Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Distribution: Tropical rainforests worldwide
Characteristics: Elongate, legless, nearly blind, and annulated (ringed) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Giant Salamanders
Distribution: Eastern North America and Asia
Characteristics: Largest salamanders in world, primitive, external fertilizers |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Hellbender
o Description: Large (~2ft), loose folds of skin, no external gills
o Distribution: Southern Missouri
o Habitat: Rocky Streams and Rivers |
|
Definition
| Cryptobranchus alleganiensis[image] |
|
|
Term
Asiatic Salamanders
Distribution: Mainly Asia (only salamander family not found in North America)
Characteristics: Primitive, external fertilizers |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Sirens
Distribution: Eastern North America
Characteristics: Elongate, lack rear limbs, external gills, primitive, external fertilizers |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Lesser Siren
o Description: Elongate, lack rear limbs, external gills, primitive, external fertilizers
o Distribution: Mainly Bootheel
o Habitat: Lowland swamps, sloughs, ditches, and wetlands |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Amphiumas
Distribution: Eastern North America
Characteristics: Elongate, all four limbs small, no external gills |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Three-toed Amphiuma
o Description: Elongate, all four limbs small, no external gills
o Distribution: Bootheel
o Habitat: Cypress Swamps, oxbows, and sloughs |
|
Definition
| Amphiuma tridactylum[image] |
|
|
Term
Torrent Salamanders
Distribution: Northwestern North America
Characteristics: Small, nearly lungless, squared off gland at vent |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Mudpuppies and Waterdogs
Distribution: Eastern North America and Europe (Mediterranean)
Characteristics: Smooth skin, four limbs, external gills, paddle-liked tail |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Mudpuppy
o Description: Smooth skin, four limbs, external gills, paddle-liked tail
o Distribution: Statewide except northwest
o Habitat: Larger rivers, creeks, and lakes |
|
Definition
| Necturus maculosus[image] |
|
|
Term
Newts and their kin
Distribution: North America and Eurasia
Characteristics: Toxic skin secretions and elaborate courtship displays |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Eastern Newt
oDescription: olive-green dorsally with yellow belly (efts may be bright red)
oDistribution: Statewide except northwest
oHabitat: Ponds and other wetlands
|
|
Definition
| Notophthalmus viridescens[image] |
|
|
Term
Mole Salamanders
Distribution: North America
Characteristics: Stocky, often colorful |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Ringed Salamander
o Description: Black with bright yellow rings dorsally and a light gray venter
o Distribution: Central and Southern Missouri (Ozarks)
o Habitat: Dry, upland forests with semi-permanent ponds |
|
Definition
| Ambystoma annulatum[image] |
|
|
Term
Spotted Salamander
o Description: Black with bright yellow spots dorsally, thatt are evenly spaced and a dark venter
o Distribution: Central and Southern Missouri (Ozarks) and part of Bootheel
o Habitat: Woodlands with ephemeral pools and ponds |
|
Definition
| Ambystoma maculatum[image] |
|
|
Term
Marbled Salamander
o Description: Black with silver saddles dorsally and a dark venter
o Distribution: Central and Eastern Missouri (Ozarks and Bootheel)
o Habitat: Woodlands with ephemeral pools and ponds |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Mole Salamander
o Description: Gray with a large head, short body, and short tail
o Distribution: Bootheel
o Habitat: Lowland Forest with ephemeral pools and ponds |
|
Definition
| Ambystoma talpoideum[image] |
|
|
Term
Small-mouthed Salamander
o Description: Gray with a small head, longer body and tail, very slender
o Distribution: Statewide except Ozarks
o Habitat: Flat woodlands and grasslands with ephemeral wetlands |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Tiger Salamander
o Description: Large and dark brown/black with irregular yellow blotches
o Distribution: Statewide (spotty in Ozarks)
o Habitat: Grasslands, prairies, and sparse woodlands with wetlands |
|
Definition
| Ambystoma tigrinum[image] |
|
|
Term
Lungless Salamanders
Distribution: Americas and Eurasia (only family of salamanders to radiate into tropics)
Characteristics: Small, lungless |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Long-tailed Salamander
o Description: Yellow with dorsal black spots, and nasolabial groves
o Distribution: Central and Southern Missouri (Ozarks)
o Habitat: Rocky streams, springs, and caves |
|
Definition
| Eurycea longicauda[image] |
|
|
Term
Cave Salamander
