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BIOL 4444 - Herpetology Guide

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Anura

Scaphiopus couchii

Couch's Spadefoot

Family: Scaphiopodidae - procoelous vertebrae, arciferal girdle; keratinized tubercle on each hind foot.

Scaphiopus couchii - pigmented edge of metatarsal tubercle about twice as long as wide

Scaphiopus hurterii

Hurter's spadefoot

Family: Scaphiopodidae - procoelous vertebrae, arciferal girdle; keratinized tubercle on each hind foot.

Scaphiopus hurterii - pectoral glands present

Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithi

Dwarf American Toad

Family: Bufonidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle; axillary amplexus, usually external fertilization -> type 4 larvae; Bidder's organ retained (paedomorphic), teeth absent; well-developed granular glands usually with bufotoxin

Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithi

More images

Bufo houstonensis

Houston Toad

Family: Bufonidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle; axillary amplexus, usually external fertilization -> type 4 larvae; Bidder's organ retained (paedomorphic), teeth absent; well-developed granular glands usually with bufotoxin

Anaxyrus houstonensis

Anaxyrus speciosus

Texas Toad

Family: Bufonidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle; axillary amplexus, usually external fertilization -> type 4 larvae; Bidder's organ retained (paedomorphic), teeth absent; well-developed granular glands usually with bufotoxin

Anaxyrus speciosus

Anaxyrus woodhousii

Woodhouse's Toad

Family: Bufonidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle; axillary amplexus, usually external fertilization -> type 4 larvae; Bidder's organ retained (paedomorphic), teeth absent; well-developed granular glands usually with bufotoxin

Anaxyrus woodhousii

Incilius valliceps

Gulf Coast Toad

Family: Bufonidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle; axillary amplexus, usually external fertilization -> type 4 larvae; Bidder's organ retained (paedomorphic), teeth absent; well-developed granular glands usually with bufotoxin

Incilius nebulifer

Rhinella marina

Cane Toad

Family: Bufonidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle; axillary amplexus, usually external fertilization -> type 4 larvae; Bidder's organ retained (paedomorphic), teeth absent; well-developed granular glands usually with bufotoxin

Rhinella marina

Syrrhophus cystignathoides

Rio Grande Chirping Frog

Family: Eleutherodactylidae - Procoelous vertebrae, 8 presacrals; arciferal or pseudofirmisternal girdle (all cartilaginous)

Subfamily: Eleutherodactylinae

Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides

Gastrophryne carolinensis

Eastern Narrowmouth Toad

Family: Microhylidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 2 larvae; adults with folds in soft palate, larvae without cornified denticles

Subfamily: Gastrophryninae

Gastrophryne carolinensis

Gastrophryne olivacea

Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad

Family: Microhylidae - Procoelous vertebrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 2 larvae; adults with folds in soft palate, larvae without cornified denticles

Subfamily: Gastrophryninae

Gastrophryne olivacea

Acris blanchardi

Blanchard's Cricket Frog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Acris blanchardi

Green Treefrog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Hyla cinerea

Squirrel Treefrog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Hyla squirella

Hyla versicolor

Gray Treefrog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Hyla versicolor

Hyla chrysoscelis

Cope's Gray Treefrog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Hyla chrysoscelis

Pseudacris clarkii

Spotted Chorus Frog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Pseudacris clarkii

Pseudacris crucifer

Spring Peeper

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Pseudacris crucifer

Psudacris fouquettei

Cajun Chorus Frog

Family: Hylidae - Procoelous vertrbrae, arciferal girdle; axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> usually type 4 larvae; Claw-shaped terminal phalanges with polygonal epithelium

Subfamily: Hylinae

Pseudacris fouquettei

Lithobates areolatus areolatus

Southern Crawfish Frog

Family: Ranidae - Procoelous vertebrae, firmisternal girdle; usually axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> type 4 larvae or direct development

Lithobates areolatus areolatus

American bullfrog

Family: Ranidae - Procoelous vertebrae, firmisternal girdle; usually axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> type 4 larvae or direct development

Lithobates catesbeianus

Lithobates clamitans clamitans

Bronze Frog

Family: Ranidae - Procoelous vertebrae, firmisternal girdle; usually axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> type 4 larvae or direct development

Lithobates clamitans

Pickerel frog

Family: Ranidae - Procoelous vertebrae, firmisternal girdle; usually axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> type 4 larvae or direct development

Lithobates palustris

Lithobates sphenocephalus utricularius

Coastal Plains Leopard Frog

Family: Ranidae - Procoelous vertebrae, firmisternal girdle; usually axillary amplexus, external fertilization -> type 4 larvae or direct development

Lithobates sphenocephalus utricularius

Frog Calls

Species List

Anura (Salientia)
Scaphiopodidae
     Scaphiopus couchii
   Scaphiopus hurterii
Bufonidae
     Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithi
   Anaxyrus houstonensis
Anaxyrus speciosus
   Anaxyrus woodhousii
   Incilius nebulifer
   Rhinella marina
Eleutherodactylidae
   Eleutherodactylinae
Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides
Microhylidae
   Gastrophryninae
Gastrophryne carolinensis
   Gastrophryne olivacea
Hylidae
   Hylinae
   Acris blanchardi
Hyla cinerea
Hyla squirella
Hyla versicolor x chrysoscelis
Pseudacris clarkii
Pseudacris crucifer
   Pseudacris fouquettei
   Pseudacris streckeri
Ranidae
Lithobates a. areolatus
Lithobates catesbeianus
Lithobates clamitans
Lithobates palustris
Lithobates sphenocephalus utricularius

Photo Credit

All images are linked from the East Texas Digital Herpetology Collection and are protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Images are available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu.

Photographers: Brendan Kavanagh, Erica R. Lopez, Stephen Mullin, Trey Polvadore, Scott Wahlberg, John Williams