AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN NEVADA1

By Jean M. Linsdale

Received February 20, 1938 Presented April 13, 1938

Although many naturalists study both amphib thankful to the persons in charge of collections ians and reptiles, there is little reason to include from which records were obtained (see p. 198). these two groups of vertebrates in a faunal report Mr. Lawrence M. Klauber and Mr. Charles M. me on such a region as , other than the Bogert have been generous in giving results similarity in method of preserving specimens. of their field work in Nevada. Dr. Joseph Grin The great contrast in the life histories of these two nell has contributed to this report by advice and kinds of animals is emphasized in their dissimilar in other ways. Assistance in preparation of this responses to environmental conditions in the publication was rendered by personnel of Works Great Basin. While one characteristically in Progress Administration O.P. No. 465-03-3-193. habits only the wettest situations, the other oc Accounts of Species cupies and is especially adapted for life in the driest situations. The sequence of genera in this report is that of The University of California Museum of the Check List of North American Amphibians Vertebrate Zoology has carried on zoological and Reptiles (3rd ed.) by Stejneger and Barbour As in that list the and sub exploration in Nevada, under the stimulation of (1933). check species its founder, Miss Annie M. Alexander, since the species are here arranged alphabetically. Depar tures from that are inmatters of early years of its existence. Since 1927, renewed authority chiefly effort in that area has brought large collections taxonomy where recently accumulated material seems to different treatment. representing all the groups of terrestrial verte require brates. On each expedition the collectors have Items in each account are arranged according a been on the lookout for specimens of amphibians to plan which is intended to include essential same and reptiles in addition to their main objectives information but at the time to allow suffi or to discard less matter. which usually were concerned with mammals cient flexibility significant name birds. Altogether more than 4,000 specimens of For each kind the adopted scientific with these cold-blooded vertebrates have been as authority is given as a heading. Next below this sembled and they form the basis for this report. is a vernacular name selected usually for specific no Names of persons who have had a part in application; sometimes finer distinction than to assembling this material, a list of most of the the genus is feasible. Citation is given the the is indi localities where specimens were obtained, as well original description and type locality as other information of faunal import for this cated for each form. When a kind has been at to some name than the area may be found in my recent report on The tributed Nevada by other Birds of Nevada (Pac. Coast Avifauna no. 23, one adopted here, at least one reference is given no 1936, pp. 1-145). Fifty accessions contain 4,213 to each such synonym, but effort has been made to a specimens. compile complete synonymy. As was suggested in the preceding paragraph, Because the ranges as defined in most reference or the present faunal report is the result of field works are not completely satisfactory easily a work by many persons. I am grateful to all of available, brief statement of general range is a these collectors and especially to E. Raymond given for each form. Following this is summary occurrence in Hall, Ward C. Russell, Henry S. Fitch, and Tom of the nature of the of each form Rodgers who made special efforts to get needed Nevada. Then locality records are given insofar as I to are specimens. In actual preparation of the report have been able verify them. These much help was received from Mr. Rodgers who arranged by counties listed in general north to made the maps and who, with Mr. Walter Paxton, south order in the following sequence: Washoe, catalogued and measured many specimens. I am Storey, Ormsby, Douglas, Lyon, Humboldt, Elko, Pershing, Churchill, Lander, Eureka, White Pine, 1Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zo Mineral, Esmeralda, Nye, Lincoln, Clark. For ology of the University of California. most of the localities locations of specimens are

