California Amphibians and How to Find Them

Emily Taylor is a professor of biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of reptiles and amphibians with her students. Taylor is founder of the community science initiative Project RattleCam (rattlecam.org) and owner of Central Coast Snake Services (centralcoastsnakeservices.com). Her first two books are California Snakes and How to Find Them and California Lizards and How to Find Them. She lives in Atascadero, CA. Learn more at EmilyTaylorScience.com and follow her on social media @snakeymama.

"California is home to a surprising number of salamanders and frogs—nearly 80 species—and many of them are found nowhere else. In this engaging and visually stunning book, Emily Taylor takes us on a tour of the state and invites readers to observe our amazing amphibians." —Robert W. Hansen, coauthor of California Amphibians and Reptiles"Emily Taylor's books are indispensable. What Taylor has done and continues to do for popularizing California herpetology is unparalleled." —Obi Kaufmann, author of The California Field Atlas and The Deserts of California

• PrefaceIntroductionCalifornia: Amphibians’ Wild Water ParkWhat are Amphibians?Some California Amphibians Are in TroubleWhat Can We Do To Help California Amphibians?To Have and To Hold AmphibiansTHE SALAMANDERSFamily AmbystomatidaeCalifornia Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma californienseNorthwestern Salamander, Ambystoma gracileLong-toed Salamander, Ambystoma macrodactylumWestern Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma mavortiumFamily DicamptodontidaeGiant Salamanders, Dicamptodon ensatus and D. tenebrosusFamily PlethodontidaeClouded and Wandering Salamanders, Aneides ferreus and A. vagransBlack Salamanders, Aneides flavipunctatus, A. iecanus, A. klamathensis, and A. nigerArboreal Salamander, Aneides lugubrisSlender Salamanders, Batrachoseps spp.Ensatina, Ensatina eschscholtziiWeb-toed Salamanders, Hydromantes brunus and H. platycephalusShasta Salamanders, Hydromantes samweli, H. shastae, and H. wintuWoodland Salamanders, Plethodon asupak, P. dunni, P. elongatus, and P. stormiFamily RhyacotritonidaeSouthern Torrent Salamander, Rhyacotriton variegatusFamily SalamandridaeRough-skinned Newt, Taricha granulosaRed-bellied Newt, Taricha rivularisSierra and California Newts, Taricha sierrae and T. torosaTHE FROGSFamily AscaphidaeCoastal Tailed Frog, Ascaphus trueiFamily BufonidaeWestern Toad, Anaxyrus boreasArroyo Toad, Anaxyrus californicusYosemite Toad, Anaxyrus canorusGreat Plains Toad, Anaxyrus cognatusBlack Toad, Anaxyrus exsulRed-spotted Toad, Anaxyrus punctatusWoodhouse’s Toad, Anaxyrus woodhousiiFamily EleutherodactylidaeCommon Coquí, Eleutherodactylus coquiFamily HylidaeCalifornia Chorus Frog, Pseudacris cadaverinaPacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris regillaFamily PipidaeAfrican Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevisFamily RanidaeRed-legged Frogs, Rana aurora and R. draytoniiRio Grande Leopard Frog, Rana berlandieriFoothill Yellow-legged Frog, Rana boyliiCascades Frog, Rana cascadaeAmerican Bullfrog, Rana catesbeianaMountain Yellow-legged Frogs, Rana muscosa and R. sierraeNorthern and Southern Leopard Frogs, Rana pipiens and R. sphenocephalaFamily ScaphiopodidaeCouch’s Spadefoot, Scaphiopus couchiiWestern Spadefoot, Spea hammondiiGreat Basin Spadefoot, Spea intermontanaAcknowledgmentsRecommended Further ReadingAbout the Author