S. O. MacDonald

TheAmphibians

andReptilesof Alaska

A Field HandbookWestern Toad (Anaxyrus boreas)

The Amphibians andReptiles of Alaska:A Field Handbook

byS. O. MacDonaldResearch Associate

University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanksand

Museum of Southwestern Biology, Albuquerque(somacdonald@gilanet.com)

Illustrated byOrien MacDonald

(omluthier@yahoo.com)

Version 2.0 - May 2010Roughskin Newt (Taricha granulosa)

ii

Preface

Acknowledgments

Almost 40 years have drifted by since my first encounter with a Roughskin Newt. Young and newly married, my bride and I and a mound of supplieswere deposited in the still snow-filled valley of the Chickamin River on the mainland of Southeast Alaska to begin a year of bush living and adventuring.The newt, discovered crawling along the bottom of a shallow beaver pond shortly after our mid-May arrival, was someone new to the both of us. Fortu-nately, we had brought along a copy of G. Clifford Carl’s wonderful little handbook, The Amphibians of British Columbia, from which we learned not onlywho this was but some important details on its natural history as well. I still have that booklet which has, along with Robert Parker Hodge’s (1976) pio-neering work on Alaska herps published several years later, served me well over the years. Thanks to the many good folks of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska, I have been given this opportunity to incorporate information in theseearlier studies and bring up to date information that has been accumulating over the ensuing years. In addition, a website and database connectionshave been developed to help facilitate much needed inventory and monitoring studies on this fascinating yet still poorly known fauna. My ultimate hopefor this effort is that we will learn not just to know and appreciate these fellow community members, but will with time and study become better equippedto cause them the least harm. Version 2.0 of this handbook incorporates all relevant scientific and common name changes recently advanced by Crother (2008) and others in thesixth edition of Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico.

The development of this handbook was made possible with funding provided by the Juneau Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

My sincere thanks to the Alaska Natural Heritage Program for generously hosting the web version of this work.

I’m particularly grateful to Kim Hastings and Ed Grossman, USFWS-Juneau, for help and encouragement in all aspects of this effort, and to the numberof people who kindly reviewed an earlier draft of this publication. Many individuals and institutions, some of whom may not be listed below, havegenerously provided their valuable time and talents to help this project through to fruition. Warm thanks to: Alaska Department of Fish and Game–K.Pahlke, S. Sonnichsen, J. Whitman; Alaska Natural Heritage Program–T. Gotthardt; NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Auke BayLaboratory–B. Wing; National Park Service–B. Anderson, D. Sharp, S. Wesser, A. Wright; Private–R. Carstensen of Discovery Southeast, R. Hadley,R.P. Hodge, N. Lethcoe, N. MacDonald, D. Pakula; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service–S. Brockmann, M. Brown, J. Lindell, D. Rudis, K. Trust; U.S.D.A.Forest Service–L. Cabrera, C. Parsley; U.S. Geological Survey–K. Simac; University of Alaska Museum–B. Jacobsen, G. Jarrell, G. Haas, D.McDonald, K. Hilderbrandt; Museum of SW Biology–J. Cook; Idaho State University–A. Runck; Utah State University–E. Brodie, Jr.; and theCurators and Staff of Museums for sharing their invaluable collections with me. And last but certainly not least, my deepest appreciation to my son,Orien MacDonald, whose illustrations grace this work,.

Contents Preface ii

Acknowledgments iiThe Herpetofauna of Alaska 2Introduction 3 What are Amphibians and Reptiles? 3 Checklist 3 A Synopsis of the Alaska Fauna 4Amphibian Life 5Field Study 7Handling Live Amphibians 9Conservation Status 10External Anatomy 11Species Accounts 12 Northwestern Salamander 13 Long-toed Salamander 15 Roughskin Newt 17 Western Toad 19 Columbia Spotted Frog 21 Wood Frog 23 Red-legged Frog 25 Pacific Chorus Frog 27 Loggerhead Seaturtle 29

Green Seaturtle 30 Olive Ridley Seaturtle 31 Leatherback Seaturtle 32Enigmatics, Potentials, and Escapees Alaska Worm Salamander 33 Gartersnake 34 Other Species 34Identification Keys Adult Salamanders 35 Larval Salamanders 35 Adult Frogs and Toad 36 Tadpoles 36 Amphibian Eggs 37 Seaturtles 38References 39Photo Credits 41Taking Voucher Photographs 41Island Occurrence of Alaska Amphibians 42General Locality Maps 43

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The Herpetofauna of Alaska (Class Amphibia, Reptilia)ORDER CAUDATA (Salamanders) ORDER ANURA (Toads & Frogs) ORDER TESTUDINES (Turtles)

FAMILY Ambystomatidae (mole salamanders)

FAMILY Salamandridae (newts)

Northwestern Salamander (Ambystoma gracile) p. 13

Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) p. 15

Roughskin Newt (Taricha granulosa) p. 17

FAMILY Bufonidae (true toads)

Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas) p. 19

FAMILY Hylidae(treefrogs)

FAMILY Ranidae (true frogs)

Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacrisregilla) Introduced p. 27

Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)p. 23

Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris)p. 21

Red-legged Frog(Rana aurora) Introduced p. 25

FAMILY Chelonidae (sea turtles)

FAMILY Dermochelyidae (leatherback sea turtles)

Green Seaturtle(Chelonia mydas)

p. 30

Loggerhead Seaturtle(Caretta caretta)

p. 29

Leatherback Seaturtle(Dermochelys coriacea) p. 32

Olive Ridley Seaturtle(Lepidochelys olivacea)

p. 31

ENIGMATIC SPECIES

Alaska Worm Salamander(Batrachoseps caudatus)

p. 33

Common Gartersnake(Thamnophis sirtalis)

p. 34

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IntroductionWith alarming declines of some amphibians (andall marine turtles) being reported worldwide, it isimperative for biologists and naturalists to takeresponsibility for the future of local populations ofnative species. To do so will require an under-standing of their distribution, habitat needs, lifehistory, current status, population trends and vul-nerabilities. Grounding these is a solid taxonomicframework that adequately reflects the structuresof geographic variation and evolutionary relation-ships. In the 34 years that have elapsed since Rob-ert Parker Hodge published his pioneering study,Amphibians and Reptiles in Alaska, the Yukon,and Northwest Territories, there have beenchanges made in our understandings of taxo-nomic relationships, new distribution and naturalhistory information published, alien species intro-duced, and issues of conservation concern iden-tified. We still have much to learn about Alaska’sherpetofauna.

WHAT ARE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES?Amphibians and reptiles are “cold-blooded” orectothermic animals that in practical terms do notproduce enough metabolic heat to enable themto warm their own bodies, as birds and mammalsdo. Thus their body temperature is dependantupon the temperature of their surroundings. Thisstrategy, while conferring advantages such as

not having to eat as much just to stay warm andthus directing more energy towards growth andreproduction does, however, restrict their activi-ties to conditions of favorable temperatures andavoidance of extreme heat and cold. Conse-quently, amphibians and reptiles living in regionswith cold winters must hibernate during thosetimes until suitable weather returns in the spring.Therefore, it is not surprising that few amphibi-ans and only the occasional marine turtle arefound in Alaska, and that all but one species, thecold-adapted Wood Frog, are restricted to themilder coastal areas of the state. A synopsis ofeach family represented in Alaska is presentedbelow:

Salamanders. Salamanders, like frogs andtoads, typically have moist, soft skins and lackclaws and scales. Unlike frogs and toads(anurans), the front and back legs of salaman-ders are similar in structure and essentially equalin size, and a tail is present even in adults. Molesalamanders (Ambystomatidae), of which some30 species occur only in the New World, typicallyhave a broad head, small eyes, and prominentcostal grooves. Larvae of some species do nottransform but breed in the larval form (as gilledadults or neotenics). Adults are typically noctur-nal, terrestrial and active burrowers. Newts(Salamandridae) have rough-textured skin ex-cept in breeding males, and lack costal grooves.There are about 45 species of newts world-wide;in North America this family is represented bytwo genera of three species each.

Frogs and Toads. There are about 2,700species, comprising 16 families, of frogs and

Checklist of the Amphibiansand Reptiles of Alaska

Order CAUDATA: newts and salamanders Family Ambystomatidae: mole salamanders Ambystoma gracile, Northwestern Salamander

[SE Alaska] Ambystoma macrodactylum, Long-toed Salamander [SE Alaska] Family Salamandridae: newts Taricha granulosa, Roughskin Newt [SE Alaska]

Order ANURA: frogs and toads Family Bufonidae: true toads Anaxyrus boreas, Western Toad [SE and SC Alaska] Family Hylidae: treefrogs †Pseudacris regilla, Pacific Chorus Frog [SE Alaska] Family Ranidae: true frogs †Rana aurora, Red-legged Frog [SE Alaska] Rana luteiventris, Columbia Spotted Frog [SE Alaska} Lithobates sylvaticus, Wood Frog [SE, SC, SW, W, and C Alaska]

Order TESTUDINES: turtles Family Chelonidae: sea turtles Caretta caretta, Loggerhead Seaturtle [Gulf of

Alaska] Chelonia mydas, Green Seaturtle [Gulf of Alaska] Lepidochelys olivacea, Olive Ridley Seaturtle [Gulf of Alaska] Family Dermochelyidae: leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea, Leatherback Seaturtle [Gulf of Alaska]

† Non-native species translocated to Alaska from outside thestate.

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toads distributed throughout the world. Ninety-five species are found in North America north ofMexico. Adult frogs and toads lack tails and havehind legs that are larger and more robust thanthe front legs. Most have a well-developed earand a voice used to attract mates, drive off in-truders, and signal distress. North Americantoads (Bufonidae) consist of about 19 generawith about 300 species worldwide. Only one ge-nus, Anaxyrus, occurs in North America. Toadsare plump, short-legged, and warty. Parotoidglands distinguish them from frogs. True frogs(Ranidae) have slim waists, long legs for jump-ing, extensively webbed hind feet, and often apair of dorsolateral folds. Some 600 species oc-cur worldwide, mostly in Africa. Sixteen genera,comprising about 250 species, occur in the NewWorld. Treefrogs and their allies (Hylidae) con-sist of some 600 species worldwide, with mostfound in the New World tropics. Many are tree-living and have well-developed toe pads that areset off from the rest of the toe by a small, extrasegment.

Seaturtles. Six species in four genera of hardshelled marine turtles (Chelonidae) and one spe-cies of leathery-backed marine turtle(Dermochelyidae) are found primarily in tropicaland subtropical seas. Female seaturtles lay largenumbers of leathery eggs in nest cavities duginto sandy beaches. Marine turtle populationsare in decline worldwide.

