List of amphibians and reptiles of 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,...

is home to 14 amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...

species and 20 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,...

, although some are classified as Species of Concern by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is a government agency in the executive branch state of Montana in the United States with responsibility for protecting sustainable fish, wildlife, and state-owned park resources in Montana for the purpose of providing recreational activities...

Amphibians

Tiger Salamander

The Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is a species of Mole Salamander

Mole 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 Montana, the salamander is widespread in a great variety of habitats east of the continental divide. It breeds in ponds and fishless lakes.

Long-toed Salamander

The long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum, Baird 1849) is a mole salamander

Mole salamander

The mole salamanders are a group of salamanders endemic to North America, the only genus in the family Ambystomatidae...

in the family Ambystomatidae. This species, typically 4.1–8.9 cm (1 3/5–3½ in) long when mature, is characterized by its mottle

Mottle

Mottle or mottling is the appearance of uneven spots. It is commonly used to describe plants or the skin of animals. In plants, mottling usually consists of yellowish spots on plants, and is usually a sign of disease or malnutrition...

d black, brown and yellow pigmentation, and its long outer fourth toe on the hind limbs. The distribution of the long-toed salamander is primarily in the Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...

, with an altitudinal range of up to 2800 metres (9,186.4 ft). It lives in a variety of habitats including temperate rainforests, coniferous forests, montane

Montane

In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...

riparian zones, sagebrush

Sagebrush (plant)

Sagebrush is the common name for Artemisia tridentata and a number of other species of shrubby plants in the genus Artemisia, native to the North American west and other parts of the world. It is sometimes confused with sage plants ....

plains, red fir

Red Fir

Abies magnifica, the Red Fir or Silvertip fir, is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States. It is a high altitude tree, typically occurring at altitude, though only rarely reaching tree line...

forests, semi-arid sagebrush, cheatgrass plains, and alpine meadows along the rocky shores of mountain lakes. It lives in slow-moving streams, ponds and lakes during its aquatic breeding

Breeding in the wild

Breeding in the wild is the natural process of animal reproduction occurring in the natural habitat of a given species. This terminology is distinct from animal husbandry or breeding of species in captivity...

phase. The long-toed salamander hibernates during the cold winter months, surviving on protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

energy reserves stored in the skin and tail.

In Montana, the salamander is found year-round in the western portion of the state.

Idaho Giant Salamander

The Idaho Giant Salamander, Dicamptodon aterrimus, is one of three closely related species to this taxon: D. ensatus, (California Giant Salamander

California Giant Salamander

The California Giant Salamander is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family.It is endemic to the United States. The species name once additionally included individuals now belonging to the species D. aterrimus and D...

), D. copei (Cope's Giant Salamander

Cope's Giant Salamander

Cope's Giant Salamander is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family. It reaches between 12.4–19.1 cm . The salamander resembles Pacific Giant Salamander larvae, but it never transforms to a terrestrial stage. It is smaller overall with a narrower head and shorter limbs...

) and D. tenebrosus (Coastal Giant Salamander

Coastal Giant Salamander

The Coastal Giant Salamander is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family . It is endemic to the United States and Canada. There are three closely related species to this taxon: D. ensatus , D. copei , and D...

) also known as the (Pacific Giant Salamander). The Idaho Giant Salamander is the darkest and most intricately blotched of the Giant Salamanders. Varying between brown, purple, tan, grey, and a copperish color, Idaho giant salamanders are large and robust predators. Tiger Salamanders and Idaho Giant Salamanders have superficial resemblance pertaining to size and shape, but the costal grooves and foot tubercles are significantly different between the two species. With a defining thick head and body along with a fourth toe on the hind foot with only three segments; this species of salamander has its own unique features. Adults are typically 20 cm in length but may vary between 7 and 11.75 inches long, but can be observed around 13 inches.

This species of salamander is found in forested watersheds from lake Coeur d’Alene to the Salmon River

Salmon River (Idaho)

The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. The Salmon is also known as The River of No Return. It flows for through central Idaho, draining and dropping more than between its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National...

, and in two locations in Mineral County, Montana

Mineral County, Montana

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,884 people, 1,584 households, and 1,067 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,961 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...

Coeur d'Alene Salamander

The Coeur d'Alene Salamander, (Plethodon idahoensis) is a species of woodland salamander in the family of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae). This species was once known as Plethodon vandykei idahoensis, a subspecies of Van Dyke's salamander localized in northern Idaho. While the majority of this species is localized in northern Idaho, there are some instances of capture/sighting in western Montana and southeastern British Columbia. Approximately 95% of observed populations in Idaho and Montana have been verified extant since 1987; the remainder may have [extirpated], however there is a general lack of knowledge on the population trends of the Coeur d'Alene salamander. In Montana, this salamander occurs in extreme Western Montana along the Idaho border.

