Amphibians and reptiles of Yellowstone National Park
Encyclopedia
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
is home to 4 Amphibians species and 6 species of Reptiles. None of the species are endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
or threatened
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
. The glacial nature of and dry conditions in Yellowstone are likely responsible for the relatively low number of amphibian and reptile species in Yellowstone,.
Amphibians
Blotched Tiger SalamanderTiger SalamanderThe Tiger Salamander is a species of Mole Salamander. The proper common name is the Eastern Tiger Salamander, to differentiate from other closely related species.-Description:...
The Blotched Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum) is a species of Mole SalamanderMole salamander
The mole salamanders are a group of salamanders endemic to North America, the only genus in the family Ambystomatidae...
Tiger salamanders are large, with a typical length of 6-8 inches. They can reach up to 14 inches in length, particularly neotenic individuals. Adults are usually blotchy with grey, green, or black, and have large, lidded eyes. They have short snouts, thick necks, sturdy legs, and long tails. Their diet consists largely of small insects and worms, though it is not rare for an adult to consume small frogs and baby mice.
In Yellowstone, the only salamander in the park is widespread in a great variety of habitats, with sizable populations in Lamar Valley
Lamar River
The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately 40 miles long, in northwestern Wyoming in the United States. The river is located entirely within Yellowstone National Park.-History:...
. Adults range up to about 9 inches, including the tail. It breeds in ponds and fishless lakes.
Boreal Chorus FrogBoreal Chorus FrogThe Boreal Chorus Frog, is a species of chorus frog native to Canada from the west of Lake Superior to western Alberta and north to the Northwest Territories...
The Boreal Chorus Frog, (Pseudacris maculata) is a species of chorus frog native to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from the west of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
to western Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and north to the North West Territories. It occurs in the USA throughout Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, northwestern Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, northeastern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, northern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and southwestern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. This is a small species of frog, reaching about 30mm in length. It is highly variable however it is normally brown, but can be green on the dorsal surface, with 3 broken dorsal stripes, these stripes can be very distinct to quite faint. The is a dark band present from the snout, through the eye and continuing down the side. It has slightly enlarged toes discs to help in climbing small grasses and vegetation.
In Yellowstone, this frog is common, but seldom seen due to its small size and secretive habits. It lives in moist meadows and forests near wetlands and lays eggs in loose, irregular clusters attached to submerged vegetation in quiet water.
Boreal ToadWestern toadThe Western toad more commonly known as is a large toad species, between 5.6 and 13 cm long, of western North America. It has a white or cream dorsal stripe, and is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches...
The Western toad or boreal toad (Bufo boreas) is a large toadToad
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...
species, between 5.6 and 13 cm long, of western North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It has a white or cream dorsal stripe, and is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches. This is Yellowstone's only toad species.
Once common throughout the park, they now appear to be much rarer than spotted frogs and chorus frogs; scientists fear this species has experienced a decline in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Adults can range far from wetlands because of their ability to soak up water from tiny puddles or moist areas. They lay eggs in shallow, sun-warmed water, such as ponds, lake edges, slow streams, and river backwaters.
Columbia Spotted FrogColumbia Spotted FrogThe Columbia Spotted Frog, Rana luteiventris, is a North American species of frog. It is green to brown in color with spots on the dorsal surface. The belly and upper lip are white in color. Individuals can be distinguished from other Rana species by their shorter back legs, narrow snout and...
The Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) is a North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n species of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
. It is a medium sized frog reaching lengths of up to three and a half inches (90 cm). Its color ranges from a dark, olive green to light brown with irregularly-shaped black spots on its back and legs (rendering its name). The belly and upper lip are white in color. Individuals can be distinguished from other Rana
Rana (genus)
Rana is a genus of frogs. Species include such archetypal pond frogs as the common frog of Europe, brown frogs, and the New and Old World true frogs, including the various species of leopard frogs and the American bullfrog. Members of this genus are found through much of Eurasia, North America,...
species by their shorter back legs, narrow snout and upturned eyes. Since they spend most of their time in the water, they also have more webbing in their hind feet than similar species.
In Yellowstone this frog is abundant and the best known amphibian in the park. It is found all summer along or in rivers, streams, smaller lakes, marshes, ponds, and rain pools. It lays eggs in stagnant or quiet water, in globular masses surrounded by jelly.
Reptiles
BullsnakeBullsnakeThe bullsnake ' is a large non-venomous colubrid snake, widespread in the central part of the United States, northern Mexico, and southwestern Saskatchewan and Alberta Canada. It is currently considered a subspecies of the gopher snake '...
The Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) is a large non-venomous colubridColubrid
A colubrid is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. The earliest species of the snake family date back to the Oligocene epoch. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, Colubridae is the largest snake family...
snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
, widespread in the central part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and southern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is a subspecies of the Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer). The epithet sayi is in honor of zoologist
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
Thomas Say
Thomas Say
Thomas Say was an American naturalist, entomologist, malacologist, herpetologist and carcinologist. A taxonomist, he is often considered to be the father of descriptive entomology in the United States. He described more than 1,000 new species of beetles and over 400 species of insects of other...
.
In Yellowstone, it is the park's largest reptile ranging from 50 to 72 inches long. It is found at lower elevations, drier, warmer climates, and open areas such as near Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs on a hill of travertine in Yellowstone National Park adjacent to Fort Yellowstone and the Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District. It was created over thousands of years as hot water from the spring cooled and deposited calcium carbonate...