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given where known; for some, published refer and east to the western edge of the Mississippi ences are a are man given, and few accepted from Valley. Several geographic races have been dis uscripts. Following the list of locality records tinguished but the whole group has not yet been comes material of systematic significance and a satisfactorily studied. summary of the natural history of each form as Occurrence in Nevada.?Has been found at known from Nevada. Most of my own observa widely scattered localities throughout the state tions on the natural history of these animals have south to the vicinity of Bunkerville in the Virgin been published already in the American Midland River Valley near the eastern border of the state Naturalist (1938, vol. 19:20-32), and they are not and just south of the northern boundary of Clark are repeated here. County. Localities of capture mainly at Abbreviations levels between 4,000 and 6,000 feet; extremes are about at In the paragraphs giving locality records, 1,700 feet the southernmost locality and feet in Greenmonster Monitor locations of the specimens are given where known 7,500 Canon, Most of the are on and the following abbreviations are used to desig Range. localities the floors of nate collections which contain them: the larger valleys. Dates of capture of adults are mostly in the early summer months from the Acad. Nat. Sci. of Natural Sci Phila.Academy latter part of May through July. Extremes are ences of Philadelphia in Clark March and October Calif. Acad. Sci.California of County, 28, 1923, 2, Academy 1931. Farther north an date is Sciences early April 24, Klauber coll.Collection of L. M. Klau 1930, 5,500 feet, in Smoky Valley. Late records are on 5 and at and ber, San Diego, Cali September 8, 1930, 6,800 fornia 6,500 feet, in northern White Pine County. Mus. Vert. Zool.Museum of Vertebrate Nevada localities (Fig. 1) (380 specimens in * Zoology, University of Museum of Vertebrate Zoology).? California Washoe County: 43^ miles southwest of Diessner, San Soc. Nat. Hist.. .San of Diego Diego Society 5,800 feet (Mus. Vert. Zool.); The Willows, Natural History Lake S. N. M.); Lake Stan. Univ.Stanford Pyramid (U. Pyramid University Acad. U. S. N. U. C. L. of California at (Calif. Sci.; M.). A.University Carson S. N. Los Angeles Ormsby County: City (U. M.). U. S. N. M.United States National Humboldt County: Thousand Creek Hot Springs Museum (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Virgin Valley (Mus. Vert. Univ. Kans.University of Kansas Zool.); Big Creek at base of Pine Forest Moun Univ. Mich.Museum of Zoology, Uni tains (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Crossing versity of Michigan (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 1 mile north to 10 miles southwest of Winnemucca Vert. AMPHIBIA (Mus. Zool.). Elko County: Marys River, 22 miles north of Order Salientia Deeth (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Pinon Range (Univ. Mich. Mus.); Lower Annie Creek (Univ. Mich. Suborder Linguata Mus.); Humboldt River Valley (Univ. Mich. SCAPHIOPODIDAE Mus.); James Canon (Univ. Mich. Mus.); Scaphiopus hammondii Baird Carlin (Univ. Mich. Mus.); Maggie Canon (Univ. Mich. Mus.); Lower Maggie Creek; Western Spadefoot Toad (Univ. Mich. Mus.); 10 miles southwest of Original description.?Scaphiopus hammondii Midas (Mus. Vert. Zool.). Baird, Pac. R. R. Rept., 10, 1859, Abbot's report, Pershing County: 2 miles east of Unionville (Mus. no. pt. 4, 4, p. 12, pl. 28 (figs. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) (Fort Vert. Zool.). Reading [near Redding, in Shasta County], Lander County: Smith Creek (Mus. Vert. Zool.). California). Eureka County: 5 miles north of Beowawe (Mus. Synonyms for Nevada.?Scaphiopus intermon Vert. Zool.); Winzell (Mus. Vert. Zool.). ianus Cope, 1883, pp. 15, 18. White Pine County: Cherry Creek (Mus. Vert. Spea hammondii intermontana Cope, 1889, Zool.); east side of Schellbourne Pass (Mus. p. 304. Vert. Zool.); 2j^ miles east of Baker (Mus. Range.?The species occurs in western North Vert. Zool.). America from British Columbia south to Mexico Mineral County: East Walker River, 2 miles

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Fig. 1. Distribution of Scaphiopus hammondii in Nevada. Solid figures indi cate specimens in Museum of Vertebrate Zoology; open figures indicate other records.