Boreal Chorus Frog

The Boreal Chorus Frog, (Pseudacris maculata) is a species of chorus frog native to Canada 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

, 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 Montana, this frog is common east of the continental divide. It lives in moist meadows and forests near wetlands and lays eggs in loose, irregular clusters attached to submerged vegetation in quiet water.

Pacific Tree Frog

The Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla) is a very common 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...

of chorus frog

Chorus frog

Chorus frogs are a genus of frogs in the Hylidae family, and are found in North America on both sides of the Rocky Mountains from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Gulf of Mexico....

, with a range from the West Coast of the United States

West Coast of the United States

West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...

(from North California, Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

, and Washington) to British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

in Canada. Living anywhere from sea level up to over 10,000 feet, they are found in shades of greens or browns and even have been known to change between them. They live in many types of habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

s and reproduce in aquatic settings. This species is also known as the Pacific Chorus Frog.

In Montana, the frog is common east of the continental divide.

Plains Spadefoot Toad

The Plains Spadefoot Toad (Spea bombifrons) is a species

Species

of spadefoot toad

Spadefoot Toad

Spadefoot refers to the following toads:* Scaphiopodidae - American spadefoot toads* Pelobates - European spadefoot toads* Notaden - genus that includes Australian spadefoot...

which ranges from southwestern Canada, throughout the Great Plains

Great Plains

The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...

of the western United States, and into northern Mexico. Like other species of spadefoot toad, they get their name from a spade

Spade

A spade is a tool designed primarily for the purpose of digging or removing earth. Early spades were made of riven wood. After the art of metalworking was discovered, spades were made with sharper tips of metal. Before the advent of metal spades manual labor was less efficient at moving earth,...

-like projection on their hind legs which allows them to dig into sandy soils. The Plains Spadefoot Toad generally grows from 1.5 to 2.5 inches in length, has a round body, with relatively short legs. They vary in color from greys to browns, usually reflecting the color of the soil in their native habitat, with a white underside. Sometimes they have light striping on their back.

In Montana, this toad is found in the eastern plains, east of the continental divide.

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog

The tailed frogs are two species of frogs. The species are part of the genus, Ascaphus is the only taxon in the family Ascaphidae . The "tail" in the name is actually an extension of the male cloaca

Cloaca

In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts of certain animal species...

. The tail is one of two distinctive anatomical features adapting the species to life in fast-flowing streams. It is the only North American frog that reproduces by internal fertilization

Internal fertilization

In mammals, internal fertilization is done through copulation, which involves the insertion of the penis into the vagina. Some other higher vertebrate animals reproduce internally, but their fertilization is cloacal.The union of spermatozoa of the parent organism. At some point, the growing egg or...

.. The Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog is (Ascaphus montanus) and is found along cold mountain streams in Western Montana..

Western Toad

The Western toad or boreal toad (Bufo boreas) is a large toad

Toad

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. It has a white or cream dorsal stripe, and is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches. In Montana, this toad occurs in the Western portion of the state.

Woodhouse's Toad

The Woodhouse's Toad, (Bufo woodhousii) is a medium-sized (4 inches (10 cm)) true toad

True toad

Bufonidae is the family of the true toads, members of the order Anura . They are the only family of anurans all members of which are known as "toads." The bufonids now comprise more than 35 genera, Bufo being the most widespread and well known.-Characteristics:True toads are widespread and occur...

, which is native to the United States and Mexico. There are two recognized subspecies

Subspecies

Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...

. The epithet woodhousii is in honor of the American physician and naturalist Samuel Washington Woodhouse

Samuel Washington Woodhouse

thumb|1847 daguerreotypeSamuel Washington Woodhouse was an American surgeon, explorer and naturalist.Woodhouse was doctor and naturalist on the Sitgreaves Expedition led by Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves from San Antonio to San Diego which explored the possibility of a route from the Zuni River to the...

. B. woodhousii tends to hybridize with Bufo americanus in their overlapping ranges. In Montana, this toad is found in the eastern half of the state.

Great Plains Toad

The Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus) is a relatively large species

Species

of toad

Toad

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...

. It ranges from southern 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...