A SYNOPSIS OF THE ALASKA FAUNA. Alas-ka is home to eight species of amphibians com-prising seven genera, five families, and two

orders. Two of the species are not native to theregion. One other species, the supposed AlaskaWorm Salamander, remains too clouded in mys-tery to be included with any degree of confi-dence. Only four species of reptiles, all marine turtlesof two families, have been documented withinthe state’s borders. Reports of garter snakesfrom the mainland of Southeast Alaska have notbeen substantiated and thus remain hypotheti-cal. Among amphibians, only two have been docu-mented outside the Southeast region of thestate. The Wood Frog, the most hardy and wide-spread species of frog in North America, hasbeen found from the mainland of Southeastnorthward to the crest of the Brooks Range.Alaska’s lone toad species, the Western(formerly Boreal) Toad, has been recordedthroughout the Southeast Panhandle and alongthe mainland coast to Prince William Sound. The two non-native amphibians, Pacific Cho-rus Frog and Red-legged Frog, apparently haverestricted but viable populations in the AlexanderArchipelago of Southeast Alaska on Revillagige-do Island and Chichagof Island, respectively.Both are the result of unauthorized transloca-tions from populations outside the state. Marine turtles are uncommon-to-casual visitorsto Alaska’s Gulf Coast waters (Wing and Hodge2002) and are considered a natural part of theState’s marine ecosystem. All four species arecurrently listed as threatened or endangered un-der the U.S. Endangered Species Act (see Con-servation Status, page 10).

Major geographic regions and marinewaters of Alaska

Major vegetation types of Alaska

Tundra and barren

Interior boreal forest

Coastal forest

With well over 4000 species of salamanders,toads and frogs in the world, there is anincredible array of life strategies. The six speciesof amphibians native to Alaska live at thenorthern limits of their distribution. All emergefrom hibernation in spring and migrate tobreeding ponds to lay their jelly-protected eggs inthe water. The eggs develop rapidly and hatchinto larvae, called tadpoles in frogs and toads.The larvae typically metamorphose from aquatic,gill-breathing juveniles into air-breathing, land-dwelling adults, usually by the end of their first orsecond summer. Some salamander larvae do nottransform and instead reach sexual maturity asgilled adults in a process called neoteny.Neotenic salamanders have yet to be recorded inAlaska but have been found in some populationsof Northwestern Salamanders close to Alaska incoastal British Columbia. Amphibians are carnivorous for most or all oftheir lives. Most are generalists, consuming awide variety of insects, worms or other animalprey small enough to fit in their mouths. Adult andlarval salamanders are strictly carnivores.Tadpoles of toads and frogs, however, are mainlyherbivores, feeding on aquatic plants until theytransform into predatory adults.

Amphibian Life5

Aquatic Larva

Egg masslaid in water

Gilled Adult

(neoteny)

Terrestrial Adult

Life Cycle of the Northwestern Salamander

6

Life Cycleof the Wood Frog

Aquatic Larva (tadpole)

Egg masses laidin water

Adults in amplexus(mating embrace)

Metamorphosing(Transforming) froglet

Field StudyThe branch of science that studies amphibiansand reptiles is known as Herpetology. Becausethe herpetofauna of Alaska is so poorly known,there is more than ample opportunity for bothprofessional and amateur “herpetologists” tomake significant contributions to our knowledgeof this fascinating group of animals. Large areasand numerous islands of Alaska have neverbeen surveyed for their amphibian inhabitantsand many gaps remain in such basic informationas distribution, abundance, behavior, reproduc-tion, and conservation status.

Finding Amphibians. Techniques and proce-dures for finding, capturing and properly handlingsalamanders, toads, and frogs are available froma number of sources listed in References. Obvi-ously, the best time to search for Alaska’s am-phibians is when they congregate in ponds andlakes to breed. Knowing the life history and habi-tat requirements of a species will help in yoursearch during other times of the year.

Documentation. Locality records are only valu-able if the species are properly identified and ifthe records are accompanied by voucher speci-mens or good photographs that show identifyingdetails (see Taking Voucher Photographs, page41). In some cases, sound recordings can beused to verify occurrence. Well-documented re-

cords must include such basic information asdate, observer, locality, species identification anddescription. A field notebook, camera and GPSunit are fundamental tools of the trade. A fielddata form is provided for reference or copy onthe following page. A printable version of thisfield data form as well as more detailed amphibi-an habitat and repeat survey forms developed byR. Carstensen of Discovery Southeast are avail-able on our website (www.alaskaherps.info). In-formation for submittal of vouchered records isprovided under Contact Information on the backcover.

All of Alaska’s herpetofauna are protectedunder state or federal law. Not only is it illegal tocollect any of these animals for scientific purpos-es without a valid permit from the Alaska Depart-ment of Fish & Game and possibly Federal orTribal authorities, it is also illegal for anyone to“hold, transport or release” any native amphibi-an. This applies to such activities as casualhome rearing and well-intentioned classroomprojects. Properly permitted researchers arestrongly encouraged to submit well documentedand prepared specimens to the University ofAlaska Museum Herpetology Collection. Ar-rangements with the appropriate curators shouldbe made prior to field studies.

Protection. Many amphibian populations world-wide are in decline, but in Alaska attention hasonly recently been focused on this phenomenon.Because of limited information, the current statusdesignations of Alaska herps (see ConservationStatus, page 10) may be inadequate. For exam-

ple, unique populations and endemic taxa mayoccur on islands along Alaska’s Pacific Coast(Cook and MacDonald 2001), yet we still lackeven the most basic information to establish con-servation priorities for potentially vulnerable insu-lar faunas (see Island Occurrence, page 42).

Additional Resources. Detailed information onamphibians and reptiles and their study areavailable from a wide variety of sources, both inprint and online. Important resources relevant toAlaska herpetology are included in Referencesbeginning on page 39. Two particularly importantreferences for anyone considering inventory ormonitoring studies of amphibians are Heyer et al.(1994) and Olson et al. (1997). Heyer et al.(1994) also includes detailed information on thecollection and proper preservation of scientificspecimens for vouchers and scientific study.Links to many useful websites can be found onour website (www.alaskaherps.info).

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Capturing Roughskin Newts in SoutheastAlaska with a minnow trap.

Herpetofauna Field Data FormDATE (e.g., 15 April 2003) TimeObserver Address (email, phone)

State Quadrangle District (e.g., island, Nat’l Park)Specific locality

Latitude Longitude Elevation Max error (units)

LOCALITY INFORMATIONWeather

SPECIES INFORMATIONSpecies name

Habitat (vegetation, pond, stream, etc.)

Number observedLife Stage (adult, juvenile, larva, eggs)

Voucher #Description (color, size, behavior)

VOUCHER INFORMATIONNature of voucher (fluid-preserved, frozen tissues, photograph)REMARKS

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Datum

TAKING MEASUREMENTSSEXING AMPHIBIANSHandling LiveAmphibiansLive amphibians should be treated with care andrespect. Some basic rules to follow include:

• Keep your hands wet and clean of insectrepellant and other chemicals. The unprotectedskin of amphibians makes them vulnerable todesiccation and contaminant absorption. Usingrubber gloves protects both the handled andthe handler.

• Don’t let an animal get overheated or dried out.If it begins to dry, pour water over it or hold it incupped hands or container with water for aminute or so.

• Clean equipment, boots, gloves and clothingafter each use and collection site. Suchprecautions will help prevent the introduction ofdisease from one population to another.

• Hold frogs and toads with their hind legsextended and gently held together whilesupporting the body.

• Avoid touching the tails of salamandersbecause they break off easily when handled(to regenerate later).

• Examine hatchlings, larval salamanders andtadpoles by putting them in a clear containersuch as a plastic bag with a small amount ofwater.

• Do not detach individual eggs from the mass,nor the mass from supporting vegetation.

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Snout-Vent Length (SVL)

Tibia

length

Analopening

SVLTL

T

ventTotal Length (TL)

Snout-to-Vent Length (SVL)Tail Length (T)

Snout-to-VentLength (SVL)

Length of carapace

spiracle

VOCAL SACS

paired sacs round sac

FROG FORELIMBS

NEWTS andSALAMANDERS

nuptial pad

nuptial pads

swollenvent

cloacalvilli

novilli

folds

SPECIESADFG HERITAGE BLM U.S. ESA IUCN CITES COSEWIC BC

NorthwesternSalamander Pr G5/S2? NAR YELLOW

Long-toedSalamander Pr G5/S2? (PS) NAR YELLOW

RoughskinNewt Pr G5/S2? YELLOW

Western ToadPr GS/S3? (PS) E YELLOW

ColumbiaSpotted Frog Pr G5/S2? S (PS) NAR YELLOW

Wood FrogPr G5/S3S4 YELLOW

PacificChorus Frog G5 YELLOW

Red-leggedFrog G4 (PS) PS BLUE

LoggerheadSeaturtle G3 LT E A1

GreenSeaturtle G3 LT E A1 ACC

Olive RidleySeaturtle G3 LT E A1

LeatherbackSeaturtle G2 LE CE A1 E RED

CommonGarter Snake

G5/SR (PS) YELLOW

ADFG. Alaska Department of Fish & Game Pr = legally protected from taking (No one may take, transport or hold an amphibian collected in Alaskawithout a permit, and no one may release an exotic amphibian into Alaska waters. Rearing locally collectedtadpoles or eggs in an aquarium without a permit is a violation of the law, as is releasing the resulting animalsback into the wild.)

HERITAGE. National Heritage Network and The Nature Conservancy (as of November 2001) G = global (status throughout its range) S = subnational (status in Alaska) 1 = critically imperiled; 2 = imperiled; 3 = rare or uncommon; 4 = not rare, long-term concern; 5 = widespread, abundant, secure; ? = insufficient data; R = reported to occur

BLM. Bureau of Land Management, USDI S = sensitive

U.S. ESA. U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and theU.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (as of October 2002)

LE = listed endangered LT = listed threatened (PS) = partial status (Applies only to portion of species’ range; typically indicated in a "full" species record

where an infraspecific taxon or population has U.S. ESA status, but the entire species does not. Seewww.natureserve.org/explorer/statusus.htm#status)

IUCN. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (as of 2002) CE = critically endangered E = endangered

CITES. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (as of July 2000) AI = Appendix I (most critically endangered)

COSEWIC. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (as of November 2002) E = endangered PS = partial status (applies only to portion of species’ range) NAR = not at risk

BC. British Columbia Provincial Red and Blue List (2002) RED = extirpated, endangered, or threatened BLUE = vulnerable YELLOW = not at risk ACC = accidental

Conservation Status

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Gartersnake

FROGS AND TOADS

AMPHIBIAN EGGS

SALAMANDERSSEATURTLES

External Anatomy11

ovum (egg)

gelatinousenvelopes

(jelly layers)

capsular chamber

prefrontalscales

costal shields of carapace (plastronon underside)

costal grooves

vent

parotoid gland

parotoidgland

tuberclewarts

toe padweb

eye mask

dorsolateralfold

groin

heel ear drum

hind foot

dorsal fin

snoutSALAMANDER LARVA–Pond Type

TRUEFROG

TREEFROG

ventral fin vent

tail musculature

mouth

front foot

gillstail fin

tail legs

TOAD

glandular ridge

A brief, one or two paged account is provided foreach of the 12 species of amphibians and rep-tiles known to occur in Alaska. For each species,the following sections are discussed:

SCIENTIFIC NAME, COMMON NAME and AU-THORITY. The scientific name is followed by thename of the author and the year in which it wasdescribed. Scientific and common or vernacularnames follow Crother (2008).

