Plains Spadefoot

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  • Amphibian Conservation 

  • Wyoming’s Amphibians 

    • Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)

    • Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

    • Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris)

    • Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)

    • American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

    • Wyoming Toad (Anaxyrus baxteri)

    • Western (Boreal) Toad (Anaxyrus boreas)

    • Rocky Mountain (Woodhouse’s) Toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii)

    • Great Plains Toad (Anaxyrus cognatus)

    • Plains Spadefoot (Spea bombifrons)

    • Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)

    • Western Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium)

  • Calls of Wyoming's Frogs & Toads

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IDENTIFICATION

• Size: ~1/2 inch (metamorph) to ~2.5 inches (adult)
• Dorsal color: light gray or brown with dark mottling
• Often with orange small warts
• Relatively smooth skin
• Ventral color: white
• Vertical pupils
• Bony lump (boss) between the eyes (see below)
• Mp3 of call (courtesy of NatureNorth.com)

 

Drawing from Baxter & Stone 1980; Photo by Charlotte Snoberger

 

EGGS & TADPOLES

• Eggs in small mass attached to submerged vegetation
• Tadpoles often pale brown to greenish
• Tadpole eyes medial, anal vent on midline

 

Photo by Brady                                                                                     Photo by Charlotte Snoberger
 

 

BREEDING HABITAT

After heavy rains in temporary puddles, ditches, pools, and ponds in prairies, sagebrush steppe, sandhill, and desert scrub.

Photo by Wyoming Natural Diversity Database

 

NATIVE RANGE

Map by Wyoming Natural Diversity Database