, throughout the western United States, and into northern Mexico. The toad is grey, brown, and green in color, with darker colored blotching. It can grow to anywhere between 2 and 4.5 in (5.1 and 11.4 cm) in length. Its primary diet

Diet (nutrition)

In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. With the word diet, it is often implied the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management...

is various species of cutworm

Cutworm

Cutworms are not worms, biologically speaking, but caterpillars; they are moth larvae that hide under litter or soil during the day, coming out in the dark to feed on plants...

s. It prefers grassland habitat with loose soil that is easy to burrow in. Breeding occurs throughout the spring and summer months, most often immediately after heavy rainfall. In dry areas it may only emerge from its burrow for a few weeks when conditions are right, and only at night, but in areas with permanent water bodies and abundant rain it may be active all day. It has a very loud, harsh mating call. In Montana, this toad is found in the eastern half of the state.

Columbia Spotted Frog

The Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) is a North American species of frog. 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 Montana this frog is abundant in the western portion of the state. 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.

Northern Leopard Frog

The Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)) is a species of Leopard frog

Leopard frog

Leopard frogs, also called meadow frogs, are the archetypal "grass frogs" of North America, a collection of about 14 species within the true frog genus Rana. They are generally very similar, green with prominent black spotting...

from the true frog

True frog

The true frogs, family Ranidae, have the widest distribution of any frog family. They are abundant throughout most of the world, occurring on most continents except Antarctica...

family native to parts of Canada and United States. The Northern Leopard Frog is a fairly large species of frog reaching about 11 centimeters (4.3 in) in length. It varies from green to brown in 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...

colour with large dark circular spots on its back, sides and legs. Northern Leopard Frogs have a wide range of habitats. They are found in permanent ponds, swamps, marshes and slow moving streams throughout forest, open and urban areas. They normally inhabit water bodies with abundant aquatic vegetation. They are well adapted to cold and can be found above 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) asl

Above mean sea level

The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...

. This species was once quite common through parts of western Canada until declines started occurring during the 1970s. The population decline is thought to have been caused by pollution drift from the United States falling in the form of acid rain

Acid rain

Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions . It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen...

. Many populations of Northern Leopard Frogs have not yet recovered from these declines..

Reptiles

Northern Alligator Lizard

The Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea) is a medium-sized lizard

Lizard

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...

that occurs on the North American west coast. Northern Alligator Lizards are medium-sized slender lizards. Adults reach a snout-to-vent length of about 10 cm (4 inches) and a total length of roughly 25 cm (10 in). They have a distinct skin fold

Skin fold

Skin folds are areas of skin where it folds. Many skin folds are distinct, heritable anatomical features, and may be used for identification of animal species, while others are non-specific and may be produced either by individual development of an organism or by arbitrary application of force to...

on their sides, separating the keeled scales on the back from the smooth ventral scales. They are brownish in color and often have dark blotches that sometimes blend together into bands. The belly is light gray. The eyes are dark. The Northern Alligator Lizard occurs along the Pacific Coast and in the Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...

from southern British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

through Washington, northern Idaho

Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

and western Montana

Montana

south through Oregon

Oregon

to the coastal range and the Sierra Nevada in central California.

Common Sagebrush Lizard

The Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus graciosus) is a common lizard

Lizard

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)

surface. In Montana, the lizard is found in the southeast portion of the state.

Greater Short-horned Lizard

The mountain short-horned lizard, also called Hernandez's short-horned lizard or the greater short-horned lizard, (Phrynosoma hernandesi) is a diurnal species of phrynosomatid
Horned lizard
Horned lizards are a genus of lizards which are the type genus of the family Phrynosomatidae. The horned lizard is popularly called a "horned toad", "horny toad", or "horned frog", but it is neither a toad nor a frog. The popular names come from the lizard's rounded body and blunt snout, which...

lizard

Lizard

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...

. It is an insectivore

Insectivore

An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....

, feeding mostly on ant

Ant

Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...

s, though will also eat young snakes. The lizards are found throughout the mountain ranges in the western U.S. (as south as Texas) and into Canada. It is found from sea level to over 10,000 feet in elevation. It was formerly classified as Phrynosoma douglassi hernandesi. It was named for Francisco Hernández Médico, a Spanish explorer who in 1651 wrote one of the first accounts of horned lizards.

Western Fence Lizard

The Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a common lizard

Lizard

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...

of California and the surrounding area. It is also known as the Blue-belly. Not all fence lizards have a "blue belly". Smaller sized, immature fence lizards have sand colored bellies until they mature. Though they do not have colored bellies, they are still referred to as a fence lizards. Although California is the heart of the range of this lizard, it is also found in eastern and southwest Oregon

Oregon

, as well as in the Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range forming the boundary between the State of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south...

