List of amphibians of North America facts for kids

This is a checklist of American amphibians found north of Mexico, based mainly on publications by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. The information about range and status of almost all of these species can be found also for example in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species site.
* alien species

Conservation status – IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:

– extinct, – extinct in the wild

– critically endangered, – endangered, – vulnerable

– near threatened, – least concern

– data deficient, – not evaluated

(v. 2013.2, the data are current as of March 5, 2014)

and Endangered Species Act:

E – endangered, T – threatened

XN, XE – experimental nonessential or essential population

E(S/A), T(S/A) – endangered or threatened due to similarity of appearance

(the data are current as of March 28, 2014)

Order: Urodela

Spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum

Northern zigzag salamander Plethodon dorsalis

Suborder: Cryptobranchoidea

Family: Cryptobranchidae

Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
(Ozark hellbender C. a. bishopi: E)

Suborder: Salamandroidea

Family: Salamandridae

Subfamily: Pleurodelinae

Eastern newts

Black-spotted newt Notophthalmus meridionalis

Striped newt Notophthalmus perstriatus

Eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens

Pacific newts

Rough-skinned newt Taricha granulosa

Red-bellied newt Taricha rivularis

Sierra newt Taricha sierrae

California newt Taricha torosa

Family: Plethodontidae

Subfamily: Plethodontinae

Web-toed salamanders

Limestone salamander Hydromantes brunus

Mount Lyell salamander Hydromantes platycephalus

Samwel Shasta salamander Hydromantes samweli

Shasta salamander Hydromantes shastae

Wintu Shasta salamander Hydromantes wintu

Climbing salamanders

Green salamander Aneides aeneus

Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander Aneides caryaensis

Clouded salamander Aneides ferreus

Species split from the black salamander (Aneides flavipunctatus) :

Speckled black salamander Aneides flavipunctatus

Santa Cruz black salamander Aneides (flavipunctatus) niger

Shasta salamander Aneides iecanus

Sacramento Mountains salamander Aneides hardii

Klamath black salamander Aneides klamathensis

Arboreal salamander Aneides lugubris

Wandering salamander Aneides vagrans

Dusky salamanders

Cumberland dusky salamander Desmognathus abditus

Seepage salamander Desmognathus aeneus

Apalachicola dusky salamander Desmognathus apalachicolae

Holbrook’s southern dusky salamander Desmognathus auriculatus and:

Valentine’s Southern Dusky Salamander Desmognathus valentinei (formerly in D. auriculatus)

Ouachita dusky salamander Desmognathus brimleyorum

Carolina Mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus carolinensis

Species split from the northern dusky salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) :

Northern dusky salamander Desmognathus fuscus

Spotted dusky salamander Desmognathus conanti

Flat-headed salamander Desmognathus planiceps

Dwarf black-bellied salamander Desmognathus folkertsi

Imitator salamander Desmognathus imitator

Species split from the shovel-nosed salamander (Desmognathus marmoratus) :

Shovel-nosed salamander Desmognathus marmoratus

Golden shovel-nosed salamander Desmognathus aureatus

Black shovel-nosed salamander Desmognathus melanius

Seal salamander Desmognathus monticola

Mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus

Ocoee salamander Desmognathus ocoee

Blue Ridge dusky salamander Desmognathus orestes

Northern pygmy salamander Desmognathus organi

Black-bellied salamander Desmognathus quadramaculatus

Santeetlah dusky salamander Desmognathus santeetlah

Black mountain salamander Desmognathus welteri

Pygmy salamander Desmognathus wrighti

Ensatina

Ensatina Ensatina eschscholtzii

Red Hills salamander

Red Hills salamander Phaeognathus hubrichti T

Woodland salamanders

Ainsworth's salamander or Bay Springs salamander †Plethodon ainsworthi

Western slimy salamander Plethodon albagula

Blue Ridge gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon amplus

Ozark zigzag salamander Plethodon angusticlavius

Scott Bar salamander Plethodon asupak

Tellico salamander Plethodon aureolus

Caddo Mountain salamander Plethodon caddoensis

Chattahoochee slimy salamander Plethodon chattahoochee

Cheoah Bald salamander Plethodon cheoah

Atlantic Coast slimy salamander Plethodon chlorobryonis

Red-backed salamander or eastern red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus

