California Reptiles & Amphibians
Identifying California Frogs and Toads
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California Frogs and Toads: |
This is not a scientific key to identifying frogs and toads found in California. It is meant to be used as a basic tool for the novice who wants identify a frog or toad primarily by appearance. If you have any problems with this key, or suggestions on how to improve it, please send me feedback. |
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1. Does the frog or toad you want to identify have enlarged toe pads or straight toes? |
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Straight Toe Tips Go to part 2 |
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| 2. Frogs and Toads with straight or unenlarged toe tips |
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Does the frog or toad have vertical or horizontal pupils? |
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Vertical Pupils Go to part 3 |
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| 3. Frogs and Toads with straight or unenlarged toe tips and vertical pupils |
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| Does the frog or toad have a hardened black spade on the back of the hind feet, or a dark line through the eye? |
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Dark line through the eye Click Here (Coastal Tailed Frog) |
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4. Frogs and Toads with straight or unenlarged toe tips and horizontal pupils |
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Does the frog or toad have rough, warty skin, with enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, or smooth skin and no parotoid glands? |
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(Do not confuse parotoids with the rounded tympanum, or eardrum on a frog or toad which is behind the eye, but is not raised up.) |
Rough Skin |
Enlarged Parotoid Glands
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Smooth Skin |
No Parotoid Glands |
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Frogs - Go to part 5 |
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| 5. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, and smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes |
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| Does the frog have a distinct dorsolateral fold (a raised ridge on the upper sides of the body)? |
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None, or indistinct Dorsolateral Folds
Go to part 6 |
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| 6. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, and indistinct dorsolateral folds |
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| Does the frog have a ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye and and does it have some green coloring? |
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Green or partly green frog with a ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye Click Here (Bullfrog) |
No ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye Go to part 7 |
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| 7. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, indistinct dorsolateral folds, and no ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye |
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| Does the frog have small upturned eyes with no eyelids, and sharp black claws on the inner toes (and is found mostly in water) or does it have yellow under the legs? |
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No claws or upturned eyes, yellow under the legs Go to part 8 |
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| 8. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, indistinct dorsolateral folds, no ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye, small upturned eyes with no eyelids. and yellow under the legs |
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Yellow-legged Frogs These frogs are difficult to tell apart, however they most likely do not occur near each other anymore. Both have disappeared from most of their former habitat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Southern California Mountains. Use the range maps to tell which species you have. Does the frog occur in high elevations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (or in mountains in Southern California)? |
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| Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog Rana sierrae |
Underside | Historical Range - in red |
Yes, in the southern Sierra Nevada and southern California mountains - Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog - Click Here |
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© William Flaxington  |
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| Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Rana muscosa |
Historical Range - in red | |
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| Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Rana boylii |
Underside | Historical Range - in red (This frog is no longer found in the southern California mountins.) |
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