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northwest of Morgans Ranch (Mus. Vert. whether the population from the southern part of Zool.); 3 miles south of Schurz, on Walker Lake the state is truly hammondii. (Mus. Vert. Zool.). The rest of the specimens are from scattered Esmeralda County: Arlemont (Mus. Vert. Zool.); western localities between these two extremes, Fish Lake (Mus. Vert. Zool.). with few adults from any one place. They appear Nye County: Smoky Valley, 4 to 5 miles south to demonstrate that bombifrons and hammondii east of Millett P. O. (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 7 are in the same species, for there is obvious inter miles north of San Antonio (Mus. Vert. Zool.); gradation in every character. Moreover, it Monitor Valley, 9 miles east of Toquima Peak seems likely that additional material from this (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Greenmonster Canon, intervening area would demonstrate the validity Monitor Range (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Fish Spring of a third race, intermontanus. In this area the Valley, 6.5 miles north of Fish Lake (Mus. toads are less uniform than either the Colorado or Vert. Zool.); Burned Corral Canon, Quinn California populations and they are nearer Canon Mountains (Mus. Vert. Zool). structurally to the latter. Clark County: Bunkerville (Mus. Vert. Zool.); The variable characters in this species change J4 mile north of Mesquite (Mus. Vert. Zool.). perceptibly with increase in age, thus, to some A specimen from Salt Lake City, Utah, and extent, discounting their usefulness in geograph three or four from , Nevada, pro ical analysis. Table 1 (p. 200) summarizes some vided the basis for the description of the species of the variable structural features of specimens Scaphiopus intermontanus by Cope (1883, p. 15). in the Museum. According to him the frontoparietal bones, At Pyramid Lake, in 1911, 1912, and 1913, this though ossified, are not roughened in this form as toad was studied by Snyder (1920, p. 82). The in the other species of Scaphiopus. He considered species was seen first from April 23 to 25, and egg this form nearest to the one from San Antonio, laying was noted from May 28 to June 2. He Texas (S. varius), from which it differed in having pointed out that the chorus differed from that of the vomerine teeth between the posterior borders Hyla and Rana, being in a lower key, somewhat of the internal nares rather than entirely posterior guttural, and a little rasping; also it was entirely to them. Also the lips are not cross-barred, as different from that of Bufo. The animals were they are in S. varius, and the superior region has collected in numbers in the quiet water of irriga two pale lines on each side, which are replaced by tion ditches and in little ponds, where at night a coarse marbling in S. varius. Compared with they sprawled out motionless in the water, eyes hammondii this form was supposed to be distin projecting above the surface. All of them disap guished by larger size, lighter colors, and the peared after egg-laying on June 2, 1911. Also presence of the superior pair of light lines. at Pyramid/Lake, in 1916, Van Denburgh and Nearly 400 specimens of this species in the Slevin (1921, p. 29) from July 3 to 9, obtained Museum of Vertebrate Zoology were studied to fourteen specimens at dusk in pools of water on determine the identity of the Nevada ones. the beach. These fall into general groups with characters Ruthven and Gaige (1915, p. 15) found this about as Cope (1889, p. 303) indicated. However, species to be common in the Humboldt Valley, the material is not yet sufficient to make adequate about Carlin. The only adult obtained was found definitions of the groups. The easternmost group beneath a well curb in Carlin. Near Maggie a is represented by fourteen specimens from single Creek, on July 4, they collected many small, locality in eastern Colorado. They show remark recently transformed individuals in the dried up able uniformity in the characters which have been bed of an irrigation ditch. ascribed to the form bombifrons. The eighteen Specimens were obtained by Taylor (1912, p. as specimens from southern California are nearly 345) in Humboldt County, in 1909, on May 30 uniform in opposite development of these char and June 4 and 21. acters. have the features that have been They Bufonidae assigned to the form hammondii. However, the Bufo boreas boreas Baird and Girard type locality, Fort Reading, in the northern part of the Sacramento Valley, is about 125 miles north Northwestern Toad of the nearest locality represented in that lot from Original description.?Bufo boreas Baird and southern California. No specimens are available Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. 6, 1852, from the northern Sacramento Valley to show pp. 174-175 (Columbia River and Puget Sound).