o Description: Orange with dorsal black spots (extending to all sides of tail) flattened body shape
o Distribution: Central and Southern Missouri (Ozarks)
o Habitat: Caves, springs, and small streams |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Grotto Salamander
o Description: Colorless and Blind
o Distribution: Central and Southern Missouri (Ozarks)
o Habitat: Caves (troglodytic) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Oklahoma Salamander
o Description: Paedomorphic (retains gills and remains aquatic) Gray, light dorsal stripe, light lateral white speckling
o Distribution: Southwestern Missouri
o Habitat: Gravel-bottomed streams |
|
Definition
| Eurycea tynerensis[image] |
|
|
Term
Four-toed Salamander
o Description: Golden-brown dorsally with a white underbelly with black spots, obvious constriction at the base of the tail, very small, squared off snout
o Distribution: Central Missouri (Ozarks) |
|
Definition
| Hemidactylium scutatum[image] |
|
|
Term
Western Slimy Salamander
o Description: Large black with white dorsal spots
o Distribution: Central and Southern Missouri (Ozarks)
o Habitat: Wooded upland forests |
|
Definition
| Plethodon albagula[image] |
|
|
Term
Ozark Zigzag Salamander
o Description: Dark brown to black usually with a thin red dorsal stripe - Best distinguished from serratis by range
o Distribution: Southwestern Missouri
o Habitat: Wooded upland forests |
|
Definition
| Plethodon angusticlavius[image] |
|
|
Term
Western Slimy Salamander
o Description: Dark brown to black usually with a serrated red dorsal stripe
o Distribution: Central and Eastern Missouri (Ozarks)
o Habitat: Wooded upland forests |
|
Definition
| Plethodon serratus[image] |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Tailed Frogs
Distribution: Northwestern North America and New Zealand
Characteristics: primitive, intermittent sex organ (tail) aids in reproduction (internal fertilization) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Clawed Frogs
Distribution: South America and Africa
Characteristics: Wholly aquatic with flattened body shape |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Mexican Burrowing Toad
Distribution: South Texas into Central America
Characteristics: Plump and highly fossorial, evolutionarily very distinct |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Glass Frogs
Distribution: Central and South America
Characteristics: Green skin and bones, see through skin |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Poison Dart Frogs
Distribution: South America
Characteristics: Small and highly toxic (due to diet) with bright and elaborate coloration |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Rain Frogs/Coquis
Distribution: Central and South America
Characteristics: Usually very small, loud high pitched vocalizations, extremely diverse |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Fire-bellied Toads
Distribution: Eurasia and Philippines
Characteristics: Bumpy skin and plump, toad-like form, highly toxic skin with a bright underbelly (defensive display – “unken reflex”) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Narrow-mouthed Toads
Distribution: Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia
Characteristics: Variable in body form and coloration, extremely diverse |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
o Description: Darker brown with some lighter mottling dorsally
o Distribution: Southern Missouri
o Habitat: Often low floodplains, but is common on glades as well
o KNOW CALL - Adult sheep (low pitch) |
|
Definition
| Gastrophryne carolinensis[image] |
|
|
Term
Great Plains Narrow-mouthed Toad
o Description: Light in coloration with little dorsal patterning
o Distribution: Western Missouri
o Habitat: Prairie and Grasslands
o KNOW CALL - baby sheep (high pitch) |
|
Definition
| Gastrophryne olivacea[image] |
|
|
Term
Treefrogs
Distribution: Nearly worldwide (temperate and tropic)
Characteristics: Enlarged toe discs, long legs, highly arboreal |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Cricket Frog
o Description: Small with bumpy skin and a dark triangle between eyes
o Distribution: Statewide
o Habitat: Larger wetlands and rivers
o KNOW CALL - clicking marbles
|
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Spring Peeper
o Description: Light colored with a distinctive X dorsally.
o Distribution: Statewide except northwest corner
o Habitat: Woodlands
o KNOW CALL - high pitiched "peep" |
|
Definition
| Pseudacris crucifer[image] |
|
|
Term
Chorus Frog
o Description: Light colored with 3 or more dorsal stripes.
o Distribution: Statewide
o Habitat: Grasslands, swamps, and low wetlands
o KNOW CALL - running your fingers accross a comb |
|
Definition
| Pseudacris maculata[image] |
|
|
Term
Illinois Chorus Frog
o Description: Plump with dorsal blotches, distinctive blotch through eyes.