TAXONOMY. The scientific classification foreach species and any subspecies currently rec-ognized and relevant to Alaska populations arediscussed. Amphibian taxa (subspecies, or if mo-notypic, species) native to Alaska are listed andinformation for each is presented, including thefull scientific name, original description andwhere published, type specimen (name holder ofthe taxa), and the type locality.

DESCRIPTION. The description for each spe-cies generally includes external features thatbest describe a species’ adult appearance anddistinguishing characteristics, including standardmeasurements (in metric units followed paren-thetically by English units), colors, and sexualdifferences. See page 9 for measurement abbre-viations.

DISTRIBUTION. A species’ general range andits more detailed occurrence in Alaska are de-scribed. Distribution maps were generated fromvouchered records (specimens or photographs)from the following institutions: California Acade-my of Science (CAS; including Stanford Univer-sity collections), San Francisco; CarnegieMuseum of Natural History (CM), Pittsburgh, PA;Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates (CU),Ithaca, NY; Field Museum of Natural History(FMNH), Chicago, IL; Museum of Natural Histo-ry, University of Kansas (KU), Lawrence; Muse-um of Southwestern Biology (MSB),Albuquerque, NM; Natural History Museum ofLos Angeles County (LACM), Los Angeles, CA:Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ), Berkeley,CA; NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service-Auke Bay Laboratory (AB; includes former hold-ings of R.P. Hodge and the Tongass HistoricalSociety Museum, Ketchikan), Juneau; Royal On-tario Museum (ROM), Toronto; Texas Coopera-tive Wildlife Collection (TCWC), Texas A&MUniversity, College Station; University of AlaskaMuseum (UAM), Fairbanks; University of Arizona(UAZ), Tucson; University of Michigan Museumof Zoology (UMMZ), Ann Arbor; and the U.S. Na-tional Museum of Natural History (USNM),Washington, D.C.

NATURAL HISTORY. This broad section pro-vides information on a variety of topics, includinghabitat, behavior, and reproduction.

CONSERVATION. Issues of conservation con-cern are discussed. A species’ conservation sta-tus is listed on page 10.

REMARKS. A variety of information of particularinterest is included in this section.

SELECT REFERENCES. This section includesimportant sources of information used in text andcited in full under References on page 41.

USING KEYS. The keys in this guide are tools tohelp you arrive at the correct field identification ofadult amphibians and reptiles of Alaska, the lar-vae and tadpoles of the salamanders, frogs andtoads, and the eggs of all native and nonnativeamphibians. All keys start at number 1 and askyou to choose between one or more diagnosticcriteria that best describe the specimen in hand.By making a series of one choice or the other,you will follow these couplets until you arrive atthe probable name of your specimen. Illustra-tions are provided to help clarify and assist. Tofurther assure yourself that the identification youarrived at is the correct one, additional criteriamay be given under the account of that species.

Species Accounts

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TAXONOMY. Two subspecies are generally rec-ognized; one occurs in Alaska. Some authorssuggest subspecific recognition is not warranted,whereas others suspect these populations mayrepresent separate species.

Ambystoma gracile decorticatum [British ColumbiaSalamander]

Original Description: Ambystoma decorticatum(Cope 1886, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc., 23:514-526).

Holotype: USNM 14493. Type Locality: Port Simpson, British Columbia.

DESCRIPTION. The Northwestern Salamanderis a robust salamander with a broad head, pro-nounced costal grooves, and pitted areas alongthe rounded top edge on the tail and on theprominent parotoid glands behind each eye. Theskin is smooth, uniformly gray-brown above,lighter below, with the back of some individualsflecked with cream or yellow. Terrestrial adultsmeasure up to about 23 cm (9 in.) TL, whereasgilled adults (neotenics) may reach 26 cm (10.25in. ) TL. Males and females do not differ signifi-cantly in size, but males become darker than fe-males during the breeding season. The Northwestern Salamander is distinguish-able from other salamanders by its uniform gray-

brown coloration, parotoidglands, and glandularridge along the top of thetail.

DISTRIBUTION. Thisspecies ranges along thePacific Coast from ex-treme northern Californiato Southeast Alaska,where it has been collect-ed at only two localities:SE of Ketchikan on MaryIsland, and NW Chichagof Island near Pelican.Two additional but unverified records are a glob-ular egg mass, presumably of this species, foundin Figure Eight Lake, Stikine River, on 12 June1991, and most intriguing, an adult near GravesHarbor on the outer coast of Glacier Bay Nation-al Park, reported in 2000 (B. Anderson, pers.comm., 2004).

NATURAL HISTORY. Terrestrial adults primarilylive below ground, and are usually active on thesurface only during rains and migrations to theiraquatic breeding sites. In Alaska these sitesinclude muskeg ponds (Mary Island, Pelican)

Northwestern SalamanderAmbystoma gracile (Baird, 1859)

Neotenic forms (gilled adults) are common inpopulations just south of the Alaska border.

Metamorphosed adults have prominent parotoidglands and costal grooves, and can grow quite large,up to 9 inches in total length (3.5 inches SVL).

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and a freshwater lake (Stikine River). Thisspecies has been found elsewhere from sealevel to treeline. In Alaska, the larvae mayrequire two years to complete metamorphosis,thus requiring a permanent source of water. The eggs of this salamander are laid in earlyspring in a single, firm jelly-like mass about thesize and shape of an elongated grapefruit andattached underwater to submerged sticks and

stems. Sometimes they turn greenish in colordue to the presence of a green algae lining theegg-capsules. The larvae show extreme varia-tion in appearance; they hatch in about a monthand spend up to two years in the water. Somemay remain aquatic as gilled adults. Metamor-phosed adults are known to travel at least 1.5 kmto reach suitable breeding sites.

CONSERVATION. The distribution and status ofthis species in Alaska is unknown and in need ofstudy. In the Pacific Northwest many stable pop-ulations are believed to exist throughout the his-torical range. There is conflicting data on theaffinity of this species for old-growth forest habi-tat. Clear-cutting rendered their habitat unsuit-able in one study. Because of their distastefulqualities, predation by introduced fishes and oth-er potential predators is not considered a seriousproblem.

REMARKS. When molested, this species as-sumes an elevated-tail pose and secretes awhite, milky fluid from its glandular areas. Thissecretion may cause skin irritation in some peo-ple. Some salamanders may also make a seriesof ticking sounds when disturbed.

SELECT REFERENCES. Corkran and Thoms1996, Hodge 1986, Nussbaum et al. 1983,Petranka 1998, Titus 1990, Waters 1992.

Eggs are laid in a very firm ball of jelly the size of anorange or small grapefruit, and attached to sticksunder water. Green algae often grow inside the innerjelly layer of each egg and in time may color the mass.

Larvae are generally olive-brown with large, darkspots on the back and fins. The poison glands,visibleas yellow dots, are concentrated at the parotoid areasand along the ridge of the tail. The gill filaments arelong and willowy, and occur along the entire gill stalk.Metamorphosis of the larvae occurs at about 50 mmSVL.

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TAXONOMY. Five subspecies are currently rec-ognized; one occurs in Alaska. It has been sug-gested that the mainland and an islandpopulation in the vicinity of the Stikine River ofcoastal Alaska are phenotypically and taxonomi-cally distinct.

Amystoma macrodactylum columbianum [EasternLong-toed Salamander]

Original Description: Ambystoma macrodactylumcroceum Ferguson (1961, Am. Midl. Nat. 65:313).

Holotype: USNM 142228. Type Locality: “0.5 miles N. Anthony Lakes (SW 1/4,

Sec. 7, R37E, T7S), Union Co., Oregon, (Elev. 7100feet)”.

DESCRIPTION. The adult Long-toedSalamander has a slender, smooth-skinned bodywith 12-13 faint costal grooves, no parotoidglands, and long legs and hind toes, especiallythe fourth. It is typically dark brown to blackabove with an irregular stripe of yellow, tan orlight green running down the middle of the backfrom head almost to the tip of the tail. Its sidesusually have a sprinkling of fine white flecks andthe belly is dark brown to sooty gray. Adults measure up to 17 cm (6.7 in.) TL, withfemales averaging somewhat larger in SVL.

Males have proportionately longer tails and limbsthan the females. Fifteen mixed adults from theStikine River averaged 13.6 (12.0-15.0) cm TLand 5.7 (4.0-9.0) grams in weight (J. Lindell/E.Grossman field notes 1993). The Long-toed Salamander is readilydistinguished from Alaska’s other amphibians byits prominent dorsal stripe and long fourth toe.

DISTRIBUTION. This species is widelydistributed in northwestern North America. Theextent of its distribution in northern BritishColumbia is not known, but it has been found inthe Stikine and Taku watersheds in the Provinceand Southeast Alaska, where it has beenreported near the mouth of the Stikine River atFigure Eight [=Twin] Lake, Mallard Slough,Cheliped Bay, Andrew Slough, Farm Island, andfarther out from the river delta on Sokolof Island.The species has also been collected on theAlaska side of the Coast Range in the TakuRiver Valley.

NATURAL HISTORY. Long-toed Salamandersuse forested cover adjacent to breeding pondsfor foraging and overwintering habitat. Thespecies is versatile, occurring in a wide variety of

Long-toed SalamanderAmbystoma macrodactylum Baird, 1849

Long-toed Salamanders have a prominent green oryellow stripe running down their back and whiteflecks on their sides.

Terrestrialjuvenile andadults areactive atnight insearch ofsmall wormsand insects.

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habitats and elevations throughout its range.Almost exclusively nocturnal and subterranean,adults may be found during the breeding seasonunder rocks, decaying logs, or other debris,usually close to their breeding ponds, which tendto be shallow (<1 m), not necessarily permanent,and fish-free. Adults are terrestrial, entering water onlyduring the early spring breeding season (mid-April/May on the Stikine River), often before

ponds are clear of ice. Migration to breedingsites is usually on rainy nights, the males arrivingbefore the females and staying longer. The eggsare laid either singly or in small, jelly-coatedclusters on submerged vegetation, on theunderside of deeply sunken logs, or occasionallyloose on the bottom. Eggs collected on SokolofIsland on 5 May 1992 were attached to aldertwigs in a vernal pond just upslope of tidalinfluence. Eggs hatch some 3 weeks later,depending upon water temperature. Larvae inAlaska may overwinter before transforming.Neotenic forms have yet to be reported inAlaska.