White-spotted slimy salamander Plethodon cylindraceus

Northern zigzag salamander Plethodon dorsalis

Dunn’s salamander Plethodon dunni

Northern ravine salamander Plethodon electromorphus

Del Norte salamander Plethodon elongatus

Fourche Mountain salamander Plethodon fourchensis

Northern slimy salamander Plethodon glutinosus

Southeastern slimy salamander Plethodon grobmani

Valley and ridge salamander Plethodon hoffmani

Peaks of Otter salamander Plethodon hubrichti

Coeur d’Alene salamander Plethodon idahoensis

Red-cheeked salamander Plethodon jordani

Cumberland Plateau salamander Plethodon kentucki

Kiamichi slimy salamander Plethodon kiamichi

Louisiana slimy salamander Plethodon kisatchie

Larch Mountain salamander Plethodon larselli

South Mountain graycheeked salamander Plethodon meridianus

Southern gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon metcalfi

Mississippi slimy salamander Plethodon mississippi

Northern gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon montanus

Jemez Mountains salamander Plethodon neomexicanus E

Cheat Mountain salamander Plethodon nettingi T

Ocmulgee slimy salamander Plethodon ocmulgee

Rich Mountain salamander Plethodon ouachitae

Pigeon Mountain salamander Plethodon petraeus

White-spotted salamander Plethodon punctatus

Ravine salamander or southern ravine salamander Plethodon richmondi

Savannah slimy salamander Plethodon savannah

Sequoyah slimy salamander Plethodon sequoyah

Southern red-backed salamander Plethodon serratus

Shenandoah salamander Plethodon shenandoah E

Big Levels salamander Plethodon sherando

Red-legged salamander Plethodon shermani

Siskiyou Mountains salamander Plethodon stormi

Southern Appalachian salamander Plethodon teyahalee

Van Dyke’s salamander Plethodon vandykei

South Carolina slimy salamander Plethodon variolatus

Western redback salamander Plethodon vehiculum

Southern zigzag salamander Plethodon ventralis

Shenandoah Mountain salamander Plethodon virginia

Webster’s salamander Plethodon websteri

Species split from the Wehrle’s salamander (Plethodon wehrlei) :

Wehrle’s salamander Plethodon wehrlei

Dixie Caverns salamander Plethodon dixi

Blacksburg salamander Plethodon jacksoni

Yellow-spotted woodland salamander Plethodon pauleyi

Weller’s salamander Plethodon welleri

Yonahlossee salamander Plethodon yonahlossee

Patch-nosed salamander Urspelerpes brucei

Subfamily: Spelerpinae

Brook salamanders

Brown-backed salamander Eurycea aquatica

Northern two-lined salamander Eurycea bislineata

Chamberlain’s dwarf salamander Eurycea chamberlaini

Salado Springs salamander Eurycea chisholmensis T

Southern two-lined salamander Eurycea cirrigera

Three-lined salamander Eurycea guttolineata

Junaluska salamander Eurycea junaluska

Cascade Caverns salamander Eurycea latitans

Long-tailed salamander Eurycea longicauda

Cave salamander Eurycea lucifuga

Many-ribbed salamander Eurycea multiplicata

Ouachita streambed salamander Eurycea subfluvicola

San Marcos salamander Eurycea nana T

Georgetown salamander Eurycea naufragia T

Texas salamander Eurycea neotenes

Blanco River springs salamander Eurycea pterophila

Southeastern dwarf salamander Eurycea quadridigitata

Hillis’s Dwarf Salamander Eurycea hillisi

Western Dwarf Salamander Eurycea paludicola

Bog Dwarf Salamander Eurycea sphagnicola

Barton Springs salamander Eurycea sosorum E

Jollyville Plateau salamander Eurycea tonkawae T

Comal blind salamander Eurycea tridentifera

Valdina Farms salamander Eurycea troglodytes

Oklahoma salamander Eurycea tynerensis

Austin blind salamander Eurycea waterlooensis E

Blue Ridge two-lined salamander Eurycea wilderae

Texas blind salamander Eurycea rathbuni E

Blanco blind salamander Eurycea robusta

Species split from the grotto salamander Eurycea spelaea :

