tailed frog] Forest: Salmon–Challis National Forest Forest Reviewer: Mary Friberg Date of Review: 4/2/2018 Forest concurrence (or No recommendation if new) for inclusion of species on list of potential SCC: (Enter Yes or No) FOREST REVIEW RESULTS: 1. The Forest concurs or recommends the species for inclusion on the list of potential SCC: Yes___ No__X_ 2. Rationale for not concurring is based on (check all that apply): Species is not native to the plan area _______ Species is not known to occur in the plan area _______ Species persistence in the plan area is not of substantial concern ____X___ FOREST REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. Is the Species Native to the Plan Area? Yes_X_ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment. 2. Is the Species Known to Occur within the Planning Area? Yes_ X_ No___ If no, stop assessment. Table 1. All Known Occurrences, Years, and Frequency within the Planning Area Year Number of Ranger District Source of Information Observed Individuals 1996–2016 28 Challis–Yankee Fork Ranger Idaho Fish and Wildlife District Information Systems [January 2017]; USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife [April 2017] 1996–2016 87 Middle Fork Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information Systems [January 2017]; USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife [April 2017] 1982–2007 339 North Fork Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information Systems [January 2017]; USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife [April 2017] 1999–2012 103 Salmon–Cobalt Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information Systems [January 2017]; USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife [April 2017] a. Are all Species Occurrences Only Accidental or Transient? Yes___ No_X__ If yes, document source for determination and stop assessment. b. For species with known occurrences on the Forest since 1990, based on the number of observations and/or year of last observation, can the species be presumed to be established or becoming established in the plan area? Yes_X_ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment c. For species with known occurrences on the Forest predating 1990, does the weight of evidence suggest the species still occurs in the plan area? Yes___ No___ If determination is no, stop assessment N/A—Occurrences have been documented since 1990. d. Map 1, Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog range in Idaho (IDFG 2018) IDFG (Idaho Department of Fish and Game). 2018. Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (Ascaphus montanus). Internet website: https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/18709. Accessed on January 18, 2018. e. Map 2, Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog range in Montana (MNHP and MFWP 2018) MNHP and MFWP (Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks). 2017. Montana Field Guides – Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog – Ascaphus montanus. Internet website: http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AAABA01020. Accessed on January 18, 2018. f. Map 3, Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog occurrences on the Salmon–Challis National Forest (Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information Systems [January 2017]; USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife [April 2017]) 3. Is There Substantial Concern for the Species’ Capability to persist Over the Long-term in the Plan Area Based on Best Available Scientific Information? Table 2. Status summary based on existing conservation assessments Entity Status/Rank (all at species level except NatureServe Global Rank) NatureServe G4—Apparently Secure (Uncommon but not rare; some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other factors) Global Rank NatureServe S3—Vulnerable in the state of Idaho (Species is at moderate risk of extinction or elimination due to restricted range, few State Rank populations or occurrences, steep declines, severe threats, or other factors) Idaho State Protected Nongame List Status Not listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Idaho USDA Forest Region 4—Not listed Service Region 1—Not listed USDI FWS Not listed Other Not BLM—Idaho Special Status Animal Species Type 2 (Rangewide/Globally Imperiled Species)—These are species that are experiencing significant declines throughout their range with a high likelihood of being listed in the foreseeable future due to their rarity and/or significant endangerment factors (BLM 2015). BLM (United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management). 2015. Idaho BLM Special Status Species List Update. Instruction Memorandum ID-IM-2015-009. Internet website: https://www.blm.gov/policy/id-im-2015-009. Accessed on January 18, 2018. Table 3. Status summary based on best available scientific information. Species (Scientific and Common Name): Ascaphus montanus (Rocky Mountain tailed frog) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations 1 B1 The Rocky Mountain tailed frog was previously recognized as a Nielson, M., K. Lohman, and J. Distribution on subspecies of the coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei). Based on Sullivan. 