CONSERVATION. The Long-toed Salamanderis relatively common throughout its range. InSoutheast Alaska, the restricted distribution,unknown status, and possible island endemicityof this species are factors for concern. Mortalityand incidence of deformities have been linked toUV-B exposure and parasite (trematode)infection. In developed areas, the destruction ofwetland habitats may be the greatest threat.

REMARKS. When threatened, the tail is raised,head becomes tucked, and a sticky whiteexcretion exudes from the tail as it is wavedabout. Up to 14 individuals have been foundhibernating communally in gravel substratebelow frost line.

SELECT REFERENCES. Hodge 1973, Norman1999, Miller 1976, Norman 2004, Norman andHassler 1996, Petranka 1998, Waters 1992.

Males deposit packets of sperm which females pick upafter courtship. Single eggs or loose egg clusters areattached to vegetation or debris below the watersurface.

The larvae, which may reach 7 cm (2.75 in.) beforetransforming, are gray or light brown with darkbrown or black flecks and a silvery belly.

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TAXONOMY. Some authorities recognize twosubspecies; others regard the species as mono-typic. A high frequency of breeding adults onGravina Island near Ketchikan displayed a darkmottling or blotching on their venter, similar onlyto individuals from Crater Lake, California, thetype locality of T. g. mazamae. Genetic studiessuggest that newts from Wrangell Island differlittle from those in Washington state.

Taricha granulosa granulosa [Northern RoughskinNewt]

Original Description: Salamandra granulosa (Skilton1849, Am. J. Sci. Arts, (2)7:202).

Type(s): Unknown. Type Locality: “Oregon”; restricted to near Oregon

City, Claskamas County, Oregon, USA, by Fitch,1938, Copeia 1938:149.

DESCRIPTION. Roughskin Newts are plainbrown to black above, with sharply contrastingbright yellow to reddish orange below. The eyesare pale yellow and crossed by a distinct, darkbar. During much of the year their skin surface isrough and grainy. Breeding males develop asmooth, even slimy skin, swollen vent, flattenedtail, and dark pads on feet. Males have relatively

longer tails and limbs than females. Costalgrooves are absent. Fifteen adults from the southern mainland ofSoutheast Alaska averaged 15.2 (13.1-19.2) cmTL, 6.0 (5.6-6.5) cm SVL, and 9.1 (8.5-12.0)grams in weight (J. Lindell/E. Grossman fieldnotes 1993). The Roughskin Newt can be easily distin-guished from Alaska’s other tailed amphibians byits rough skin (except in the breeding male), andcontrasting yellow-orange belly.

DISTRIBUTION. Roughskin Newts occur alongthe Pacific Coast from Southeast Alaska throughwestern Canada (including Vancouver Island butnot Haida Gwaii [Queen Charlotte] Islands), toCalifornia. They have been reported on themainland of Southeast Alaska as far north asJuneau, and in the Alexander Archipelago onAdmiralty Island, nearby Shelter Island, andmany of the islands south of Frederick Sound.Newts have been seen on two islets in theGalankin Islands group close to Sitka, but theiroccurrence there may be the result of a trans-plant in about 1980 from Ketchikan stock (J.Whitman, pers. comm., 2003). Newts on themainland near Juneau are transplants from Shel-

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Roughskin NewtTaricha granulosa (Skilton, 1849)

The Roughskin Newt is closely associated with humidcoastal forests. Juveniles and adults are occasionallyfound under bark of rotting logs or in other dampplaces, but seldom far from water.

When harassed,this highly toxicnewt thrusts itshead and tail up-ward to show thebrightly coloredunderside.

ter Island in the 1960s. In 2005, about 50 newtsfrom Kuiu Island were accidentally introduced towetlands on Baranof Island near Sitka by highschool students.

NATURAL HISTORY. This species is closelyassociated with humid coastal forests, occurringfrom sea level to high mountain lakes. They areseldom found far from water, living in and about

small ponds and lakes, often where there is anabundance of aquatic plants. Forested cover ad-jacent to aquatic habitat is used for foraging andoverwintering below ground. Some transformedadults may remain in ponds year-round. Newts are most often encountered in thespring when they congregate in ponds and smalllakes to spawn. They are often seen crawlingover land or moving about in water in the day-time. Breeding in Alaska probably commences inApril and continues into June. Eggs are laid sin-gly, attached to water-plants or other submergedobjects, making them difficult to observe. Hatch-ing takes 5-10 weeks. Larvae may require twoyears to complete metamorphosis.

CONSERVATION. The Roughskin Newt isAlaska’s most common tailed amphibian. Studieselsewhere suggest that newt populations reachtheir highest densities in mature and old-growthforests.

REMARKS. Newts defend themselves by pos-sessing a potent neurotoxin. Their toxic proper-ties are not confined to their skin secretions butare widespread throughout the body. Ingestionof newt tissue can cause death in most animals,including man, if eaten in sufficient quantity. Sex-ual maturity may take 4-5 years, and individualshave been known to live up to 26 years.

SELECT REFERENCES. Hodge 1976, MacDon-ald and Cook 2007, Matsuda et al. 2006, Myers1942, Stebbins 1985, Tan 1994.

Newt larvae have narrow, down-turned snouts. Theyare generally translucent tan, with two or three rowsof yellow dots running lengthwise high along the sides.The underside is orange or pink, especially in largerlarvae. They transform when about 5-7 cm long.

Eggs are laid singly,attached to water-plants or other sub-merged objects. Tanabove, cream below,the layer of jellyaround the egg isthinner than the egg

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TAXONOMY. North American toads are nowregarded as a separate genus. Three nominalsubspecies are generally recognized, one ofwhich occurs in Alaska. Geographic variationwithin this species is poorly studied and maymask a number of cryptic species.

Anaxyrus boreas boreas [Boreal Toad] Original Description: Bufo boreas Baird and Girard

(1852, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 6:174). Syntypes: USNM 15467-70. Type Locality: “Vicinity of Puget Sound”.

DESCRIPTION. The Western Toad is squat andchunky, with short legs, numerous warts, anddominant parotoid glands at the back of thehead. It can vary in color from brown, green orgray above, and white with dark mottling below.There is a conspicuous light-colored striperunning down the middle of the back. The hindfeet have two large, rubbery knobs on the heelfor digging. During breeding, males may emit asoft, birdlike clucking call in response to othermales. They do not have a mating call. Western Toads can measure up to 12.5 cm (5in.) SVL. Six toads from the mainland ofSoutheast Alaska averaged 7.0 (6.1-9.0) cm SVL

(J. Lindell/E. Grossman field notes 1993).Females are usually larger, more blotched, androugher skinned than males. Toads are distinguished from frogs by theirsquat shape, warty skin, parotoid glands, andtendency to walk rather than hop.

DISTRIBUTION. Western Toads occur fromsouthcoastal Alaska, through western Canada(including Vancouver and Haida Gwaii [QueenCharlotte] Islands) and western U.S. to BajaCalifornia. In Alaska, toads are widespread onthe mainland and islands of Southeast Alaska,northward along the Gulf Coast to Prince WilliamSound. In PWS, they have been documented onMontague and Hawkins islands and on themainland as far west as the Columbia Glacierand as far north as the Tasnuna River, atributary of the Copper River. Unsubstantiatedreports of toads elsewhere in PWS includeGreen Island next to Montague, and Heather,Glacier and “Growler” islands near Columbia Bayand the mainland (N. Lethcoe, pers. comm.,2004).

NATURAL HISTORY. Western Toads can befound from sea level to well up in the mountains,

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Western ToadAnaxyrus boreas (Baird and Girard, 1852)

Western Toads are found from southeastern Alaska toPrince William Sound. Some populations may be expe-riencing declines, causing serious concern.

The belly is white,mottled with blackspots and blobs.

usually in open, nonforested areas near water.Primarily terrestrial, they enter water to breed ina variety of ponds, lakes, stream backwaters,ephemeral and sometimes brackish pools.Toads in Alaska hibernate, often communally, inburrows below frostline in forested coveradjacent to wet areas. Adult toads congregate at freshwater sites tomate and lay eggs. In Southeast Alaska,

breeding occurs May-July. Long strings of bead-like eggs are deposited in shallow water, usuallyentwined around submerged vegetation. Schoolsof small, black-colored tadpoles and waves ofmetamorphosing toadlets, measuring about 12mm SVL, can be seen, often in abundance,along pond margins during July and August.Western Toads in Alaska are active duringdaylight hours, and especially so during dampweather. They are adept at digging.

CONSERVATION. Western Toad populationsappear to be rapidly declining in many parts oftheir range for unknown reasons, even inrelatively pristine environments. There is agrowing concern that Alaska populations areexperiencing a similar fate. Long-time residentsfrom Haines to Ketchikan have noted sharpdeclines in toad populations. Alarmingly, five outof nine toads sampled from the Dyea area in2005 tested positive for the lethal chytrid fungus,Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).

REMARKS. When handled, toads may emittwittery sounds, puff up, urinate profusely or giveoff a secretion from skin glands that is highlydistasteful to predators. Unlike frogs, WesternToads can tolerate brackish water and areknown to survive swimming for several hours inseawater.

SELECT REFERENCES. Karlstrom 1966;Kiesecker and Blaustein 1997; Norman andHassler 1995; Swarth 1936, Wiedmer andHodge 1996.

Western Toads congregate in early spring to spawn.Females deposit thousands of eggs in long strings,usually in shallow ponds. This species’ tendency to laytheir eggs in communal masses may make them highlysusceptible to infection by an algae working in synergywith ultraviolet radiation to reduce hatching success.

Toad tadpoles are small (about 25 mm in length) anduniformly black or charcoal with dark tail muscula-ture. The body is rounded and the intestines are usual-ly not visible. They are relatively slow swimmers andare often found in large aggregations.

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(A. boreas)

TAXONOMY. Rana luteiventris was recentlyrecognized as a distinct species from R. pretiosa(Oregon Spotted Frog) based primarily ongenetic differences between allopatricpopulations. No subspecies are currentlyrecognized. Spotted Frogs on Mitkof Island nearPetersburg may exhibit a distinct phenotype ofheavy dusky gray coloring ventrally.

Rana luteiventris [Columbia Spotted Frog]Original Description: Rana pretiosa luteiventris(Thompson 1913, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington26:53).