, southwest Idaho

Idaho

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

, western Utah

Utah

, and northwestern Baja California

Baja California

Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...

, and some of the islands off the coast of both California and Baja California. The Western fence lizard enjoys a variety of habitat. It is found in grassland, broken chaparral

Chaparral

Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...

, sagebrush, woodland, coniferous forest, even farmland, and occupy elevations from sea level up to 10,800 ft). They generally avoid the harsh desert. An isolated population exists in Sanders County, Montana

Sanders County, Montana

Sanders County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of 2010, the population was 11,413. Its county seat is Thompson Falls.-Geography:According to the U.S...

and may be an introduced species in Montana.

Western Skink

The Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus) is a small, smooth-scaled

Scale (zoology)

lizard

Lizard

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...

with relatively small limb

Limb (anatomy)

A limb is a jointed, or prehensile , appendage of the human or other animal body....

s, measuring about 100 to 200 mm long. Western skinks are very adaptable. They spend much of their day basking in the sun. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles. Western Skinks will bite if grasped and will flee if they feel threatened. It is a common but secretive species whose range extends throughout Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming and into western Montana and northern Arizona. It is widespread in northern California but restricted to the coast in central and southern California. Found in a variety of habitats, this lizard is most common in early successional stages or open areas of late successional stages. Heavy brush and densely forested areas are generally avoided. Western skinks are found from sea level to at least 2,130 m (7,000 ft). This diurnal reptile is active during the warm seasons. In Montana, the skink is found in the far northwestern portion of the state.

Gophersnake

The Gophersnake or Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) is a large non-venomous colubrid

Colubrid

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, widespread in the central part of the United States, northern Mexico, and southern Canada. 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 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...

. It is common and widespread in Montana.

Milk Snake

The Milk Snake
Milk Snake
The milk snake or milksnake is a species of king snake. There are 25 subspecies among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake...

(Lampropeltis triangulum) is a species of king snake

Kingsnake

Kingsnakes are a type of colubrid snake that are members of the Lampropeltis genus, which also includes the milk snake along with another four species and 45 sub-species....

. There are 25 subspecies

Subspecies

among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake

Scarlet Kingsnake

The Scarlet kingsnake is a species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. They are found in pine flatwoods hardwood hammocks, prairies, cultivated fields, and suburban areas...

(L. t. elapsoides). The subspecies have strikingly different appearance, and many of them have their own common name

Common name

A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...

s. . They are distributed from southeastern Canada, through most of the continental United States, to Central America, down to western Ecuador and northern Venezuela of northern South America. They grow 20 to 60 in (50.8 to 152.4 cm) long. In Montana, the Milk Snake is found in Central and Southeast portions of the state.

Prairie Rattlesnake

The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) is a venomous

Venomous 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

native to the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. In Montana, this is the only venomous snake in the state but it is common and widespread.

Rubber Boa

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 species

Species

, three of which are found in North America, and one species found in Africa. In Montana, this boa is found in Western and Southwestern portions of the state.

Plains Garter Snake

The Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis radix) is a species of Garter snake

Garter snake

The Garter snake is a Colubrid snake genus common across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada to Central America. It is the single most widely distributed genus of reptile in North America. The garter snake is also the Massachusettsstate reptile.There is no real consensus on the...

native to most of the Central United States stretching as far north as Canada and as far south as Texas. It has a distinctive orange or yellow stripe that goes from its head to tail, the rest of its body is mainly a gray-green color. The snake is commonly found living near water sources such as streams and ponds, but can also be found in urban areas and vacant lots.

Common Garter Snake

The Valley Garter Snake, (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi) is a subspecies of the common garter snake. It is a snake indigenous to North America. 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.

Terrestrial Garter Snake

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 Canada, and Western United States. 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.

Eastern Racer

The Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor) is a species

Species

of non-venomous

Venomous 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...

, colubrid

Colubrid

snake. They are primarily found throughout the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

, but they range north into Canada, and south into Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Racers typically grow to around 3½ foot (107 cm) long, but some subspecies are capable of attaining lengths of 6 feet (1.8 m). Their patterns vary widely between subspecies. Most are solid colored as their common names imply, black racers, brown racers, blue racers or green racers. Runner is sometimes used instead of racer in their common name.
They are found throughout the state.

Smooth Greensnake

The Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis, sometimes Liochlorophis vernalis) is a non-venomous North American snake, found in Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Eastern Canada, and almost every northern state in the U.S. It also sometimes called a Grass Snake

Grass Snake

The grass snake , sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake is a European non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.-Etymology:...

