Great Basin Spadefoot

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  • Wyoming’s Amphibians 

    • Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)

    • Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

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    • Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)

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    • 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)

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IDENTIFICATION

• Size: ~1/2 inch (metamorph) to ~2 inches (adult)
• Dorsal color: light gray, brown or olive
• Small dark spots
• Small warts (often orange) present
• Relatively smooth skin
• Vertical pupils
• Glandular lump (boss) between the eyes
• Mp3 of call (courtesy of Gary Nafis, californiaherps.com; contact Gary for permission to post on other websites)

 

 

                                                                                                                                                Photo by Zack Walker

      

Photos depicting a GB Spadefoot digging itself into the sand by Bonnie Heidel

 

 EGGS & TADPOLES

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

 

BREEDING HABITAT

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

Photo by Bonnie Heidel

 

NATIVE RANGE

Map by Wyoming Natural Diversity Database