Natural History of Vertebrates Lab
Emporia State University
AMPHIBIAN LIST (SPRING 2008)
Taxonomy and nomenclature follows Collins (1990) except for changes given in Collins (1993).
Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for
North American amphibians and reptiles, third edition. Society for the
Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular 19:1-41.
Collins, J. T. 1993. Amphibians and reptiles in Kansas, third edition.
University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Public Education Series
13:1-397.
A Checklist to the Native Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas
You will be responsible for the classification from kingdom to species, its
common name, and its general distribution in Kansas (part of the state).
Plus you must spell all names or categories correctly.
If you click on the family names, you will see a couple of charateristics that will be useful in recognizing the families. Links at the taxonomic levels above family, take you to the Tree of Life Project. Links at the species level take you to a collection photographs and other information on either Frog and Toad Life Cycles of Lyon County, Kansas, The Herps of Texas, Cave Life Photos, or the Animal Diversity Web. Use the "back" button in the top left corner to go back to the species list.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Amphibia
Order Caudata
Family Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma texanum (smallmouth salamander)
Ambystoma tigrinum (tiger salamander)
Family Salamandridae
Notophthalmus viridescens (eastern newt)
Family Plethodontidae
Eurycea lucifuga (cave salamander) endangered
Eurycea longicauda (longtail salamander)
Family Proteidae
Necturus maculosus (mudpuppy)
Order Anura
Family Pelobatidae
Spea bombifrons (plains spadefoot)
Family Bufonidae
Bufo americanus (American toad)
Bufo cognatus (Great Plains toad)
Bufo debilis (green toad) threatened
Bufo punctatus (red-spotted toad) special concern
Bufo woodhousii (Woodhouse's toad)
Family Hylidae
Acris crepitans (northern cricket frog)
Pseudacris clarkii (spotted chorus frog)
Pseudacris crucifer (spring peeper) threatened
Pseudacris streckeri (Strecker's chorus frog) threatened
Pseudacris triseriata (western chorus frog)
Hyla versicolor (gray treefrog)
Family Ranidae
Rana areolata (crawfish frog) special concern
Rana blairi (plains leopard frog)
Rana catesbeiana (bullfrog)
Rana clamitans (green frog) special concern
Rana palustris (pickerel frog)
Family Microhylidae
Gastrophryne carolinensis (eastern narrowmouth toad)
Gastrophryne olivacea (Great Plains narrowmouth toad)
CHARACTERISTICS USEFUL IN IDENTIFYING
THE FAMILIES OF AMPHIBIANS IN KANSAS
AMBYSTOMATIDAE--five toes on each hindfoot; in general no gills as an
adult; stout body dark colored above
SALAMANDRIDAE--five toes on each hindfoot; eyelids present; no gills;
distinct longitudinal ridges on top of head; none to very faint vertical
grooves on sides of body.
PLETHODONTIDAE--five toes on each hindfoot; no gills; slender body
PROTEIDAE--four toes on each hindfoot; eyelids absent; bushy external gills
present throughout life
PELOBATIDAE--no parotid glands; toes distinctly webbed; enlarged black
tubercle with free cutting edge at base of hindfoot
BUFONIDAE--parotid gland on neck behind eyes; skin warty
HYLIDAE--adults often small; tympanum often small and barely visible; discs
often present on tips of toes
RANIDAE--tympanum prominent; no discs on tips of fingers or toes
MICROHYLIDAE--tympanum not visible; head much narrower than body; skin
folded behind eyes to form a dorsal groove
Last updated on 20 February 2008.
Provide comments to Dwight Moore at mooredwi@emporia.edu.
Return to the Natural History of Vertebrates Home Page at Emporia State University