. The bullsnake lives in burrows and eats small rodents. It is often mistaken for a rattlesnake because of its appearance and its defensive behavior; when disturbed it will coil up, hiss loudly, and vibrate its tail against the ground, producing a rattling sound.
Prairie RattlesnakeCrotalus viridisCrotalus viridis is a venomous pitviper species native to the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Currently, nine subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description:...
The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) is a venomousVenomous snake
"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...
pitviper
Crotalinae
The Crotalinae, commonly known as "pit vipers" or crotaline snakes, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Asia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
native to the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, southwestern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
In Yellowstone, this is the only dangerously venomous snake in the park. It lives in the lower Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
areas of the park, including Reese Creek, Stephens Creek, and Rattlesnake Butte, where the habitat is drier and warmer than elsewhere in the park. It behavior is usually defensive rather than aggressive.
There have been only two rattlesnake bites reported during the history of the park.
Rubber BoaRubber BoaThe Rubber Boa is a snake in the family Boidae that is native to the Western United States.-Taxonomy:The Rubber Boa is a snake in the family Boidae and genus Charina. The name Charina is from the Greek for graceful or delightful, and the name bottae honors Dr. Paolo E. Botta, an Italian ship's...
The Rubber Boa (Charina bottae) is a snake in the family Boidae and genus Charina. The Boidae family consists of the non-venomous snakes commonly called boas and consists of 43 species. The genus Charina consists of four speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, three of which are found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and one species found in Africa.
In Yellowstone this snake is infrequently encountered in due to its nocturnal and burrowing habits. It eats rodents and may spend a great deal of time partially buried under leaves and soil, and in rodent burrows. It is usually found in rocky areas near streams or rivers, with shrubs or trees nearby. The most recent occurrences in the park have been in the Bechler
Bechler River
The Bechler River is a remote major river flowing southwest entirely within the confines of Yellowstone National Park to it confluence with the Fall River in the southwest section of the park. The river was named by Frank Bradley, a member of the 1872 Hayden Geological Survey for Gustavus R....
region and Gibbon
Gibbon River
The Gibbon River is a river in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, the United States. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris...
Meadows.
Sagebrush Lizard
The Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus graciosus) is a common lizardLizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
found in mid to high latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
s in the Western United States of America. It belongs to the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Sceloporus (spiny lizard
Spiny lizard
The spiny lizards are the genus Sceloporus in the family Phrynosomatidae. This genus includes some of the most commonly seen lizards in the United States.- Taxonomy :...
s) in the Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosomatidae is a diverse family of lizards, found from Panama to the extreme south of Canada. Many members of the group are adapted to life in hot, sandy deserts, although the spiny lizards prefer rocky deserts or even relatively moist forest edges, and the short-horned lizard lives in prairie...
family of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s. Named after the sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
plants near which it is commonly found, the sagebrush lizard has keeled and spiny scales
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
running along its dorsal
Dorsum (biology)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
surface.
In Yellowstone, this is the only lizard found in the park. It is usually found below 6,000 feet elevation, but in Yellowstone it can live up to 8,300 feet.
Populations living in thermally influenced areas are possibly isolated from others. It is most common along the lower portions of the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
near Gardiner, Montana
Gardiner, Montana
Gardiner is a census-designated place in Park County, Montana, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 851 at the 2000 census....
and upstream to the mouth of Bear Creek. It also occurs in Norris Geyser Basin, Shoshone and Heart Lake geyser basins, and other hydrothermal areas.
Valley Garter SnakeCommon Garter SnakeThe Common Garter Snake is a snake indigenous to North America. Most garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a brown or green background and their average length is about , maximum about .-Subspecies:...
The Valley Garter Snake, (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi) is a subspecies of the common garter snake. It is a snakeSnake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
indigenous to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Most garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a brown background and their average length is about 1 metres (3.3 ft) to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). The common garter snake is a diurnal
Diurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
snake. In summer, it is most active in the morning and late afternoon; in cooler seasons or climates, it restricts its activity to the warm afternoons.
In Yellowstone, it was once thought to be common, but is now in decline for no apparent reason. In Yellowstone, it is only observed in the Fall River
Fall River (Wyoming, Idaho)
Fall River rises on the Madison and Pitchstone plateaus in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming and flows approximately to its confluence with the Henrys Fork of the Snake River near Ashton, Idaho...
drainage in the Bechler
Bechler River
The Bechler River is a remote major river flowing southwest entirely within the confines of Yellowstone National Park to it confluence with the Fall River in the southwest section of the park. The river was named by Frank Bradley, a member of the 1872 Hayden Geological Survey for Gustavus R....
region.
Wandering Garter SnakeWestern Terrestrial Garter SnakeThe Western terrestrial garter snake is a species of colubrid snake.Seven subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:...
The Wandering Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) is a subspecies of the Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, a species of colubrid snake residing only in Southwestern CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Seven subspecies are currently recognized. Most snakes have a yellow, light orange, or white dorsal stripe, accompanied by two stripes on its side of the same color. Some varieties have red or black spots between the dorsal stripe and the side stripes. This snake often inhabits coniferous forests, and is relatively aquatic.
In Yellowstone, this is the most common reptile in the park. It is usually found near water in all areas of the park. It eats small rodents, fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, earthworms, slugs, snails, and leeches.