Grotto salamander Eurycea spelaea

Eurycea braggi

Spring Blind Salamander Eurycea nerea

Georgia blind salamander Eurycea wallacei

Spring salamanders

Berry Cave salamander Gyrinophilus gulolineatus

Tennessee cave salamander Gyrinophilus palleucus

Spring salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus

West Virginia spring salamander Gyrinophilus subterraneus

Red and mud salamanders

Mud salamander Pseudotriton montanus and:

Midland mud salamander Pseudotriton (montanus) diastictus (split from the mud salamander P. montanus)

Red salamander Pseudotriton ruber

Many-lined salamander

Many-lined salamander Stereochilus marginatus

Subfamily: Bolitoglossinae

Slender salamanders

Greenhorn Mountains slender salamander Batrachoseps altasierrae

California slender salamander Batrachoseps attenuatus

Fairview slender salamander Batrachoseps bramei

Inyo Mountains salamander Batrachoseps campi

Hell Hollow slender salamander Batrachoseps diabolicus

San Gabriel slender salamander Batrachoseps gabrieli

Gabilan Mountains slender salamander Batrachoseps gavilanensis

Gregarious slender salamander Batrachoseps gregarius

San Simeon slender salamander Batrachoseps incognitus

Sequoia slender salamander Batrachoseps kawia

Santa Lucia Mountains slender salamander Batrachoseps luciae

Southern California slender salamander Batrachoseps major (desert slender salamander B. m. aridus: E)

Lesser slender salamander Batrachoseps minor

Black-bellied slender salamander Batrachoseps nigriventris

Channel Islands slender salamander Batrachoseps pacificus

Kings River slender salamander Batrachoseps regius

Relictual slender salamander Batrachoseps relictus

Kern Plateau salamander Batrachoseps robustus

Kern Canyon slender salamander Batrachoseps simatus

Tehachapi slender salamander Batrachoseps stebbinsi

Oregon slender salamander Batrachoseps wrighti

Subfamily: Hemidactyliinae

Fourtoed salamander Hemidactylium scutatum

Family: Proteidae

Dwarf waterdog Necturus punctatus

Alabama waterdog Necturus alabamensis and:

Mobile waterdog Necturus lodingi (sometimes recognized, split from N. alabamensis)

Gulf Coast waterdog Necturus beyeri

Neuse River waterdog Necturus lewisi

Common mudpuppy Necturus maculosus and:

Red River mudpuppy Necturus (maculosus) louisianensis (split from the N. maculosus)

Apalachicola waterdog Necturus moleri

Escambia waterdog Necturus mounti

Family: Ambystomatidae

Two-toed amphiuma Amphiuma means

Coastal giant salamander Dicamptodon tenebrosus

Ringed salamander Ambystoma annulatum

Streamside salamander Ambystoma barbouri

Frosted flatwoods salamander Ambystoma cingulatum T and:

Reticulated flatwoods salamander Ambystoma bishopi E (formerly in A. cingulatum)

California tiger salamander Ambystoma californiense (Santa Barbara and Sonoma Counties E, central California T)

Northwestern salamander Ambystoma gracile

Jefferson salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum

Blue-spotted salamander Ambystoma laterale

Mabee’s salamander Ambystoma mabeei

Long-toed salamander Ambystoma macrodactylum (Santa Cruz long-toed salamander A. m. croceum: E)

Spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum

Western tiger salamander Ambystoma mavortium (Sonoran tiger salamander A. m. stebbinsi: E)