Holotype: UMMZ 43037. Paratypes: UMMZ 42991-43036.

Type Locality: “Annie Creek, Elko Co., Nevada”.

DESCRIPTION. The Columbia Spotted Frog is asomewhat bumpy-skinned, medium-sized frogwith relatively short hind legs, inconspicuousdorsal folds, and fully webbed toes. Individualsvary from light to dark brown above with ascattering of large black spots often with lightcenters. The underside is creamy or mottledgray, with a covering of bright salmon or red onthe lower abdomen and the undersurfaces of thehind legs in adults. There is a light stripe on theupper jaw, and the eyes are upturned. The

males call on warm, clear days from above andrarely under water, their voice a short series oflow pitched, quiet grunts and drones heard onlyup to about 30 m. The reported average SVL of 104 femaleSpotted Frogs from Southeast Alaska is 6.3 (5.0-8.0) cm, and 5.5 (4.1-6.9) cm in 209 males. MaleSpotted Frogs from the Unuk River aresomewhat larger than males from other mainlandrivers. The Columbia Spotted Frog is larger than theWood Frog, has bright salmon color on the lowerventral surfaces, and lacks a dark eye mask orlight vertebral stripe. Juveniles may only show afaint red coloration to none and can be confusedwith young or adult Wood Frogs. The Wood Froghas shorter hind legs than a young Spotted Frog,the mask is more conspicuous, there is often adorsal stripe, and the spots do not have lightcenters. The Spotted Frog is distinguished fromthe introduced Red-legged Frog by its shorterlegs (heel of hind leg when extended forwardfalling short of snout), with greater webbing,rougher skin, upturned rather than out-turnedeyes, shorter jaw stripe, and lack of mottling onthe groin.

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Columbia Spotted FrogRana luteiventris Thompson, 1913

The Spotted Frog is highly aquatic and nearly alwaysfound in close proximity to water. Adults have a strongfidelity to breeding sites, with spawning typically oc-curring in the same areas in successive years.

The undersidesof the hind legsand abdomenhave a wash ofbright salmonred that appearspainted on.

DISTRIBUTION. Columbia Spotted Frogs occurfrom southern Yukon Territory and northwesternBritish Columbia (Bennett Lake and its upperwatershed close to the Alaska border),southward along non-coastal British Columbia tocentral Nevada and Utah. The range limits of thenominate species, R. pretiosa, are still not knownprecisely. Spotted Frogs have been documented alongthe mainland of Southeast Alaska at SalmonRiver, Unuk River, Stikine River (including on

several delta islands and nearby Mitkof andVank islands), Pt. Agassiz, and Taku River.Reports of this frog in the Haines area needconfirmation.

NATURAL HISTORY. This species is closelyassociated with permanent water and theriparian habitats of backwater lakes, beaverponds, muskeg ponds, river channels, andstreams, where they breed, forage andoverwinter underwater in mud and under streambanks. Spotted Frogs have been found 100 mabove the valley floor of the Stikine River in amuskeg pond. Females communally lay globular, often float-ing masses of large eggs in shallow water imme-diately after ice melt (mid-April in the lowerStikine Valley). Although the hatchlings emergein about a week, some tadpoles may overwinter.Frogs may require two years to reach sexual ma-turity.

CONSERVATION. Spotted Frogs aredisappearing from many areas in their range, butare still considered common in British Columbia.The current status of Alaska populations isunknown.

REMARKS. Symbiotic algae was observed pres-ent in most Spotted Frog egg masses examinedin the Stikine River region.

SELECT REFERENCES. Cook 1984, Green etal. 1997, Lindell and Grossman 1998, Normanand Hassler 1996, Slough 2002, Waters 1992.

In Southeast Alaska, Spotted Frogs commence breed-ing in April. Egg masses the size of a softball aredeposited in still, shallow water, either atop mattedgrasses or freely floating among clumps of emergentplants. Often the masses of many females will be de-posited on top of each other.

The tadpoles are long-tailed and uniformly brown orgray above with pale gold speckling. They are similarin shape and color to the tadpoles of the Red-leggedFrog but they are not so heavily spotted. They mayreach 70 mm in length.

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TAXONOMY. This genus of strictly New Worldfrogs was recently removed from thepredominantly Old World genus Rana. There isconsiderable variation within and betweenpopulations of Wood Frogs in Alaska and othernorthern areas. The systematics of this variablespecies has yet to be resolved. No subspeciesare currently recognized.

Lithobates sylvaticusOriginal Description: Rana sylvatica LeConte (1925,Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. New York. 1:282).

Type(s): Not know to exist.Type Locality: Not stated in original description.Designated as “vicinity of New York” by Schmidt,1953, Check List North Am. Amph. Rept. 6th ed.p.81).

DESCRIPTION. Wood Frogs are smooth-skinned and highly variable in color and pattern,ranging from light brown or gray to pinkish aboveand creamy white below. Many northernindividuals have numerous dark spots on thedorsal surface. Usually present are a dark eyemask, white jaw stripe, and a light stripe runningdown the middle of the back. The eyes lookoutward and the toes are not fully webbed.

Wood Frogs rarely grow more than 7.6 cm (3in.) SVL. Northwestern populations are relativelyshort-limbed, the lower leg less than half of SVL.The male is smaller than the female, and duringbreeding has dark swollen thumbs and a duck-like staccato mating call made louder by pairedvocal sacs, one over each forelimb. Wood Frogs are distinguished from other truefrogs in Alaska by smaller size, presence of adark triangular patch behind the eye, a lightvertebral stripe, and by the absence of red coloron the underparts.

DISTRIBUTION. This species is widespreadthroughout northern North America and the onlyamphibian found north of the Arctic Circle. It hasbeen documented on the mainland of SoutheastAlaska and throughout Central Alaska to at leastAnaktuvuk Pass at the crest of the BrooksRange (sightings of frogs farther north and easton the North Slope have yet to be validated),westward to the Kobuk River Valley, andsouthward to the base of the Alaska Peninsula. Itoccurs on the Kenai Peninsula, but is apparentlyabsent from Prince William Sound. A localizedpopulation of Wood Frogs on Douglas Islandnear Juneau are suspected transplants.

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Wood FrogLithobates sylvaticus (LeConte, 1825)

Adults range upto 7.6 cm (3 in.)in snout-ventlength. Theirundersides areuniformly creamywhite without areddish wash.

Wood Frogs are the most common and widespreadamphibian in Alaska, occurring from Southeast’smainland to near the crest of the Brooks Range.

Tadpoles are brown or green with a creamy belly andhigh pointed tail fin that extends forward onto theback. Reaching up to 50 mm in length, they developrapidly into young frogs before freeze-up.

Wood Frogs survive the rigors of northern winters byhibernating in small nests under the forest litter andsnow, their bodies able to freeze and thaw withoutbursting by concentrating a glucose antifreeze in andaround the cells.

NATURAL HISTORY. A species closelyassociated with Alaska’s Interior forests, WoodFrogs inhabit a diversity of vegetation types fromgrassy meadows to open forest, muskeg, andeven tundra. They briefly congregate in earlyspring to breed in shallow bodies of permanentor temporary water. After spawning, these frogsquickly leave the water and disperse over thesurrounding countryside to forage and hibernate

under the snow in shallow depressions ofcompacted forest litter.

Active at near freezing temperatures, WoodFrogs congregate for breeding as soon as winterthaw will permit (usually in April). Eggs aredeposited, usually communally in the course of afew days, in baseball-sized masses, submergedand attached to sticks or plants, or sometimesfree in the water, one mass stacked atopanother. Development from egg to tadpole tofrog occurs at a very rapid rate, ensuringcomplete metamorphosis before fall freeze-up.Adults become sexually mature in two to threeyears.

CONSERVATION. A small percentage of frogssampled on the Kenai Peninsula, the KoyukukNational Wildlife Refuge, and in the ArcticNational Wildlife Refuge near the PorcupineRiver displayed growth abnormalities, mostly thelack of limbs or toes. The lethal chytrid fungus,Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has recentlybeen reported from Wood Frogs on the KenaiPeninsula.

REMARKS. Tolerance to freezing anddehydration during hibernation are importantadaptations to survival in this sub-arcticamphibian. Special “cryoprotectant” chemicalsallow up to 65 percent of the water in its body togradually crystallize into ice as body temperaturedrops to as low as -120 C.

SELECT REFERENCES. Broderson 1994,Hodge 1976, Martof and Humphries 1959,O’Harra 2001, Reeves 2008, Reeves et al. 2008. 24

(Lithobates sylvaticus)

TAXONOMY. The source population of Red-legged Frogs introduced on Chichagof Island inSoutheast Alaska is unknown. Two subspeciesof this Pacific Coast frog are generallyrecognized, although it has been suggested thatthe two may be distinct species. Rana auroraaurora (Northern Red-legged Frog) occurs fromsouthwestern British Columbia, includingVancouver Island, to northern California, and R.a. draytonii (California Red-legged Frog) isfound from California south to northern BajaCalifornia. The presence (in R. a. draytonii) orabsence (R. a. aurora) of a light center in thedorsal spots may help separate the two forms.

DESCRIPTION. The Red-legged Frog is a stout,medium-to-large frog, measuring up to 13.6 cm(5.4 in.) SVL (northern forms may averagesmaller). The head is broader than long, and thesnout rounded. The light jaw stripe usually endsat the shoulder, and the eyes look to the side.The hind legs are long (heel of hind leg whenpulled forward extends to or beyond the snout),and the toes not fully webbed. The dorsum isreddish-brown to gray, with black speckling orvery irregular black marks. The skin is smooth,and the dorsal folds are distinct. There is a boldcream to yellow and black (or red) mottling in the

groin area, and the underside of the hind legsand lower abdomen are translucent red(yellowish in young animals). Breeding maleshave enlarged forearms, thumbs, and webbing.The advertisement call is a weak stuttering “uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-rowr” lasting about 1-3 seconds,with the throat enlarging at the center and sides.Males usually call at night while submerged.

DISTRIBUTION. This species has a large rangein western North America, occurring fromsouthwestern British Columbia, includingVancouver Island, south along the coast tonorthwestern Baja California. Introduced populations of Red-legged Frogshave become established in the Kennel Creekand Pavlof River drainages of Freshwater Bay,NE Chichagof Island. It is thought they wereplanted there from a commercial frog source(from Oregon or Washington stocks) by a localschoolteacher in about 1982.

NATURAL HISTORY. This frog occurs inmeadows, woodlands, and forests, but is usuallyfound in or near ponds, marshes, and streams.It prefers areas with dense ground cover andaquatic or overhanging vegetation.

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Red-legged FrogRana aurora Baird and Girard, 1852 INTRODUCED

Red-legged Frogs were introduced to the Pavlof Baydrainage on northwestern Chichagof Island in theearly 1980s. They were still present in this area insummer 2002.