o Distribution: Bootheel
o Habitat: Sand Prairies and Grasslands
CALL - squeaky wheels |
|
Definition
| Pseudacris illinoensis[image] |
|
|
Term
Green Treefrog
o Description: Bright green with white dorso-lateral stripes.
o Distribution: Bootheel and scattered isolates in central Missouri
o Habitat: Cypress swamps and floodplain wetlands
o KNOW CALL - nasal honk or quack |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Gray Treefrogs
o Description: Bumpy skin with lichenate patterning can be green or gray.
o Distribution: Statewide
o Habitat: Generalist, most abundant in forested areas
o KNOW CALLS - c. abbreviated trill
- v. tone and speed intensifies
|
|
Definition
Hyla chrysoscelis
Hyla versicolor
[image] |
|
|
Term
“True Frogs”
Distribution: Nearly worldwide (temperate and tropic)
Characteristics: Long legs, stereotypical frog body form |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Crawfish Frog
o Description: Large with ornate dorsal blotches and reticulations
o Distribution: Western and Central Missouri
o Habitat: Grasslands and Prairies
o KNOW CALL - loud resonating snore |
|
Definition
Lithobates areolata
[image] |
|
|
Term
Plains Leopard Frog
o Description: Brown with dorsal spots and a broken dorso-lateral fold
o Distribution: Northern Missouri
o Habitat: Open wetlands and larger rivers
CALL - rubbing finger on a balloon |
|
Definition
Lithobates blairi
[image] |
|
|
Term
American Bullfrog
o Description: Large and brown to green with no dorso-lateral folds
o Distribution: Statewide
o Habitat: Most lentic habitats
o KNOW CALL - very deep "jug-o-rum" |
|
Definition
Lithobates catesbeiana
[image] |
|
|
Term
Green Frog
o Description: Green to brown with dorso-lateral folds
o Distribution: Statewide
o Habitat: Most lentic and lotic habitats
o KNOW CALL - loose banjo string |
|
Definition
Lithobates clamitans
[image] |
|
|
Term
Pickerel Frog
o Description: Rectangular blotches dorsally, a yellow wash around groin
o Distribution: Ozarks
o Habitat: Shaded ravines, caves, and spring-fed streams
o KNOW CALL - low, slow, rising snor or morning male groan |
|
Definition
Lithobates palustris
[image] |
|
|
Term
Southern Leopard Frog
o Description: Dorsal spots and sometimes green dorsal coloration
o Distribution: Southern Missouri
o Habitat: Open wetlands and larger rivers
o KNOW CALL - slow growl |
|
Definition
Lithobates sphenocephalus
[image] |
|
|
Term
Wood Frog
o Description: Brown to tan with black mask around eye
o Distribution: Eastern and far southwestern Missouri
o Habitat: Upland forest with vernal pools
o KNOW CALL - duck- like quacking |
|
Definition
Lithobates sylvatica
[image] |
|
|
Term
“True Toads”
Distribution: Nearly worldwide (temperate and tropic)
Characteristics: Bumpy skin, plump body form, toxic paratoid glands, cranial crests |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
American Toad
o Description: Brown to Reddish with enlarged tibial warts
o Distribution: Statewide
o Habitat: Generalist
o KNOW CALL - high pitched trill |
|
Definition
Anaxyrus americanus
[image] |
|
|
Term
Great Plains Toad
o Description: Gray to olive green with large greenish blotches
o Distribution: Missouri River
o Habitat: Open Country
|
|
Definition
Anaxyrus cognatus
[image] |
|
|
Term
Fowler’s Toad
o Description: Gray to olive green with dark blotches enclosing many warts, no enlarged tibial warts, belly is plain with one single dark spot
o Distribution: Eastern and Central Missouri
o Habitat: Generalist |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Woodhouse’s Toad
o Description: Similar to Fowler’s Toad
o Distribution: Missouri River
o Habitat: Open Country |
|
Definition
Anaxyrus woodhousii
[image] |
|
|
Term
“Spadefoots”
Distribution: North America
Characteristics: Elliptical pupil and dark, hardened “spade” on foot |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Eastern Spadefoot
o Description: Variable dorsal coloration with two yellow stripes
o Distribution: Bootheel
o Habitat: Low, sandy areas
CALL - whining, nasal call |
|
Definition
Scaphiopus holbrookii
[image] |
|
|
Term
Plains Spadefoot
o Description: Light in coloration, little dorsal patterning
o Distribution: Missouri River
o Habitat: Low, sandy areas
CALL - low short "burb" .. like from a really small person |
|
Definition
|
|