Marbled salamander Ambystoma opacum

Mole salamander Ambystoma talpoideum

Small-mouthed salamander Ambystoma texanum

Eastern tiger salamander Ambystoma tigrinum

Family: Amphiumidae

Two-toed amphiuma Amphiuma means

One-toed amphiuma Amphiuma pholeter

Three-toed amphiuma Amphiuma tridactylum

Family: Dicamptodontidae

Idaho giant salamander Dicamptodon aterrimus

Cope’s giant salamander Dicamptodon copei

California giant salamander Dicamptodon ensatus

Coastal giant salamander Dicamptodon tenebrosus

Family: Rhyacotritonidae

Lesser siren Siren intermedia

Cascade torrent salamander Rhyacotriton cascadae

Columbia torrent salamander Rhyacotriton kezeri

Olympic torrent salamander Rhyacotriton olympicus

Southern torrent salamander Rhyacotriton variegatus

Suborder: Sirenoidea

Family: Sirenidae

Dwarf sirens

Southern dwarf siren Pseudobranchus axanthus

Northern dwarf siren Pseudobranchus striatus

Sirens

Lesser siren Siren intermedia

Greater siren Siren lacertina

Reticulated siren Siren reticulata

Order: Anura

American bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeiana

Coastal tailed frog Ascaphus truei

American toad
Anaxyrus americanus
- detail of parotoid glands

Western spadefoot toad
Spea hammondii

Gray tree frog Hyla versicolor

Suborder: Archaeobatrachia

Family: Ascaphidae

Rocky Mountain tailed frog Ascaphus montanus

Coastal tailed frog Ascaphus truei

Suborder: Mesobatrachia

Family: Pipidae

African clawed frog Xenopus laevis *

Family: Rhinophrynidae

Burrowing toad Rhinophrynus dorsalis

Family: Scaphiopodidae

North American spadefoot toads

Couch’s spadefoot Scaphiopus couchii

Eastern spadefoot Scaphiopus holbrookii

Hurter’s spadefoot Scaphiopus hurterii

Western spadefoot toads

Plains spadefoot Spea bombifrons

Western spadefoot Spea hammondii

Great Basin spadefoot Spea intermontana

Mexican spadefoot Spea multiplicata

Suborder: Neobatrachia

Family: Bufonidae

American toad Anaxyrus americanus

Wyoming toad Anaxyrus baxteri

Western toad Anaxyrus boreas and:

Amargosa toad Anaxyrus nelsoni (formerly in A. boreas)

Arroyo toad Anaxyrus californicus E

Yosemite toad Anaxyrus canorus

Great Plains toad Anaxyrus cognatus

Chihuahuan green toad Anaxyrus debilis

Black toad Anaxyrus exsul

Fowler’s toad Anaxyrus fowleri

Canadian toad Anaxyrus hemiophrys E

Houston toad Anaxyrus houstonensis E

Arizona toad Anaxyrus microscaphus

Hot Creek toad Anaxyrus monfontanus

Railroad Valley toad Anaxyrus nevadensis

Red-spotted toad Anaxyrus punctatus

Oak toad Anaxyrus quercicus

Sonoran green toad Anaxyrus retiformis

Texas toad Anaxyrus speciosus

Southern toad Anaxyrus terrestris

Woodhouse’s toad Anaxyrus woodhousii

Dixie Valley toad Anaxyrus williamsi

Colorado River toad Incilius alvarius

Coastal plains toad Incilius nebulifer (formerly in Incilius valliceps)

South American cane toad Rhinella marina

Mesoamerican Cane toad Rhinella horribilis (formerly in R. marina)

Family: Hylidae

Subfamily: Hylinae

Tree frogs

Pine Barrens tree frog Hyla andersonii (Dryophytes andersonii)

Canyon tree frog Hyla arenicolor (Dryophytes arenicolor)

Bird-voiced tree frog Hyla avivoca (Dryophytes avivoca)

Cope’s gray treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis (Dryophytes chrysoscelis)

American green tree frog Hyla cinerea (Dryophytes cinereus)

Pine woods treefrog Hyla femoralis (Dryophytes femoralis)

Barking tree frog Hyla gratiosa (Dryophytes gratiosus)

Squirrel tree frog Hyla squirella (Dryophytes squirellus)

Gray tree frog Hyla versicolor (Dryophytes versicolor)

Arizona tree frog Hyla wrightorum (Dryophytes wrightorum) (formerly in Hyla eximia)

Chorus frogs

Mountain chorus frog Pseudacris brachyphona

Brimley’s chorus frog Pseudacris brimleyi

California tree frog Pseudacris cadaverina (formerly Hyla cadaverina)

Spotted chorus frog Pseudacris clarkii

Spring peeper Pseudacris crucifer

Species split from the western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata):