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TABLE 1

Variation in Spadefoot Toads from Western United States

Pigment on 1st No. of Internasal width front toe Interorbital boss Metatarsal Locality spec# nostril to eye Pres" Pres" tubercle < = > absent trace ent absent trace ent long med. high

Los Angeles, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Kern, Fresno Cos., Calif. 18 14 1 3 11 7 0 13 5 0 18 0 0 Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, and Mono Cos., Calif. 35 11 11 12 35 0 0 21 13 0 27 6 2 Oregon. 2 002 101 020 101 Washington. 2 002 101 002 110 Idaho. 3 003 201 102021 Humboldt Co., Nevada. 8 404 710 332241 Mineral, Esmeralda Cos., Nevada_. 15 2 4 7 8 4 3 6 6 1 9 5 1 Lander Co., Nevada. 1 001 100 001001 Nye Co. (adults). 17 3 2 12 8 1 8 1 15 1 8 4 5 Nye Co. (young). 263 160 79 24 257 5 1 112 149 0 183 53 6 White Pine Co., Nevada. 3 003 20 1 003 111 Elko Co., Nevada. 2200 011 110 020 Clark Co., Nevada. 2 002 101 200011 Utah. 1 010 100 010 100 Colorado. 14 0 0 14 5 0 9 0 0 14 0 0 14 Arizona. 5 005 023 023 113 New Mexico. 1 001 100 001 100

Synonyms for Nevada.?Bufo columbiensis, Storey County: Virginia City (U. S. N. M.). Cope, 1889, p. 271. Ormsby County: Carson City (U. S. N. M.). Glenbrook Acad. Bufo boreas, Ruthven and Gaige, 1915, p. 13. Douglas County: (Calif. Sci.; N. Bufo boreas halophilus, Slevin, 1928, p. 96. U. S. M.). Humboldt Alder Creek Vert. race extends from southern County: (Mus. Range.?This Leonard Creek Vert. Alaska south to central California and eastward Zool.); (Mus. Zool.); Creek Ranch Vert. in the United States to Colorado. Big (Mus. Zool.); Quinn River Vert. Martin Occurrence in Nevada.?Rather dis Crossing (Mus. Zool.); generally Creek R. Santa Rosa Mountains tributed in the northern half of the state south to S., (Mus. Vert. Zool.). about the. 39th parallel; extends beyond this line Elko County: Mountain City (U. S. N. M.); at least in Smoky Valley. Limited closely to Cobb Creek, 6 miles southwest of Mountain near vicinity of streams, but otherwise wide City (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Marys River, 22 miles ranging. Has been captured at altitudes from north of Deeth (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 5 miles near 4,000 feet to over 9,000 feet. northwest of Deep Creek (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Nevada localities (Fig. 2) (163 specimens in Elko (Calif. Acad. Sci.); Wells (U. S. N. M.); Museum of Vertebrate Zoology).? Upper Humboldt Valley (U. S. N. M.); Sum Washoe County: Rock Creek, 7,000 feet, Granite mit Secret Pass (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Jerry Mountains (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 4 miles south of Creek (Mus. Vert. Zool.); head of Ackler Creek Flanigan, 4,100 feet (Mus. Vert. Zool); Sut (Mus. Vert. Zool.); west side of Ruby Lake cliffe (Van Denburgh and Slevin, 1921, p. 29); (Mus. Vert. Zool.); South Fork of Long Creek The Pyramids (Van Denburgh and Slevin, 1921, (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Three Lakes (Mus. Vert. p. 29); Anaho Island, Pyramid Lake (Calif. Zool.); Harrison Pass R. S. (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Acad. Sci); Verdi (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Reno 3 miles south of Halleck (U. S. N. M.); James (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Galena Creek (Mus. Vert. Creek (Univ. Mich.); Maggie Creek (Univ. Zool.); 3 miles south of Mount Rose, 8,500 feet Mich.); Moleen Canon (Univ. Mich.); 10 and 11 (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Incline (Mus. Vert. Zool.). miles southwest of Midas (Mus. Vert. Zool.).