Adult frogshave translu-cent red hindlegs, the colorappearing tolie deep in theskin, and mot-tled groins.

The breeding period of this species is short(1-2 weeks), and takes place in deep pools ofpermanent, slow-moving water. Large-sizedeggs, averaging about 3 mm in diameter, are laidin a soft, grapefruit- to cantaloupe-sized mass,usually attached to submerged sticks andvegetation in the deepest water available. Beforehatching, the egg mass often floats to thesurface, where it spreads out and looks frothy.

Eggs hatch in about a month and tadpolesmetamorphose about four months later. Sexualmaturity is attained at three or four years of age.

CONSERVATION. Serious declines andextirpations of local populations are known inOregon and California primarily due to habitatloss, introduced predators, and perhaps disease.The status, distribution, and possible impacts ofthis Chichagof Island exotic is in need of long-term monitoring and study. A survey in 2006found significant population growth and rapidrange expansion outward from the initialintroduction pond near Kennel Creek, with 100%breeding habitat occupancy over 6000continuous hectares of wetland and forestedhabitats that extend from north of FreshwaterCreek southward into Tenakee Inlet.

REMARKS. Two captive Red-legged Frogs fromBritish Columbia lived for 11 and 13 years,respectively.

SELECT REFERENCES. Corkran and Thoms1996, Crother 2008, Davidson et al. 2001, Hayesand Miyamoto 1984, Larum and Piehl 2007,Nussbaum et al. 1983, Sargent et al. 2003,Stebbins 1985.

Tadpoles have an overall stubby appearance fromtheir short tail and tall dorsal fin. Body color is tanwith bright gold or brassy blotches, especially on theunderside. They may reach 7 cm before transforming.

Grapefruit-sized egg masses are attached to sub-merged vegetation and debris in deeper waters. Eachegg mass is laid separately and usually not on top ofothers.

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TAXONOMY. Formerly known as the PacificTreefrog, Hyla regilla, the species wastransferred to the genus of chorus frogs,Pseudacris, a move supported by most authors.A recent study suggests that P. regilla likelyencompasses more than one species but thatfurther analysis of study material from across theentire range is needed to help clarify thesituation. A number of subspecies have beenproposed, though infrequently used in theliterature (the subspecies of Pacific Chorus Frogtranslocated to Alaska from Kirkland, KingCounty, Washington is considered P.r. regilla bysome authors).

DESCRIPTION. Adult Pacific Chorus Frogs aresmall, measuring between 1.9-5.6 cm (0.75-2.2in.) SVL. They have a rounded snout, large eyes,a relatively large head with a conspicuous darkmask, prominent toe pads, and limited webbing.The dorsal color and pattern is highly variableand can be quickly lightened or darkened. Bothgreen- and brown-dominated color morphs havebeen seen in the introduced population onRevillagigedo Island. The undersides are creamcolored and yellowish on the hindquarters. Maleshave a wrinkled, dusky throat, with a round vocal

sac that when calling can balloon out to a sizethree times as large as the head. The amplifiedcall sounds like “wreck it” or “kreck-ek”, repeatedevery second or so, and throughout the nightand part of the day during the spawning season.

DISTRIBUTION. This frog is found at variouselevations from southern British Columbia,including Vancouver Island, to Baja Californiaand east to Idaho and Utah. It has beenintroduced on the Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte)Islands off the coast of British Columbia, and inthe Alexander Archipelago on RevillagigedoIsland near Ward Lake. The Ward Lakepopulation was still extant in 2002 (six adultspecimens collected by R. Whitten and sent toAuke Bay Lab via ADFG); it has apparently notspread beyond the muskeg pond system wherethe original tadpoles and transforming frogs fromwestern Washington were first introduced about1960.

NATURAL HISTORY. The Pacific Chorus Frogis primarily a ground dweller that inhabits a widevariety of vegetation from grasslands towoodland forests, usually in low vegetation closeto water. Frogs introduced near Ward Lake were

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Pacific Chorus FrogPseudacris regilla (Baird and Girard, 1852) INTRODUCED

An extant population of Pacific Chorus Frog (formerlyPacific Treefrog) was introduced to a group of muskegponds near Ward Lake on Revillagigedo Island some-time around 1960. They apparently have remainedconfined to this one area for more than 30 years.

found using clumps of grasses and sedges forcover adjacent to muskeg pond margins. Male frogs were reported calling at theintroduction site near Ward Lake on 24 and 26May 1992, and mating pairs, individual frogs,and egg masses were observed in June. Eggsare laid in a soft, tight, rounded mass (up to 4 cmin diameter) and attached to submergedvegetation or on the bottom of shallow waters.

Tadpoles develop rapidly and are ready to leavethe water well before winter. During mild winterson the southern coast of British Columbia, thisfrog apparently does not hibernate.

CONSERVATION. So far, Alaska’s only knownpopulation seems to have remained confined tothe same pond system where it was firstintroduced. The only other amphibians known tooccur on the island are Western Toad andRoughskin Newt. These species have bred,apparently successfully, in the same muskegponds as the non-native chorus frog.

REMARKS. A group of calling males is knownas a chorus. A dominant male, or chorus master,leads off the calling, which is then followed bysubordinate males.

SELECT REFERENCES. Hedges 1986, da Silva1997, Reimchen 1990, Waters et al. 1998.

The pigmented eggs of this chorus frog are laid inclusters and attached to submerged vegetation or oc-casionally on the bottom in shallower water. Thisspecies has been known to breed in brackish water.

Tadpoles are light greenish-gray and have a short,round body that may reach 20 mm SVL or more beforetransforming. In top view, the eyes poke out at the edgeof the head instead of being more centrally positionedas in the tadpoles of Alaska’s other frogs and toad.

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Both green- and brown-dominated color morphs have beenseen in the introduced population on Revillagigedo Island.

TAXONOMY. Although two subspecies havebeen described, C. c. caretta (Atlantic) and C. c.gigas (Pacific), no subspecies are currentlyrecognized.

DESCRIPTION. The Loggerhead is a large,hard-shelled marine turtle that may reach 2 m(6.5 ft.) carapace length and 450 kg (990 lbs.).Most, however, are smaller. The head isrelatively large with two pairs of prefrontalscales. Its carapace is elongate and high in thefront, with a keel along the center line andcoarse serrations along the back edge. Thereare five or more non-overlapping costal shieldson each side of of the shell. Carapace color isreddish brown to olive with yellow borders onsome scutes. The plastron is cream to yellowand has two longitudinal ridges except in olderadults. Males have a large curved claw on eachforelimb and a much longer tail (extends pasttips of back-stretched hind flippers) thanfemales.

DISTRIBUTION. Loggerhead Seaturtles inhabitthe warmer parts of the Pacific, Atlantic andIndian oceans, and the Mediterranean andCaribbean seas. They range into temperate

zones in summer. Major nesting areas includethe southeastern U.S., Mexico, Oman, Australia,South Africa, the Mediterranean, and southernJapan, the only known breeding area in theNorth Pacific. The Loggerhead is a casual visitor to Alaskawaters, reported here at least twice. One was acarcass found on Shuyak Island north of Kodiakin December, 1991. The other was a sightingnear Cape Georgena, Kruzof Island, northwestof Sitka in July, 1993.

NATURAL HISTORY. Loggerheads mostlyinhabit bays, estuaries, lagoons, and open seasover continental shelves. Nesting occurs at lowerlatitudes in summer, usually on continentalshores or occasionally island beaches above thehigh-tide line. Their diet includes crabs,mollusks, sponges, jellyfish, fish, eelgrass, andseaweed.

CONSERVATION. Nesting trends of thisspecies suggest general decline, with the mostsignificant threats being coastal development,commercial fisheries, and pollution. TheLoggerhead Seaturtle is currently listed as

threatened under the U.S. Endangered SpeciesAct.

REMARKS. Mitochondrial DNA data from majornesting areas suggest that most breedingcolonies have diagnostic genetic characteristics,indicating strong natal homing by nestingfemales. Loggerheads may take up to 30 yearsto reach sexual maturity.

SELECT REFERENCES. Bowen et al. 1994,Dodd 1990, Hodge and Wing 2000.

Loggerhead SeaturtleCaretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)

29

TAXONOMY. Eastern Pacific populations ofChelonia are regarded by some authors as adistinct species, C. agassizii (Black Seaturtle), asa subspecies of C. mydas by others, andsynonymous with C. mydas by authorities whosuggest it not be taxonomically recognized untilmore definitive work is done.

DESCRIPTION. Adult Green Seaturtles typicallyreach 1 m (3.3 ft.) carapace length and 180 kg(36 lbs.) weight. The carapace is olive to brownor black in color and may be mottled. It is broadand flattened with no keel and has only slightserrations along the back edge. The plastron isclear white or yellowish. Males have a long,prehensile tail tipped with a horny nail, a longcurved claw on the front flipper, and a longer,narrower carapace than females. Green Seaturtles can be distinguished fromother hard-shelled marine turtles by their fourcostal scutes, and one pair of prefrontal scalesbetween the eyes.

DISTRIBUTION. This species ranges throughouttropical portions of the Atlantic, Pacific andIndian oceans. Nesting in Pacific populationsoccurs in winter or spring on beaches in areassuch as Hawaii, Mexico and central America.

Generally a warm-water species, GreenSeaturtles occur in higher temperate latitudes,perhaps due to drifting in ocean currents inconjunction with above-normal sea temperaturesduring El Nino weather events. The Green Seaturtle is rare to Alaska waters,reported at least nine times between 1960 and1998. Records of beached carcasses andsightings have ranged from the AlexanderArchipelago northward and westward to nearCordova, Seldovia, and Homer. Most (eight ofnine sightings) were found from Septemberthrough November. This was the only species ofmarine turtle reported in Alaska waters between1993 and 1998.

NATURAL HISTORY. Green Seaturtles arefound in shallow waters with an abundance ofsea grasses and algae, their preferred foods,and open seas during migrations. It is the onlymarine turtle that commonly leaves the water tobask. Females nest every two to four years, upto eight times a season. Sexual maturity takes20-30 years.

CONSERVATION. Populations have declineddramatically over the last 50 years, although notto the same degree as other marine turtle

species. A primary cause of decline iscommercial harvest for eggs, meat and leather.The breeding populations off Florida and thePacific coast of Mexico are listed as endangeredunder the U.S. Endangered Species Act, whileall others are considered threatened.

REMARKS. The common name of this turtlecomes from the color of its fat.

SELECT REFERENCES. Hodge and Wing2000, Karl and Bowen 1999.