Western chorus frog Pseudacris triseriata

Upland chorus frog Pseudacris feriarum and:

Cajun chorus frog Pseudacris fouquettei (formerly in P. feriarum)

New Jersey chorus frog Pseudacris kalmi

Species split from the Pacific tree frog Pseudacris regilla :

Pacific tree frog Pseudacris regilla

Baja California tree frog Pseudacris hypochondriaca

Sierran tree frog Pseudacris sierra

Illinois chorus frog Pseudacris illinoensis or Pseudacris streckeri illinoensis

Boreal chorus frog Pseudacris maculata

Southern chorus frog Pseudacris nigrita

Little grass frog Pseudacris ocularis

Ornate chorus frog Pseudacris ornata

Strecker’s chorus frog Pseudacris streckeri

Cricket frogs

Cricket frog Acris crepitans and:

Blanchard’s cricket frog Acris (crepitans) blanchardi (split from A. crepitans)

Southern cricket frog Acris gryllus

Other tree frogs

Cuban tree frog Osteopilus septentrionalis *

Mexican tree frog Smilisca baudinii

Lowland burrowing tree frog Smilisca fodiens

Family: Pelodryadidae

(Australian treefrogs)

Australian Green Tree Frog Ranoidea caerulea *

Family: Ranidae

Typical frogs

Northern red-legged frog Rana aurora and:

California red-legged frog Rana draytonii T (formerly in R. aurora)

Foothill yellow-legged frog Rana boylii

Cascades frog Rana cascadae

Columbia spotted frog Rana luteiventris

Southern mountain yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa E and:

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog Rana sierrae (formerly in Rana muscosa)

Oregon spotted frog Rana pretiosa

Water frogs

American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus

Gopher frog Lithobates capito

Crawfish frog Lithobates areolatus

Mississippi gopher frog or dusky gopher frog Lithobates sevosus E

Rio Grande leopard frog Lithobates berlandieri

Plains leopard frog Lithobates blairi

Chiricahua leopard frog Lithobates chiricahuensis T and:

Ramsey Canyon leopard frog Lithobates subaquavocalis , (split from L. chiricahuensis)

Green frog Lithobates clamitans or Rana clamitans

Vegas Valley leopard frog †Lithobates fisheri

Pig frog Lithobates grylio

River frog Lithobates heckscheri

Florida bog frog Lithobates okaloosae or Rana okaloosae

Relict leopard frog Lithobates onca or Rana onca

Pickerel frog Lithobates palustris

Northern leopard frog Lithobates pipiens or Rana pipiens and:

Mid-Atlantic coast leopard frog Lithobates kauffeldi (split from the L. pipiens)

Mink frog Lithobates septentrionalis

Southern leopard frog Lithobates sphenocephalus

Wood frog Lithobates sylvaticus

Tarahumara frog Lithobates tarahumarae or Rana tarahumarae

Carpenter frog Lithobates virgatipes

Lowland leopard frog Lithobates yavapaiensis

Japanese wrinkled frog Glandirana rugosa * (Hawaii only)

Family: Craugastoridae

Barking frog Craugastor augusti

Family: Eleutherodactylidae

Subfamily: Eleutherodactylinae

Coquí Eleutherodactylus coqui * (Puerto Rico only)

Rio Grande chirping frog Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides , only:

Rio Grande chirping frog Eleutherodactylus (cystignathoides) campi

Spotted chirping frog Eleutherodactylus guttilatus

Cliff chirping frog Eleutherodactylus marnockii

Greenhouse frog Eleutherodactylus planirostris *

Family: Leptodactylidae

Subfamily: Leptodactylinae

Mexican white-lipped frog Leptodactylus fragilis

Family: Microhylidae

Subfamily: Gastrophryninae

Sheep frog Hypopachus variolosus

Subfamily: Microhylinae

North American narrow-mouthed frogs

Eastern narrow-mouthed toad Gastrophryne carolinensis

Western narrow-mouthed toad Gastrophryne olivacea and:

Sinaloan narrow-mouthed toad Gastrophryne mazatlanensis (split from G. olivacea)

Family: Dendrobatidae

Subfamily: Dendrobatinae

Green-and-black poison dart frog Dendrobates auratus * (Hawaii only)