2001. Phylogeography of Salmon–Challis mitochondrial divergence as well as allozyme and morphology the tailed frog (Ascaphus truei): National Forest differences, inland tailed frog populations became recognized as a implications for the biogeography distinct species, A. montanus, in 2001 (Nielson et al. 2001). In this of the Pacific Northwest. Evolution assessment, any records of observations made in Idaho, but documented 55:147-160. as A. truei, are interpreted as A. montanus (Table 1). Rocky Mountain tailed frogs are known to occur on four ranger districts on the Forest, including the Middle Fork, North Fork, Salmon–Cobalt, and Challis–Yankee Fork Ranger Districts (Table 1). In addition, an egg mass was identified by IDFG in Hood Gulch on the Leadore Ranger District in May of 2013 (Beth Waterbury pers. commun.). Thus, Occurrence information (including Map 3) suggest that habitat primarily exists as patches, while the species’ specific habitat requirements (see Criterion 6) and limited dispersal capability (Criterion 3) indicate that some habitat may be isolated to the degree that species interactions are limited by movement between patches (Rank B1). Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low 2 B Rocky Mountain tailed frogs are endemic to the Intermountain British Columbia Ministry of Distribution in northwest of the United States and Canada. The species’ core range Environment. 2014. Recovery plan surrounding extends from the Flathead River drainage in southeastern British for the Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog geographic area Columbia (BC) through western Montana and northern Idaho. Isolated (Ascaphus montanus) in British populations occur in the Yahk River (known as the Yaak River in the US) Columbia. Prepared for the B.C. drainage of southern BC and northwest Montana, western Idaho, Ministry of Environment, Victoria, Species (Scientific and Common Name): Ascaphus montanus (Rocky Mountain tailed frog) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations southeastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon (BC Ministry of BC. 37 pp. Environment 2014). Populations have been observed at elevations of at least 7,000 ft in the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon (Leonard NatureServe. 2018. NatureServe et al. 1993 in NatureServe 2018) to as low as 1,804 ft or less in British Explorer: An online encyclopedia of Columbia (NatureServe 2018). life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Because the species is restricted to a relatively narrow region of the Internet website: Northwest, it has a limited distribution outside the Forest (Rank B). http://explorer.natureserve.org. Accessed on January 18, 2018. Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low 3 B Dispersal movements of Rocky Mountain tailed frogs are poorly Adams, S. B., and C. A. Frissell. Dispersal understood, but movement is thought to decrease with age. Tadpoles 2001. Thermal habitat use and Capability drift downstream with water currents, and thus can move considerable evidence of seasonal migration by distances along streams (BC Ministry of Environment 2014)—coastal Rocky Mountain tailed frogs, tailed frog tadpoles have been observed to drift downstream up to 213 ft Ascaphus montanus, in Montana. (Jenkins and Ormerod 1996, Wahbe 1996 in COSEWIC 2013). Newly Canadian Field-Naturalist 115:251- metamorphosed froglets typically are sedentary, but juveniles 4–7 years 256. old exhibit a greater level of movement relative to sexually mature frogs (Dupuis 2000 in COSEWIC 2013). Reproductively mature adults in British Columbia Ministry of Montana were documented to move less than 131 ft each year Environment. 2014. Recovery plan (Daugherty and Sheldon 1982a). A sedentary lifestyle may be for the Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog advantageous for securing food, mates, and shelter in an otherwise dry, (Ascaphus montanus) in British inhospitable environment. Columbia. Prepared for the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Victoria, However, movement patterns may depend on local, seasonally changing BC. 37 pp. habitat suitability. In Montana, frogs moved estimated distances of several hundred yards to avoid seasonally high water temperatures COSEWIC (Committee on the Status (Adams and Frissell 2001). Adults are more active nocturnally under of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). suitable ambient air temperature and humidity conditions (Daugherty 2013. COSEWIC assessment and Species (Scientific and Common Name): Ascaphus montanus (Rocky Mountain tailed frog) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations and Sheldon 1982a). Individuals are more likely to move along stream status report
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