Green SeaturtleChelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758)

30

TAXONOMY. Genetic studies suggest thatLepidochelys olivacea is phylogenetically distinctfrom L. kempii (Kemp’s Ridley Seaturtle), andthat Altlantic and Pacific populations of L.olivacea are not distinctive. No subspecies arecurrently recognized.

DESCRIPTION. The Olive (or Pacific) RidleySeaturtle is a small, hard-shelled marine turtlewith a uniformly olive-colored, heart-shapedcarapace, usually less than 1 m (3.3 ft.) inlength, that typically has 6 to 8 costal shields oneach side. Viewed from the front, the carapaceappears elevated and flat-topped, with flat,sloping sides. The plastron is light greenishyellow or greenish white in color. This specieshas a relatively large head with two pairs ofprefrontal scales. Males have concave plastronsand tails that extend well beyond the margin ofthe shell. The high costal shield count distinguishes thisturtle from other hard-shelled marine turtles.

DISTRIBUTION. This species is found primarilyin the warmer parts of the Pacific, Indian, and(less frequently) Atlantic oceans. Nesting in theeastern Pacific takes place from Mexico south to

at least Columbia. Non-nesting individualsoccasionally are found in more temperate watersat higher latitudes, including southeasternAlaska, where it has been documented twice: acarcass found in January, 1986, near Yakutat;and a carcass found south of Ketchikan in June,1991.

NATURAL HISTORY. Although Olive RidleySeaturtles can range well out to sea and mayeven reside in oceanic habitats during the non-reproductive portion of their life cycle, they seekprotected and relatively shallow water of baysand lagoons to breed and forage. Femalescongregate in large aggregations (calledarribadas) each year to nest, some up to threetimes per season.

CONSERVATION. The most abundant marineturtle species in the world in terms of absolutenumbers, there is growing evidence ofpopulation declines resulting from incidental takeby fisherman, disturbance and development ofnesting beaches, and exploitation for meat,leather, and eggs, among other factors. TheMexican breeding population is listed as

endangered, and all others as threatened, underthe U.S. Endangered Species Act.

REMARKS. To their detriment and often demise,Olive Ridleys readily eat plastic bags, styrofoampieces, tar balls, raw plastic pellets, and othermarine debris, mistaking these items for food.

SELECT REFERENCES. Bowen et al. 1991,Hodge and Wing 2000, Zug and Wilson 1998.

Olive Ridley SeaturtleLepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829)

31

TAXONOMY. Two subspecies have beendescribed, D. c. schlegelii (Pacific and Indianoceans) and D. c. coriacea (Atlantic Ocean);however, these are poorly differentiated andcurrently not recognized by most authorities.

DESCRIPTION. Leatherback Seaturtles are thelargest living turtle, attaining a length up to 2.4 m(8 ft.) and a weight of 727 kg (1,600 lbs.). Thisspecies is easily distinguished from all otherseaturtles by the smooth leathery skin withprominent longitudinal ridges on its elongatedand triangular shell (the carapace is made up ofmany small bony platelets embedded in the skin,and lacking a rigid shell, its ribs and vertebrae,unlike those of other turtles, are not attached tothe carapace). The carapace is slate to blue-black and the plastron mainly whitish. Its limbsare paddlelike and clawless. Males haveconcave plastrons and tails longer than the hindlimbs.

DISTRIBUTION. A wide-ranging species thatmay be seen far out to sea, Leatherbacksgenerally forage in temperate waters and nest onbeaches in tropical and subtropical latitudes.Significant nesting areas of Pacific populations

have been found along the western continentalcoasts of Mexico and Central America. A cold-tolerant species, nonbreeders are seenrelatively often at high latitudes. It is the mostfrequently reported marine turtle in Alaskawaters, with at least 19 records between 1960and 1998 ranging from Southeast Alaska to theAlaska Peninsula. It has also been recorded atCape Navarin, Russia, 450 km northwest ofSaint Matthew Island in the Bering Sea.

NATURAL HISTORY. Mainly pelagic,Leatherbacks seldom approach land except fornesting. Females nest throughout the year, butindividuals probably nest only every 2 or 3 years.Males accompany the females to offshore watersto mate. The females lay their eggs in sandunder cover of darkness. Leatherbacks feedmostly on jellyfish, which are often abundant inthe Gulf of Alaska during late summer and fall.

CONSERVATION. Leatherback Seaturtles areconsidered uncommon in Alaska waters, withpeak numbers being reported in August in thelate 1970s and early 1980s. This species is indecline throughout its range. The populationnesting along Mexico’s Pacific coast, which may

support as much as half of all global nesting,experienced a drastic decline in the 1980s and1990s. Habitat destruction, incidental catch incommercial fisheries, and the harvest of eggsand adults are the greatest threats to the survivalof this species, listed as critically endangered bythe IUCN.

SELECT REFERENCES. Ernst et al. 1994,Hodge and Wing 2000, Pritchard 1980, Spotila etal. 2000.

Leatherback SeaturtleDermochelys coriacea (Linnaeus, 1766)

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Enigmatics, Potentials, and EscapeesAlaska Worm SalamanderBatrachoseps caudatus Cope, 1889

Slender or worm salamanders of the genus Batrachoseps comprise seven or more highlyvariable species in the large family of lungless salamanders, Plethodontidae. Slender salamandersare confined to the Pacific coast, almost exclusively in California; there are no authenticatedrecords north of the Columbia River. They are slim and small, usually less than 6 cm (2.4 in.) SVL.Their tails, easily broken off but soon regrown, are longer than the body. The hind feet have onlyfour toes, and the sides of the body and tail have conspicuous grooves. They live underground andduring rainy periods may be found on the forest floor under debris. Eggs are laid underground orunder surface debris, often in communal nests. There is no aquatic larval stage. The Alaska Worm Salamander is a long-standing enigma of Alaska herpetology. In 1889, E.D.Cope described a endemic species of worm salamander from a single specimen supposedlycollected at Hassler Harbor, Annette Island, in August, 1882. Potentially a relict of former times,attempts to find additional worm salamanders on this island have been unsuccessful (Wake et al.1998). Furthermore, the Alaska specimen appeared virtually identical with members ofBatrachoseps attenuatus from near San Francisco, California, where Lt. H.E. Nichols, the collectorof the Annette specimen, was also known to have visited. The likelihood that this specimen wasmislabeled is reinforced by the fact that its collection date is listed as “December 1881”, not“August 1882”, the date given for several specimens of Western Toad and Roughskin Newt (twospecies known to occur on Annette Island) collected at the type locality by Lt. Nichols. To add to the confusion, the USNM houses two additional specimens of Batrachoseps caudatus(USNM 17260, 20489), labeled as “all data questionable”, supposedly from Yakutat Bay by W.H.Dall in May 1874. (Dall was in fact in the Yakutat area in 1874.)

Type specimen (USNM 13561) of Alaska WormSalamander, Batrachoseps caudatus Cope 1889,supposedly collected at Hassler Harbor, AnnetteIsland by Lt. Henry E. Nichols. (drawing fromSmithsonian Institution photograph in Hodge, 1976.)

33

Gartersnake (Thamnophis spp.)

The occurrence of the gartersnake in southeastern Alaska has yet to be validated. Hodge (1976)reported several sightings of snakes on the banks of the Taku and Stikine rivers inside Alaska. Agartersnake specimen supposedly collected along the Stikine River was apparently deposited in theold Territorial Museum (now the State Museum) in Juneau (or the University of Alaska Museum inFairbanks, according to Waters, 1992), but was subsequently lost. All further attempts to locate thisspecimen or to document the presence of gartersnakes anywhere in the region have beenunsuccessful. The valleys of the Stikine River and Taku River (and perhaps Unuk River) could potentially allowsnakes access to the coast from interior British Columbia, however, it remains unclear if naturalpopulations of gartersnakes even occur upriver in these drainages. The herpetofauna ofnorthwestern British Columbia is poorly known. A preliminary search for gartersnake records frommajor drainages that flow into coastal Alaska has come up negative. Furthermore, a resident ofTelegraph Creek. B.C., stated that he could not recall anyone ever seeing a snake in the area (D.Pakula, pers. com. 2003). The Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) has been reported northof Terrace, British Columbia, in the watersheds of the Nass and Skeena rivers, and along theeastern side of the province as far north as the Peace River District (Matsuda et al. 2006). TheTerrestrial Gartersnake (T. elegans) is found along the British Columbia coast, including VancouverIsland, as far north as the Nass River Basin, and east of the Rockies as far north as the Peace RiverDistrict (Matsuda et al. 2006).

Other SpeciesIn addition to garter snakes, at least one other herp occurs close enough to the border of Alaska to

warrant consideration as a “watch-for” species. The Tailed Frog (Ascaphus truei) is a tiny, cold-adapted frog found along the coast of British Columbia as far north as the Nass River (Matsuda et al.2006), just south of Alaska’s panhandle. A variety of exotic reptiles have on occasion been reported in Alaska, usually as escaped petsnear populated areas. Examples include a rubber boa, gartersnake, and bull snake in Juneau, and asnapping turtle near Anchorage.

The tiny (up to 5 cm SVL) tailed frog lives in andaround clear, cold streams in humid forests. Its eye hasa vertical pupil. The tail-like organ of males is used inreproduction.

The Common Gartersnake has a long (over a meter),slender body, and a large head that is distinct from theneck. Coloration is highly variable, but back and sidestripes are usually well-defined. This species lives nearwater in riparian habitats and humid forests.