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Lander County: Reese River Valley, 7 miles they were obtained along the streams; none being north of Austin (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Austin found more than fifteen feet from running water. (U. S. N. M.); Big Creek (Mus. Vert. Zool.); One tried to escape by swimming to the bottom Kingston R. S. (Mus. Vert. Zool). of a stream where it remained for several minutes. Eureka County: Evans (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 4 Usually, when pursued, they left the water and miles south of Romano, Diamond Valley (Mus. tried to escape over land. A mating pair was Vert. Zool.); Winzer (Mus. Vert. Zool.). observed at 4,350 feet on June 9, and tadpoles White Pine County: Willow Creek, 2 miles south were observed on May 24 and August 7. of county line (Mus. Vert. Zool.). Ruthven and Gaige (1915, p. 13) found this Esmeralda County: Fish Lake (Mus. Vert. Zool.). species to be abundant in the upper Humboldt Nye County: 5 miles southeast of Millett P. O. Valley. Several females found on July 16, in (Mus. Vert. Zool.); South Twin River, 6,000 dense grass at the edge of ditches, contained eggs. feet (Mus. Vert. Zool.); lj^ miles south of The toads were tame and usually walked rather Darrough's, 5,700 feet (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 7 than hopped. Stomachs contained ants and miles north of San Antonio (Mus. Vert. Zool.). beetles. Tadpoles were abundant and in late Around the southern margin of the range of July the trails in James Canon were covered with this species, in the dry areas in California and recently transformed individuals. These authors Nevada, are several populations or groups of report eight out of eleven adult toads having dis are one ear to populations that segregated from another tinctly oval patches. Length of leg heel by desert land which has no suitable habitat for was less than the distance to arm insertion by half this kind of toad. Some of these populations an inch or equal to the distance to the rear end of have been distinguished and named by naturalists, the parotoids. The color was a dull brownish but the field work in this district has not been gray, with a broad light vertebral stripe, a patch sufficient to clarify the taxonomic relations of all of light color beneath the eye, a conspicuous the colonies. No final treatment can be given the black blotch between the thighs on the ventral seems at and with the tubercles on the and species now, but it clear that least the surface, fingers races halophilus and nelsoni deserve recognition toes tipped with orange. in southern California and Nevada. Bufo boreas halophilus Baird and Girard The greatest uncertainty remains with respect to the toads in the vicinity of Walker Lake in California Toad western Nevada, which are here assigned to B. b. Original description.?Bufo halophila Baird and halophilus, but which seem to have no direct geo Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. 6, 1853, graphic connection with that race. Then, the p. 301 (Benicia, Solano County, California). sixteen specimens from Fish Lake Valley appear Range.?Lower parts of central and southern to an extreme of development of char represent south to northern Lower California acters which can be detected in the southern California, and eastward to Nevada. Sierra Nevada. The most feature of striking Occurrence in Nevada.?Recorded from several coloration in this lot is the heavily spotted throat localities in the vicinity of Walker Lake in west possessed by all those from Fish Lake Valley. central part of the state. Whether this This character is shown one of a popula by only large tion is connected with the main of the race series of B. b. boreas from Humboldt range County, in California or is isolated from it cannot be deter Nevada. the Fish Lake toads Apparently Valley mined from the material now available. do not reach a large size; the largest one is only Nevada localities (Fig. 2) (50 specimens inMu 80 mm. in head and body length. seum of Vertebrate Zoology).? Mention of occurrence of B. woodhousii in Mineral 3 miles south of Schurz Humboldt County, Nevada, in various publica County: (Mus. Vert. Cottonwood Creek Vert. tions (Taylor, 1912, p. 344; Kellogg, 1932, p. 72) Zool.); (Mus. apparently is based on specimens of Bufo boreas Zool.). boreas in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. In a series of 31 specimens from 3 miles south In the vicinity of the Pine Forest Mountains, of Schurz on Walker Lake, Mineral County, 12 Humboldt County, Taylor (1912, pp. 343-345) are unspotted below, 11 are faintly speckled with found toads at levels between 4,100 and 8,500 small dark spots, and 8 are thickly dotted with feet. In the mountains they were present in the small dark spots. In each individual of this meadows and small lakes. At lower altitudes series the knees and elbows meet or overlap when