. It is a snake of increasing conservation concern in some U.S. states. The snake is bright green and found mainly in moist meadows, prairies and clearings in coniferous forest. They are almost entirely insectivorous

Insectivore

eating mainly crickets, grasshoppers, and smooth caterpillars.

Western Hog-nosed Snake

The Western Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus
Heterodon nasicus
Heterodon nasicus is a harmless colubrid species found in North America and northern Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the typical form described here.-Description:...

) is a harmless colubrid

Colubrid

species

Species

found in North America and northern Mexico. The Western Hognose Snake is a light sandy brown in color, with darker brown or gray blotching, their coloration is not nearly as variable as the Eastern Hognose, Heterodon platirhinos, but they often have an ink-black and white or yellow checker patterned belly, sometimes accented with orange. They are very stout for their size (a full grown 24-inch female is as bulky as a five-foot corn snake) and can grow from 15 to 33 inches in length, with females generally being larger than males. The characteristic of all hognose snakes is their upturned snout, which aids in digging in the soil. Hognose Snakes are considered to be rear-fanged venomous, but are not considered to pose any danger to humans and will only bite as a feeding response, rarely in defense.

Painted Turtle

The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is a turtle of the Emydidae

Emydidae

Emydidae, commonly called the pond turtles or marsh turtles, is a family of turtles. Previously, several species of Asian box turtle were classified in the family. However, revised taxonomy has separated them to a different family. Now, Emydidae, with the exception of two species of pond turtle,...

family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

that is endemic to southern Canada and the United States. Chrysemys is a monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

genus however, four distinct subspecies

Subspecies

of painted turtle occur. It is small, measuring 10 to 26 cm (3.9 to 10.2 in) and weighing 300 to 500 g (10.6 to 17.6 oz) with females being larger than males. It has a smooth, flat, oval, and keelless carapace

Carapace

A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...

(shell) and a base skin color of black to olive. One of the distinguishing characteristics of this turtle is the red, orange, or yellow "painted" pattern on its legs, tail, neck, and face.

Snapping Turtle

The Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large freshwater turtle of the family

Family (biology)

Chelydridae

Chelydridae is a family of turtles which has seven extinct and two extant genera. The extant genera are Chelydra the snapping turtles, and its larger relative Macrochelys, of which the Alligator Snapping Turtle is the only species. Both are endemic to the Western Hemisphere...

. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

(and beyond, where introduced), throughout Mexico, and as far south as Ecuador. This species and the larger Alligator Snapping Turtle

Alligator Snapping Turtle

The alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. It is not closely related to, but is often associated with the common snapping turtle. They are the sole living member of the genus Macrochelys--while common snappers are in the genus Chelydra...

are both widely referred to as snapping turtles or snappers (though the Common Snapping Turtle, as its name implies, is much more widespread overall).

Spiny Softshell

The Spiny softshell turtle
Spiny Softshell Turtle
The Spiny softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America...

(Apalone spinifera, formerly Trionyx spiniferus) is a species

Species

of softshelled turtle, one of the largest freshwater

Freshwater

Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...

turtle species in North America. They get their name from the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of their carapace

Carapace

, which are not scutes (scales). The Spiny Softshell has a wide range

Range (biology)

In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...

, extending throughout much of the United States, as well as north into the Canadian provinces of Ontario

Ontario

and Quebec

Quebec

Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

, and south into the Mexican states of Tamaulipas

Tamaulipas

Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...

, Nuevo León

Nuevo León

Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

, Coahuila

Coahuila

Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

, Chihuahua, Baja California

Baja California

, Morelos

Morelos

Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 33 municipalities and its capital city is Cuernavaca....

,and Honduras.

American Bullfrog

The American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)), often simply known as the Bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”, native to much of North America. This is a frog of larger, permanent water bodies, swamps, ponds, lakes, where it is usually found along the water's edge.

Red-eared Slider

The red-eared slider
Red-eared slider
The red-eared slider is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and also popular in the rest of the world...

(Trachemys scripta elegans) is a semi-aquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae

Emydidae

. It is a subspecies of pond slider

Trachemys scripta

Trachemys scripta, better known as the pond slider, is a common, medium-sized semi-aquatic turtle. There are three subspecies of sliders. The most recognizable subspecies is the red-eared slider , which is popular in the pet trade. This subspecies has been introduced to other parts of the world...

. It is a native of the southern United States, but has become common in various areas of the world due to the pet trade. They are popular pets in the United States, Mexico, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

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