34

Adult Salamanders1 • Skin rough (except in breeding

male) and bright yellow/orange onventral surfaces ...........RoughskinNewt• Skin smooth and color various........................................... go to 2

2 • Uniform gray-brown colorationand costal grooves pronounced .............. Northwestern Salamander• Bright yellow, tan or light greendorsal stripe, and only faint costalgrooves .. Long-toed Salamander

Identification Keys Larval Salamanders

1 • Head narrow with eyes on or nearoutline of head as seen from above;5-7 gill rakers on front side of 3rdgill arch ............ Roughskin Newt• Head broader with eyes set wellin from outline of head; 9-12 gillrakers on front side of 3rd gill arch........................................... go to 2

2 • Rough patches of skin on eachside of head and along upper sideof tail musculature ................................. Northwestern Salamander• No roughened glandular areas .................. Long-toed Salamander

roughskin newt

1

2

Northwestern Salamander

Long-toed Salamander

Roughskin Newt

35

1

Roughskin Newt

Northwestern Salamander2

Long-toed Salamander

Adult Frogs and Toad Tadpoles1 • Skin dry and warty; parotoid

glands present ..... Western Toad• Skin wet and smooth; parotoidglands absent .................... go to 2

2 • Toes long and straight, withround pads at tips; no dorsolateralfolds .......... Pacific Chorus Frog• Toes tapered without pads;dorsolateral folds present ....................................................... go to 3

3 • Prominent dark eye mask;underside cream white ................................................... Wood Frog

• Lack dark eye mask; undersidebrightly colored ................ go to 4

4 • Sides usually with coarse black,red, and yellow mottling; eyesturned outward; hind legs long;webbing on hindfoot not full ................................ Red-legged Frog• Sides usually unmottled; eyesturned slightly upward; hind legsshorter; webbing on hindfoot full............. Columbia Spotted Frog

1 • Eyes spaced far apart and modifybody outline (top view); mouthround .......... Pacific Chorus Frog• Eyes located centrally and do notinterrupt body outline; mouthindented at the sides ......... go to 2

2 • Body usually small and dark;vent opens straight back; oralpapillae confined to sides of mouth.............................. Western Toad• Body larger and not uniformlydark; vent opens to right side; oralpapillae only absent from middlepart of upper lip .............. go to 3

3 • Tail long, usually twice the bodylength (top view) ...................................... Columbia Spotted Frog• Tall usually 1½ times bodylength or less .................... go to 4

4 •Tail trunk dark along top, lightunderneath, with bars of goldflecks radiating out like whiskersaround mouth .......... Wood Frog• Tail trunk one color or mottled ............................ Red-legged Frog

1 2 3 1 2

34

Columbia Spotted Frog

Western ToadPacific Chorus Frog

Columbia Spotted Frog

4Wood Frog

Red-legged Frog

frog toad

36

Red-legged Frog

Amphibian Eggs1 • Eggs in cylindrical strings ..........

............................. Western Toad• Eggs single or in globular orirregular clusters ............... go to 2

2 • Egg mass a firm, smooth orslightly lumpy jelly ball ........................ Northwestern Salamander• Eggs either single or in a soft,lumpy cluster ................... go to 3

3 • Eggs single ..................... go to 4• Eggs in a cluster ............. go to 5

4 • Layer of jelly around egg thinnerthan egg diameter; egg tan above,cream below ..... Roughskin Newt• Layer of jelly around egg iswider than egg diameter; eggblack or dark brown above, whitebelow ..... Long-toed Salamander

5 • Egg cluster small, usually lessthan 5 cm in diameter ........ go to 6

• Egg cluster large, usually morethan 5 cm in diameter ........ go to 7

6 • Eggs small (1.5 mm D or less)and packed closely together ............................ Pacific Chorus Frog• Eggs large (2mm D or more) andwidely spaced ............................................. Long-toed Salamander

7 • Egg with 3 gelatinous envelopesand usually laid in at least 50 cmof water ............ Red-legged Frog• Egg with 1 or 2 envelopes andusually laid in shallow water ................................................... go to 8

8 • Egg masses firmly attached tosubmerged vegetation ..................................................... Wood Frog• Egg masses free floating orloosely attached .......... ColumbiaSpotted Frog

Western Toad

NorthwesternSalamander

Roughskin Newt

Long-toedSalamander Pacific Chorus Frog Red-legged Frog

C. Spotted Frog Wood Frog

Loose, rounded clusters (4 cmD), attached to vegetation inshallow water. Eggs small (1.5mm D) and tightly packed.

Chorus Frog

Many small (5-7cm D) clusterslaid close togetherand attached tosubmerged vege-tation.

Long single-file strings,loosely intertwined aroundsubmerged vegetation.

Large (up to 20 cm D) glob-ular clusters, often unat-tached in shallow water andpiled on top of others.

Wood FrogWestern Toad Spotted Frog

Firm eggs (2 mm D) laidsingly, attached to vegeta-tion and usually well hidden.

Roughskin NewtSmall cluster or singly, at-tached to submerged vegeta-tion or free on bottom. Eggsappear widely spaced incluster.

Long-toed Salamander

Large (up to 15 cm D), very firmand smooth cluster attached tosubmerged sticks and other firmsupports. Eggs often green fromalgae.

Northwestern Salamander

Large (up to 25cm D), soft clus-ters attached todeep-water vege-tation. Eggs large(3 mm D) with 3gelatinous enve-lopes.

Red-legged Frog

37

2 mm

Seaturtles1 • Shell leathery ....... Leatherback

Seaturtle• Shell bony ...................... go to 2

2 • 4 costal shields on each side ofcarapace and 1 pair of prefrontalscales between eyes ...........GreenSeaturtle• 5 or more costal shields and 2

pairs of prefrontal scales .................................................. go to 3

3 • Typically 5 costal shields withcarapace high in front ..........................Loggerhead Seaturtle• Typically 6-8 shields with flat-topped carapace ............ OliveRidley Seaturtle

Leatherback (up to 2.4 m) Green (up to 1.5 m) Loggerhead (up to 2 m) Olive Ridley (up to 0.9 m)

21 3

38

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Waters, D.L., T.J. Hassler, and B.R. Norman.1998. On the establishment of the PacificChorus Frog, Pseudacris regilla (Amphibia,Anura, Hylidae) to Ketchikan, Alaska. Bull.Chicago Herp. Soc. 33:124-127.

Wiedmer, M., and R.P. Hodge. 1996.Geographic distribution: Bufo boreas.Herpetological Review 27:148.

Wing, B.L., and R.P. Hodge. 2002. Occurrenceterminology for marine turtles. Marine TurtleNewsletter 95:15-16.

Zug, G.R., and R.V. Wilson. 1998. Lepidochelysolivacea. Catalog of American Amphibians andReptiles 653:1-13.

Taking Voucher PhotographsGood, close-up photographs that clearly show all the identifyingfeatures of a species can be used as vouchers in museum collectionswhen the taking of a scientific specimen is not possible or appropriate.Basic equipment is a digital or color film camera with a good macrolens and flash unit. The following is a minimal list of photos needed toproperly voucher a record (adapted from Corkran and Thoms1996:25):

• Whole animal from above. For salamanders, make sure the animalis relatively straight, with its snout and legs clearly visible. Frogs andtoads can be held by their hind legs for this view.• Underside. Before taking your photo of a frog or toad, gently strokeits belly for several seconds to help it remain still. If you (or better yet,your assistant) are holding it by the hind legs make sure your hand isnot obscuring the underside of the thighs.• Whole animal from the side. For frogs, make sure you take a shotshowing the groin area. For tadpoles, take a photograph from its leftside to include the spiracle.• Close-up of the hind foot. For frogs, have your helper hold the tipsof the inner and outer toes and spread the foot to show the extent ofwebbing. For salamanders, place the foot out to the side so that thetoes are spread.• Close-up of the top of the head and gills. Take your photo fromstraight above to show eye orientation, proportion, and overall shape.

Tadpoles and larval salamanders can be photographed in a clearplastic bag (with the top rolled down for an unobstructed top view) or ina wide, shallow plastic tub. Use just enough water to cover the entirebody, including the gills. Be mindful of glare off the water’s surface.Finally, don’t leave before taking some habitat photographs.

Island Occurrence of Alaska Amphibians

42KEY: Closed circle = species present and vouchered; open circle = species reported but not validated by a specimen or photograph.

ISLAND

SPECIES

North

west

ern

Sala

man

der

Long

-toed

Sal

aman

der

Roug

hskin

New

t

Wes

tern

Toa

d

Colu

mbi

a Sp

otte

d Fr

og

Woo

d Fr

og

Red-

legg

ed F

rog

Pacif

ic Ch

orus

Fro

g

Admiralty l l

Annette l l

Baker l

Bamdoroshni m

Baranof l

Barrier Is. m

Big Level m

Bushy l l

Catherine l

Chichagof l l l

Dall l l

Dog l

ISLAND

SPECIES

North

west

ern

Sala

man

der

Long

-toed

Sal

aman

der

Roug

hskin

New

t

Wes

tern

Toa

d

Colu

mbi

a Sp

otte

d Fr

og

Woo

d Fr

og

Red-

legg

ed F

rog

Pacif

ic Ch

orus

Fro

g

Etolin l l

Gedney l

Gravina l l

Hassler l l

Hawkins l

Heceta m l

Herbert Graves l

Hotspur l

Kosciusko l l

Kruzof m

Kuiu m l

Kupreanof l l

Eagle

Island Occurrence (concluded)

KEY: Closed circle = species present and vouchered; open circle = species reported but not validated by a specimen or photograph.

ISLAND

SPECIES

North

west

ern

Sala

man

der

Long

-toed

Sal

aman

der

Roug

hskin

New

t

Wes

tern

Toa

d

Colu

mbi

a Sp

otte

d Fr

og

Woo

d Fr

og

Red-

legg

ed F

rog

Pacif

ic Ch

orus

Fro

g

Long l

Mary l l

Mitkof l l l

Montague l

Noyes m

Onslow m

Prince of Wales l l

Revillagigedo l l l

Rynda m

San Fernando m

Shelter l

Shrubby m

Sokolof l

43

ISLAND

SPECIES

North

west

ern

Sala

man

der

Long

-toed

Sal

aman

der

Roug

hskin

New

t

Wes

tern

Toa

d

Colu

mbi

a Sp

otte

d Fr

og

Woo

d Fr

og

Red-

legg

ed F

rog

Pacif

ic Ch

orus

Fro

g

Stikine: Dry m

Stikine: Farm l m m m

Stikine: Little Dry m m m

Stikine: Sergief l l

Suemez l

Sullivan l

Tuxekan m

Vank l l

Woronkofski l

Wrangell l l

Yakobi l

Zarembo l l

44

General Locality Maps

CONTACT INFORMATIONSend your completed data forms with voucher photographs

and field notes to:

Alaska Herp CoordinatorAlaska Natural Heritage Program

College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage707 A Street,

Anchorage, AK 99501(907) 257-2780

coordinator@alaskaherps.info

The Amphibians and Reptiles of Alaska website:www.alaskaherps.info

Museum Collection Information:Fish, Amphibian, and Reptile CollectionsUniversity of Alaska Museum of the North

P.O. Box 756960907 Yukon Drive

Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-1200(907) 479-7828

J. Andrés López, curator (fffjal2@uaf.edu)Online Specimen Database: http://arctos.database.museum

Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvatica)

Photo CreditsThe name of the photographer is followed in parentheseswith page number of their photograph and its location on thepage (Right, Left, Top, Middle, Bottom):

• Armstrong, Robert (18B, 20B, 24B) • Carstensen, Richard(2MTL) • Flaxington, William (2MTR, 2MB, 13T, 14B, 26T)• Green, D. (13B) • Hodge, Robert Parker (2LM, 2LB,2MMR, 15B, 17B, 19B, 21B, 23B, 35 all) • Lindell, John (7,22T) • Peterson, Charles N. (20T) • Rear, Shane (21T)• Shaffer, Brad (28T) • Wallays, Henk (14T, 16B) • White,John (29)