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adpressed to the side of the body. Compared The narrow, wedge-shaped head, especially with the toads from the Amargosa River these when viewed from below, is one of the striking have distinctly wider and more blunt heads. The peculiarities of this toad. This seems to be cor tubercles on the backs are rougher and more related with the snout protracted and pointed in prominent in the Walker Lake specimens. profile as mentioned by Stegneger. Limbs so reduced that when adpressed to sides Bufo boreas nelsoni Stejneger of body elbows and knees do not meet as was out Amargosa Toad pointed by Stejneger. Small feet and reduced webbing is especially Original description.?Bufo boreas nelsoni Stej noticeable and is just the reverse of Stejneger's N. Amer. Fauna no. neger, 7, 1893, pp. 220-221, statement which may not have been as he in 46 pl. 3, figs. 4a, (Oasis Valley, Nye County, tended. Nevada). Reduced spots below in all the large individuals for Synonym Nevada.?Bufo boreas halophilus, contrasts with boreas and with all small ones from Slevin, 1928, p. 96. the Amargosa Valley. Possibly the old ones Range.?Southern and eastern Nye County tend to lose ventral spotting. and northern Lincoln Nevada. County, Smooth skin and small, weakly developed, Occurrence in Nevada.?So far known from warts which characterize this lot maybe an indica three but most characteristic separated localities, tion of close restriction of these toads to the water. population is in the upper part of the Amargosa Inner metacarpal tubercle appears to average River. this toad is more Apparently closely large, as Stejneger indicated. restricted to water than even its near relatives Specimens from two other localities in southern which inhabit more humid districts. Near Beatty, Nevada, Hot Creek Valley and Pahranagat about 20, 1931, many small young toads May Valley, seem to be nearer to this form than to any were up near the stream; picked large tadpoles other, but the few available from there appear to were obtained here on 4, 1936. May vary towards B. b. boreas. Nevada localities inMu (Fig. 2) (60 specimens I conclude that B. b. nelsoni is a well-marked seum of Vertebrate Zoology).? subspecies developed almost to the point of being north end Nye County: Springdale, Oasis Valley a distinct species and that it is most closely re (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Oasis Valley (U. S. N. M.); lated to the race boreas which comes near it on the miles northeast of Amargosa River, 33^2 Beatty north. This population is on the margin of the Vert. Hot Creek (Mus. Zool.); Valley, 5,900 range of the species and shows extreme develop feet (Mus. Vert. Zool.). ment of its characters. These characters are not 3 miles Lincoln County: Pahranagat Valley, modified in the direction of halophilus which also south of Vert. Crystal Spring (Mus. Zool.); occurs to the south of boreas, but typically on the 4 miles south of Alamo Vert. (Mus. Zool.). lower ground nearer the Pacific coast. The characters given by Stejneger (1893, p. in the of boreas nelsoni were 220) diagnosis Bufo Bufo cognatus Say as follows: "Similar to B. boreas: Skin between Great Plains Toad warts smooth; snout protracted, pointed in pro file; webs of hind legs very large; soles rather Original description.?Bufo cognatus Say, in smooth; limbs shorter, elbows and knees not Long, Account of an expedition from Pittsburgh meeting when adpressed to the sides of the body; to the Rocky Mountains, vol. 2, 1823, p. 190 inner metacarpal tubercle usually very large." (Arkansas River, Prowers County, Colorado). The 51 specimens now on hand from Oasis Synonym for Nevada.?Bufo lentiginosus wood Valley and the Amargosa River near Beatty housii, Stejneger, 1893, p. 221. agree with this diagnosis in some features and Range.?Montana east to North Dakota and differ from it in others. They contrast with the south to southeastern California and into Mexico. toads of the species Bufo boreas to the north and Occurrence in Nevada.?The known localities are west in the following characters. of capture in the southeastern part of the Small size: the largest adult in the lot measures state, south of 38? N. and east of 116?W. Speci 72.5 mm. in head and body length. This is a mens in Mus. Vert. Zool. were taken in May. little more than half the maximum size of Bufo Nevada localities (Fig. 3) (97 specimens inMu seum b. boreas. of Vertebrate Zoology).?

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Lincoln County: Crystal Spring, and 1 and 3 Bufo compactilis Wiegmann miles north, 4,000 feet, Pahranagat Valley Sonoran Toad (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Pahranagat Valley (U. S. N. M.); 4 miles south of Alamo (Mus. Vert. Original description.?Bufo compactilis Wieg Isis von vol. 661 Zool.). mann, Oken, 26, pt. 7, 1833, p. Clark County: Mesquite, west of Virgin River, (Mexico). for wood 1,950 feet (Linsdale, MS); 2 miles southeast of Synonym Nevada.?Bufo lentiginosus housii 221. Overton, 1,300 feet (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Colo Stejneger, 1893, p. the United States from southern rado River, opposite Fort Mojave (Mus. Vert. Range.?In Nevada and Utah east to southeastern Oklahoma Zool.). and south to the states ofMichoacan and Tabasco in Mexico. Sixty-one specimens of Bufo cognatus were ob tained, May 16 to 24, 1932, by a party of collec Occurrence in Nevada.?The known localities tors from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, at of occurrence are in the southeastern part of the the north end of Pahranagat Valley, Lincoln state, in Meadow Valley, in the Virgin Moun near County, in the vicinity of Crystal Spring. One of tains, and Las Vegas. They range in altitude these collectors (Fitch, MS) made notes from from 2,000 to 4,500 feet. Earliest date of capture which the following items were obtained: At was on March 23 (1923) at Las Vegas; others are on a was in and 9 Crystal Spring, May 15, large toad cap mid-June, August October (1913). tured just before dusk along the edge of the shal Nevada localities (Fig. 2) (30 specimens inMu low lake two hundred yards north of the camp. seum of Vertebrate Zoology).? At 8:30 p. m., after dark, search was begun with Lincoln County: Caliente (Calif. Acad. Sci.); flashlights for amphibians in an alfalfa field be Kershaw Canon-Ryan State Park, 1mile south tween camp and the lake. None was found in of Caliente (Mus. Vert. Zool.); 7 and 21 miles the dry part of the field. Crickets were chirping south of Caliente (Mus. Vert. Zool.). in the field, but when the persons came near the Clark County: Indian Spring, 4,000 feet, Virgin edge of the water, they recognized that a part of Mountains (Mus. Vert. Zool.); Las Vegas (Mus. the chorus was made by the toads. They searched Vert. Zool.; Calif. Acad. Sci.); Vegas Valley for several rods along the shore and found two (U. S. N. M.). toads, but most of the animals were out in the water. More than twenty toads were captured Wright and Wright (1933, pp. 60-61) wrote of within fifteen and all those found as follows: minutes, nearly Bufo" compactilis, in the water were males. They were found within Range: Southern portions of Utah and Nevada a patch of tules, clinging to the stems, where south far into Mexico, and east to Oklahoma and water was to inches The the eastern timber belt of Texas. up eighteen deep. body " was held at right angles with the surface of the Habitat: We found this toad breeding in rain water and only the head projected above the pools in open fields near streams, in pools in surface. They usually stopped croaking when the creek valleys, in irrigation tanks or cattle tanks. light was brought near. It is a desert form that may at times be seen feed On the evening of May 17, the chorus began ing at night under the street lights of desert towns. after dark at about 8 p. m. An hour later one "Size: Adults, 2 1/12-3 5/8 inches. (Males, mm. toad was found in the camp and a five minute 52-78 Females, 54-91 mm.). search along the dry bottom of an irrigation ditch "General appearance: This broad, 'squatty' close by and two hundred yards from the water toad of medium size is pinkish drab in color, yielded fourteen toads of which only two possessed marked with dull citrine spots. The fingers and the dark throat patches which characterize the toes are light in color. The under parts are light. males at this season. It was not apparent that The back is covered with light tipped tubercles. they were moving toward the water; rather they In the male, the tip of the chin is white, then the seemed to be foraging. After one was killed, an folded part of the throat is pinkish buff with ecru insect larva which it had just caught was noticed olive in the center. This area is followed by a in its mouth. Since only a few females, and no circular pectoral area of purplish lilac. mating pairs, had been found in the water on t